Wobbly Stripes Handbag - Free Pattern | Tw-In Stitches

Oh, my goodness!  I've been crocheting up a storm trying to get rid of my stash and every time I think I've made some headway, I find another bag, another box, and more skeins of yarn!  I'm flabbergasted by the amount of yarn I have.

The yarn that frustrate me the most is the balls of partial skeins of yarn (a.k.a. the dreaded scraps).  I have a ton of them leftover from blankets scarves and other things I've made.  I had quite a few balls of yarn left from when I made the Sophie's Universe blanket earlier this year.  I used Vanna's Choice in ten different shades and I had enough left that I thought I might be able to make a handbag.  As I started, I thought "Why not use the wobbly pattern?" You guys, seriously!  The Wobbly V-Stitch makes this bag so fun and quick to make.  The two bags pictured were made in the last 24 hours!

I started by using up the two skeins of the Rust colorway.  I thought, for sure, that I would use it more in my blanket, but it bothered me every time I used it and ended up avoiding using it.  The good news is that I have a sister who loves orange, so this bag was made with her in mind.  

I decided to start with a Wobbly Square and continue with Wobbly Stripes worked in the round.  The great thing about this pattern is that you can make the bottom of the bag bigger or smaller depending on your beginning square.  Also, you can choose to make the bag deeper by repeating the Wobbly Stripes rows. I also added a button to close the top of the bag in a different way!

Wobbly Stripes Handbag - Free Pattern

Click here to add this pattern to your Ravelry queue!

Materials:

Worsted Weight Yarn (I used the leftover Vanna’s Choice yarn from my Sophie’s Universe blanket)

H hook (5.0 mm)

Tapestry needle
3/4 inch or 1 inch diameter button

Stitches Needed:

Magic Circle

Chain

SC: Single crochet

DC: double crochet

dc2tog (Double crochet together)  Click here for a video from Moogly to learn how to crochet this stitch.

slip stitch

Standing DC  Click here for a video from Moogly to learn how to crochet a standing dc.

Standing dc2tog: begin a standing DC, pull yarn through first two loops only.  Yarn over, insert hook through next chain 1 space and complete the dc2tog. 

Note about the corners: Each corner is worked over three stitches.  They will consist of the second half of a dc2tog, chain 1, DC, chain 1, DC, chain 1, the first half of a dc2tog.  You will have what appears to be 4 DCs in each corner. 

Working with one color: If you decide to make your handbag in one color instead of multiple colors, you will not be fastening off.  You will need to be able to work your way up to the next row.  It's easy to do! Join to the top of the first dc2tog, slip stitch into the chain 1 space. Chain 3. Double crochet into the next chain 1 space. Chain 1 and begin the dc2tog part of the pattern.  See? Easy!

Pattern:

** Click here for a photo tutorial of the first 3 rows. **

Row 1: Using Color 1, crochet a magic circle, chain 2 (does not count as a stitch).  Crochet one dc2tog, then chain 1. Repeat from * to * seven more times.  Join to the top of the first dc2tog. Fasten off. Close magic circle.

In each of the following rows, all stitches will be worked in the chain 1 spaces of the previous row.

Row 2: Using Color 2, using the standing double crochet method, join the new color in one of the chain 1 spaces, but only pull through the first two loops (beginning of first dc2tog started). Yarn over and complete the dc2tog in the next chain space.  Chain 1. Begin the next dc2tog in the same space, complete in the next chain 1 space. To form the first corner, we will continue to work in the same space.  Chain 1, double crochet, chain 1, double crochet, chain 1 all in the same space.  To complete the corner, begin the next dc2tog in the same space and complete it in the next chain 1 space.  Begin the next dc2tog in the same space, complete in the next chain 1.  *Make a corner (Chain 1, double crochet, chain 1, double crochet, chain 1 all in the same space.  To complete the corner, begin the next dc2tog in the same space and complete it in the next chain 1 space.). Begin the next dc2tog in the same space, complete in the next chain 1 space.*  Repeat  from * to * two more times.  Join to the top of the standing dc2tog. Fasten off.

 {You may choose to weave in your ends as you go or leave them until the end.}

Row 3: Using Color 3, join using the standing double crochet method in any space but a corner.  Remember to only pull through the first two loops (beginning of first dc2tog started). Yarn over and complete the dc2tog in the next chain space.  Chain 1. Begin the next dc2tog in the same space, complete in the next chain 1 space. Continue this pattern, dc2tog, chain 1, begin next dc2tog in the same space, until you reach a corner.  Complete the final dc2tog in the corner, chain 1, dc, chain 1, dc, chain 1, start dc2tog in the corner and complete in the next stitch.  Continue around joining to the top of the standing dc2tog.  Fasten off.

Rows 4-6: Repeat row 3. Alternate colors according to the pattern you established.

Rows 7-20: For these rows, we are going to ignore the corners and consider only their chain 1 spaces!  This row is only dc2togs and chain 1s.  Join using the standing double crochet method in any space. Complete the dc2tog in the next chain space. Chain 1. Begin the next dc2tog in the same space, complete in the next chain 1 space. Continue this pattern, dc2tog, chain 1, begin next dc2tog in the same space. End with the find dc2tog in the same chain 1 space as your first stitch, chain 1 and join to the top of the first dc2tog. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Note: If you like, you can continue this pattern beyond these rows.  The more rows you add, the deeper your bag!

Row 21:  Before you begin this row, take a moment to gain your bearings.  The bottom of your bag is a square and if you want your handles to match up with the sides of the square, you need to place your first stitch in a specific location.   Look at the bottom of your bag and find row 6.  Look for the center V of one of the corner. From each center corner V, trace up and place a marker in the V in the top row. Mark all 4.  You should see that there are a total of 11 Vs between one center V and the next center V.  Count over to the fifth V from one of the corner markers and join yarn with a standing single crochet in that chain 1 space.  Crochet a second SC in that space. In each of the chain 1 spaces around, crochet 2 SCs.  Join to the top of the first single crochet. I recommend keeping the same color, but you can fasten off and use a new color in the next round. (96 scs)

I marked my V-stitches and moved the stitch markers to the single crochets in preparation for Row 22.

Row 22: Let’s make the handles! There is a lot of counting going on for the rest of the pattern, so make sure to check frequently!

If you are using the same color, chain 1. SC in the same stitch as join. (If you are using a different color, make a standing SC into the first stitch from the last row.) SC in the next 22 stitches. Slip stitch into the next stitch. Chain 32 (you can do more if you want longer handles!). Skip 16 stitches and slip stitch into the 17^th stitch. SC into the next stitch and in each of the next 29 stitches (30 scs). Slip stitch into the next stitch. Chain 32. SC into the next stitch and each of the next 6 stitches. Slip stitch to the top of the first SC to join. (2 sets of 30 single crochets, 4 slip stiches, 2 sets of 32 chains). Note: if you are changing colors each row, I would recommend using the same color for this row and the next.

Row 23: Chain 1, SC in the same stitch** and in each of the next 22 stitches. Skip the slip stitch and single crochet into each the 32 chains. Skip the slip stitch and single crochet into the next 30 stitches. Skip the slip stitch and single crochet into each the 32 chains. Skip the slip stitch and single crochet into each of the next 7 stitches.  Slip stitch to the top of the first SC to join. Fasten off.

**Remember that if you are joining another color, you can join using the standing SC instead of joining and chaining 1 before the SC.

Row 24: Chain 1, SC in the same stitch and in the next 22 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 30 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 30 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 30 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next. Join to the top of the first SC. Fasten Off.

Row 25: Chain 1, SC in the same stitch and in the next 22 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 28 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 14 stitches.  In the next, stitch SC once and slip stitch into the same stitch.  Chain 2, skip 2 stitches. Slip stitch and SC into the next stitch. This forms the button hole. SC in each of the next 13 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 28 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 7 stitches. Join to the top of the first SC. Fasten Off.

Row 26: Chain 1, SC in the same stitch and in the next 22 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 26 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 30 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next 26 stitches. Skip the next SC and SC in each of the next. Join to the top of the first SC. Fasten Off.

If you want thicker straps, you can keep going beyond Row 26, but I think 4 rows is enough!

To finish, weave in any ends you have. Sew a button on the inside of the bag opposite the button hole.  When you slip the button through the hole and hold the handles, the bag will close up quite nicely!

Feel free to add your favorite flower or other accessory!

Ruffle Phone Wristlet

In two weeks, my friend, Nikki, and I are sponsoring a table at our school's trade fair.  Half of our profits go to MSCF, the student charitable fund at our school.  I've made a bunch of things: flowers, E-Reader bags with wristet handles, and phone wristlet bags.  Most have been very simple, but tonight, I had a thought.

I was working on a ruffle scarf pattern and made it about 14 inches in when I decided I was bored.  So I folded the piece in half and started the ruffle portion of the scarf in the front loops.  I continued to ruffle in a spiral pattern AROUND the piece, effectively closing the two pieces together to form a bag.  This is the result:

Ruffle Phone Wristlet

Adorable, right?  I want to make a purple one! 
I finished this in about an hour and a half.  I'm so excited.

The Pouchy Pouch

My friend, Nikki, and I are teaching a beginning crochet class at school this year.  The name of the class is still a work in progress, but one thing we have decided on is which stitches we will introduce in the first trimester of the class.  One trimester equals 3 1.5 hours classes, so we've had to be realistic about how much we can actually teach.

Our plan is to teach how to hold your crochet hook, chaining, single crochet stitches, and how to maintain your tension.  There may be some frogging in there as well.  The goal is that all participants will crochet their very own single crocheted scarf and by class #2, be able to work on a nifty pouch project.  The Pouchy Pouch from Maize Hutton's blog, is fantastic because it is created entirely of chains and single crochets.  Her original pattern was created using linen yarn and a C hook, but I tested it using worsted weight yarn and a G hook.

Here is the result:  a 5 inch tall pouch easily worn under your clothes or on top of them to hold a cell phone, your money (the paper kind) and/or a lip balm.

I made mine like this:

Begin by ch 11.
Sc in the second ch from hook and in each st across (10 sts).
Ch 1 and turn.  Sc in each st across (10 sts).
Repeat until you have 32 rows.

See Maize's blog for the folding and stitching of the sides.  She explains it the best.  As you decide how many to chain for the strap, stop every so often and place it around your neck to see where you would like it to fall.  In Maize's pattern, she chained 200 for the strap, but I used significantly fewer, about 110.  In retrospect, using worsted yarn, a chain of about 90 would put the pouch in the ideal position for me.  You'll need to test this though so that it works for you.

To personalize this more, you could add some sequins or buttons.  You could also crochet a fold over flap to close off the top of the pouch.  The possibilities are endless!

Enjoy!

It's a Cupcake Purse!

I love having a little girl.  She watches me crochet and asks me "Are you making something for me, Mommy?" When I do, she will wear it for hours.  She has two scarves and three hats.  All of them make the rounds each day and she loves them because they are clothing she can put on all by herself.

Recently, she could not find her little Dora purse that she loves so much.  She came to me with her sad little face and said, "Mommy, I don't have a purse! Where do I put my toys?"

So, I decided to see if I could find the ultimate girly purse.  In my search, I found a pattern for a cupcake purse. Yup!  A cupcake purse!  The pattern I found was available for free at Crochetville.  You may have to join to see it, but it is well worth the free membership!

You start with a base:

Then, you crochet the frosting and straps:

  Don't you just love it?  I can't wait to give it to Gracie!