Made in bright colors for spring, you’ll loving carrying around this tote wherever you go. The bold flower stitch is easier than it looks and, when made in these contrasting colors, this bag makes for an eye-catching accessory.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: 12 ½” W x 15” L (bag); 11 ½” L x 1 ¾” W (base)

Gauge: 5 sc and 4 rows = 1”

Materials

Yarn:

 Omega Sinfonia (100% cotton; 218 yards [200 meters]/100 grams): #820 Mango (1 skein), #836 Morado (1 skein), #879 Purple  (2 skeins)

Hook: US size G/6 (4.0 mm) hook

Notions: Tapestry needle

Special Stitches

Beg. CL: Ch 5, [YO 3 times, insert hook into st, YO, draw up a loop, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) 3 times] 2 times, YO, pull through all 3 loops on hook.
Side CL: Ch 6, [YO 3 times, insert hook into the back bar of the 6th ch from hook, YO, draw up a loop, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) 3 times] 2 times, YO, pull through all 3 loops on hook.
CL: [YO 3 times, insert hook into st, YO, draw up a loop, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) 3 times] 3 times, YO, pull through all 4 loops on hook.

Pattern Notes

Bag is worked from the bottom up. When working Rnd 21, you will be working into the ch-6 lengths of each side CL from the previous round.

Pattern

With Morado, ch 35.
Rnd 1: 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across, 2 sc in last ch. Now work on other side of foundation ch. 2 sc in first ch, sc in each st up to the last ch, 2 sc in last ch, sl st first sc of round. (72 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first 2 sts, sc in next 32 sts, 2 sc in next 4 sts, sc in next 32 sts, 2 sc in next st, sl st to join. (78 sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, 2 hdc in each of next 4 sts, hdc in each of next 32 sts, 2 hdc in each of next 8 sts, hdc in each of next 32 sts, 2 hdc in last 2 sts, sl st to join. (92 hdc)
Rnd 4:  Working in the back bar (the loop below the top 2 loops), ch 1, 2 hdc in the first st, hdc in next 45 sts, 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in each rem st around, sl st to join. (94 hdc)
Rnd 5: Working in both loops, ch 1, 2 hdc in the first st, hdc in next 46 sts, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in each rem st around. Fasten off. (96 hdc)
Rnd 6: With Mango, join with sl st in same st as last sl st of previous rnd, Beg. CL, *sk next 5 sts, (CL, side CL, CL) in next st; rep from * around to last 5 sts, sk next 5 sts, in same st as Beg. CL work (CL, side CL), sl st to top of Beg. CL.
Rnd 7:  Beg. CL in same st as sl st, *sk next side CL and next CL, (CL, ch 7, CL) in next CL*; rep from * to * around, CL in same st as Beg. CL, ch 7, sl st to top of Beg. CL. Fasten off.
Rnd 8: With Morado, join with sl st in last sl st of previous round, Beg. CL, *sc in center of next ch-7 sp, sk next CL, (CL, side CL, CL) in next CL; rep from * around, work (CL, side CL) in same st as Beg. CL, join with sl st to top of Beg. CL. Fasten off.
Rnd 9: With Magenta, join with sl st to CL st next to where put last sl st of previous rnd, Beg. CL, *sk next side CL and CL, (CL, side CL) in next sc, CL in next CL; rep from * around ending with (CL, side CL) in last sc, sl st to top of Beg. CL.
Rnd 10: Continue with Magenta, rep Rnd 7.
Rnd 11: Rep Rnd 8.
Rnds 12-13: With Mango, rep Rnds 9-10.
Rnd 14: Rep Rnd 8.
Rnds 15-16: With Magenta, rep Rnds 9-10.
Rnd 17: Rep Rnd 8.
Rnds 18-19: With Mango, rep Rnds 9-10.
Rnd 20: Rep Rnd 8. DO NOT fasten off.
Rnd 21: Sl st into next sc, ch 3, dc in next CL, (ch 1, sk next 2 chs, sc in next ch, ch 1, sk next ch, sc in next ch, ch 1, sk next 2 chs and CL, dc in next sc, dc in next CL) around ending with sl st in top of starting ch-3.
Rnd 22: Ch 3, dc in each ch, sc and dc around.
Fasten off.

Handles (Make Two)

With Morado, ch 83.
Rnd 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across. Sl st down post of last dc, sl st into other side of first ch, now working on other side of chain, ch 3, dc in next ch and in each ch across, sl st down post of last dc, sl st to very first ch.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for assembly.

Cord

With Morado, ch 150.
Thread cord over and under through cluster sts of Rnd 20, making sure both ends come out in the center of the front. Knot ends of cord and trim yarn tails. 

Finishing

Steam block bag and handles.
Using a yarn needle and Morado yarn, sew on handles on each side using photo as a guide making sure the about 2” of handle end is sewn below top edge of bag.