Sweet Summer Crochet Handbag Pattern

Sweet Summer Crochet Handbag

Designed for the spring 2016 AllFreeCrochet Crochet Along, the Sweet Summer Crochet Handbag uses three basic stitch patterns, custom seamless transitions and bright, light yarn to achieve the perfect summertime crochet tote.

The chosen colors resemble a sandy shore and sweet tropical fruit, and its small size makes it the perfect summer companion. Best of all, this darling crochet bag is lined, so all your summertime essentials will be safe and sound.

Congrats to jewelsoftime for winning the Bergere de France prize pack from the Sweet Summer Crochet Along with her bold take on the pattern! We love the mix of colors and the variegated look of the body!

Thank you to everyone for participating; hopefully you had as much fun as we did. Your book all look stunning, and we hope you all will crochet along with us again very soon!

Intermediate

Crochet HookH/8 or 5 mm hook

Yarn Weight(3) Light/DK (21-24 stitches to 4 inches)

Materials List

1 Wood toggle button - colorway brick
25 mm ref. 30530 (pk of 3)
1 sheet of rigid plastic (not sold)

Instructions

Bottom of the Bag

Using 2 strands of color A held together, make a foundation chain of 40 ch. Then:
Rnd 1: In 2nd ch, work 1 sc (uk: dc), 1 ch and 1 sc (uk: dc) ; then 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 37 ch sts, in the last ch work 1 sc (uk: dc), 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc), 1 ch and 1 sc (uk: dc); then, cont at the other end of the foundation ch and work 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 37 ch sts, 1 sc (uk: dc) in last ch, 1 ch. Close round with 1 sl st to 1st sc (uk: dc) at beg of round. (84 sts)
Then, from 2nd to 5th round, work in the back loop only of each st.
Rnd 2: 1 ch,1 sc (uk: dc) in 1st st, 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 41 sts,1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in next st, 1 ch,1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 41 sts, 1 ch. Close round with 1 sl st to 1st sc (uk: dc) at beg of round. (88 sts)
Rnd 3: 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in 1st st, 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 43 sts, 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in next st, 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 43 sts, 1 ch. Close round with 1 sl st to 1st sc (uk: dc) at beg of round. (92 sts)
Rnd 4: 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in 1st st, 1 ch,1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 45 sts, 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in next st, 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 45 sts, 1 ch. Close round with 1 sl st to 1st sc (uk: dc) at beg of round. (96 sts)
Rnd 5: 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in 1st st,1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 47 sts, 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in next st, 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 47 sts, 1 ch. Close round with 1 sl st to 1st sc (uk: dc) at beg of round. (100 sts)

Sides of the Bag

Starting on next round and until 6th round, the 1st dc (uk: tr) will be replaced by 2 ch sts.
Rnd 1: 1 shell in 1st st, skip 2 sts, 1 shell in next st, skip 2 sts, 1 shell in next st, * skip 4 sts, 1 shell in next st *, work 8 times from * to *, skip 2 sts, 1 shell in next st, skip 2 sts, 1 shell in next st, skip 2 sts, 1 shell in next st, skip 2 sts, 1 shell in next st, * skip 4 sts, 1 shell in next st *, work 8 times from * to *, skip 2 sts, 1 shell in next st. Close round with 1 sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round. (24 shells)
Rnds 2 to 6: 1 sl st in next dc (uk: tr), in the ch-1 space work 1 sl st and 1 shell. Then, 1 shell in the ch-space of each foll shell. Close round with 1 sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round.
Rnd 7: 1 sl st in next dc (uk: tr), in the ch-1 space work 1 sl st, 3 ch (replaces the 1st dc (uk: tr) and the ch-1 space), 1 dc (uk: tr), 1 shell in the ch-space of each of the next 11 shells, in the ch-space of next shell, work 1 dc (uk: tr), 1 ch and 1 dc (uk: tr), 1 shell in the ch-space of each of the next 11 shells. Close round with 1 sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round.
Rnd 8: 1 sl st in next dc (uk: tr), in the ch-1 space work 1 sl st, then 2 ch, 1 shell in the ch-space of each of the next 11 shells, 1 dc (uk: tr) in next ch-1 space, 1 shell in the ch-space of each of the next 11 shells. Close round with 1 sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round.
Rnd 9: 1 sl st in each of the next 2 sts, in the ch-1 space work 1 sl st, 2 ch, 1 dc (uk: tr), 1 ch and 2 dc (uk: tr), 1 shell in the ch-space of each of the next shells. Close round with 1 sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round.
Rnd 10: In the ch-1 space work 1 sl st, 2 ch, 1 dc (uk: tr), 1 ch and 2 dc (uk: tr) (= the 1st shell), then, 1 shell in the ch-space of each foll shell. Close round with 1 sl st to 2nd ch at beg of round. (22 shells)
Rnds 11 & 12: 1 sl st in next dc (uk: tr), then work as for Round 10.

The Trim and Handles

Rnds 13 & 14: Using 2 strands color B held together rep Round 11.
Rnd 15: Using 2 strands color C held together rep Round 13.
Rnd 16: Using 2 strands color C held together 1 ch, 1 hdc (uk: hlf tr) in every foll st (110 hdc (uk: hlf tr))
Cont using 2 strands colour A as foll:
Rnd 17: 1 ch, then 1 sc (uk: dc) in each st (110 sc (uk: dc))
Rnd 18: 1 ch, 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the first 15 sts, 25 ch, skip 25 sts for 1st opening (handle), 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the next 30 sts, 25 ch, skip 25 sts for 2nd opening, 1 sc (uk: dc) in each of the last 15 sts.
Rnds 19 to 21: 1 ch, then 1 hdc (uk: hlf tr) in each st (110 hdc (uk: hlf tr))
Fasten off at the end of Round 21.

Finishing

Closure Tie: Using 2 strands color A, make a foundation chain of 25 ch sts, then work 1 sc (uk: dc) in 7ème ch and in each foll ch. Fasten off.
To reinforce the bottom of bag, use template given in Diagram. Enlarge it to 200% and copy it onto sheet of rigid plastic. Cut outlines of template. To reinforce sides of bag, trace 2 rectangles measuring each 40 cm x 30 cm (15¾ in x 12 in) on sheet of rigid plastic. Cut those rectangles.
Preparing the liner: To make it easier to sew pieces tog, punch evenly spaced holes ahead with a needle in the plastic liner.
Place bottom liner inside bag and sew in place.
Place a rectangle liner next to each side inside of bag, so that it is centered and located 2 cm (¾ in) under the handle opening. Sew in place.
Attach the closure tie so that it is centered on lower edge of first opening (see picture).
Attach button to other side of bag.

Abbreviations

Chain stitch: ch or ch st

Slip stitch: sl st

Single Crochet: sc

Double Crochet: dc

Half Double Crochet: hdc

Shell: 2 dc, 1 ch and 2 dc

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tippecanoe 1003966

Feb 13, 2020

Beautiful design! Is there an attractive way to attach leather straps for a shoulder bag rather than the handles? Thanks!

pat

Apr 05, 2017

can you tell me what the UK means

AFC Editor Julia

Apr 05, 2017

Hi Pat, The UK in parenthesis is just offering you the UK terminology. This pattern is written in US terminology so if that's what you're familiar with, ignore the UK bits. :) Thanks! Julia, editor for AllFreeCrochet

jewelsoftime 22688 31

Apr 07, 2016

I received my prize for winning today and the yarn is beautiful. Very fine and soft. Will be great to work with. I believe I will make a lacy Victorian afghan that I found the pattern for. The catalog I received is cool with actual samples of the different yarns Bergere de France puts out. Lots of nice choices. If you go to their US web site at http//www.bergeredefrance.com/homepage-us?utmexpid == =9730425-5.rUujdRrQhmcbwJG0k9W2A.1 their prices are not as high as I thought at first, must have been looking at their France site. Even the box it came in is fancy with magnetic closure. Pattern book is nice but nearly all knit patterns. Thanks so much! What fun to receive such a nice package.