Let’s get busy!

A  ’Little – hands’  bag.

This has been soooo long in the making and writing that I bet you had forgotten all about it!  Well here it is – the tutorial (I don’t feel qualified to write one of those!) for my little bag.  If it doesn’t make sense please, please let me know!

Make a chain of 20 using a double knit yarn.

2 chain and then 1 double crochet into all the remaining chain.

4ch and then without turning over, 1dc into all the ch going back down the other side.   You end up with the original chain down the centre.  Change colour.

3 ch and then 1 tr into each double crochet working 2 tr into the end space before working 1 tr back down to the end.  (44 tr)

Now working in rounds, work 1 tr into each tr  changing colour for each round as you go.

I worked 18 rounds but you can work more or less depending on how big you want the bag to be.

Now it is time for the edging.  I have to give Lucy at attic 24 the credit for this scallop edging but it has become one of my favourites.

Join in the edging yarn with a slip stitch.  Work 5 tr into the gap 2 trs away.  Slip stitch to the gap 2 trs away.  Repeat however many times to get you back to the start.  Mine worked out to be 11 shells.

The flap  is worked next.  On the back of the bag with right sides facing join in a colour with a slip stitch around the post of one of the bag trs.

3 ch for the first tr and then 1 tr around each of the next 19 trs on the bag.

It should end up looking a bit like this.

It should sit just below the shells.  Break yarn and return to the start of the line.  Always keeping right sides facing work 11 rows, starting and finishing 1 tr from each edge until you have a line of 9 trs worked.

Starting at the base of the flap work 3 shell patterns up the side, 1 shell going around the corner, 1 shell in the centre of the flap, 1 shell around the corner, and 3 more shells down the other side.

The pouch is now complete.

For the handle make a ch of the desired length.  Work 1 dc into each ch first up one side and then down the other side. Change colours if you wish to.

Sew securely to the sides of the bag and then stitch a button over the end as decoration.  Attach and central button and loop. And there you have it – one bag!  You can attach a suitable lining or leave it without.  I would love to know how you get on so keep in touch.  (especially if I have confused you!!!!)