This beachy tote is complete with bamboo handles and a fabric lining to keep all of your summer essentials sand-free.

Skill level: Easy

Size: 12” tall x 14½” across x 3” across bottom.

Gauge: Tote: 17 sts and 19 rows = 4” [10 cm] in sc. Mandala: 10¼” across, Rnds 1-5= 4 ¼” measuring from shell to shell.

Materials

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver (100% Acrylic; 364 yards [333 meters]/198 grams): #358 Lavender (color A), 1 skein, #724 Baby Pink (color B), 1 skein, #3862 Jade (color C), 1 skein, #656 Real Teal (color D), 1 skein, #530 Orchid (color E), 1 skein, #505 Aruba Sea (color F), 1 skein, #334 Buff (color G), 1 skein.

Hook: Size G/6 (4.0 mm)

Notions: Large eye yarn needle; 2 sets ½” purse magnet closures; ½ yard coordinating fabric; ½ yard medium weight iron-on interfacing; matching sewing thread; bamboo purse handles (10” x 5¾”).

Special Stitches: Ch, sl st, sc, hdc, dc, long sc, 3 dc shell, open shell (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), 5 dc shell, 5 hdc shell

Pattern

With color G, ch 36.

Rnd 1: 3 Sc in 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across, working on opposite side of starting ch, sc in each ch across, 2 sc in last ch, do not join. Use place marker on first st and move up as work progresses – 76 sts.
Rnd 2: 2 Sc in first 3 sts, sc in next 33 sts, 2 sc in next 5 sts, sc in next 33 sts, 2 sc in last 2 sts – 86 sts.
Rnd 3: (2 Sc in next st, sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 33 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 5 times, sc in next 33 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next st) 2 times – 96 sts.
Rnd 4: (2 Sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts) 3 times, sc in next 33 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts) 5 times, sc in next 33 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts) 2 times – 106 sts.
Rnd 5: (2 Sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts) 3 times, sc in next 33 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts) 5 times, sc in next 33 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts) 2 times – 116 sts.
Rnd 6: (2 Sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts) 3 times, sc in next 33 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts) 5 times, sc in next 33 sts, (2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts) 2 times – 126 sts.
Rnd 7: Working in blo, sc in each st around.
Rnds 8-18: Working in both lps, sc in each st around.
Rnd 19: With color D, sc in each st around.
Rnd 20: With color C, sc in each st around.
Rnds 21-47: Sc in each st around. Fasten off at end of last rnd.
Rnd 48: With color D, sc in each st around.
Rnd 49: With color G, sc in each st around.
Rnds 50-60: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 61: Sl st in each st around, join in first st. Fasten off.

Mandala

Rnd 1: With color A, cross yarn to form loop (magic loop), ch 1, 12 sc in lp, tighten lp, join in first st. Fasten off – 12 sts.
Rnd 2: With color B, join with sl st in first st, ch 2, 2 hdc in same st, ch 1, *sk next st, 3 hdc in next st, ch 1; rep from * around, join in top of first ch 2. Fasten off – 18 hdc, 6 ch-1 lps.
Rnd 3: With color C, join with sl st in 2nd hdc of the first 3-hdc group, ch 3, 2 dc in same st, *ch 2, long sc in next skipped st of Rnd 1, ch 2, 3 dc in 2nd st of next 3-hdc group; rep from * around, ending with ch 2, join in top of first ch 3. Fasten off – 18 dc, 6 long sc, 12 ch-2 sps.
Rnd 4: With color D, join with sc in first dc, sc in next 2 dc, *ch 4, sk 2 ch-2 sp and long sc, sc in next 3 dc; rep from * around, join in first sc. Fasten off – 6 ch-4 sps, 24 sc.
Rnd 5: With color E, join with sl st in first sc, ch 3, v-st (dc, ch 1, dc) in next sc, dc in next sc, *ch 2, (sc, long dc in the long sc of Rnd 3, sc) in next ch-4 sp, ch 2, dc in next sc, v-st in next sc, dc in next sc; rep from * 3 times more, ch 2, (sc, long dc in the long sc of Rnd 3, sc) in last ch-4 sp, ch 2, join with sl st in top of ch-3. Fasten off – 6 v sts, 12 dc, 12 sc, 6 long dc.
Rnd 6: With color F, join with sl st in sp of first v-st, ch 3, 4 dc in same st, *ch 3, sc in next long dc, ch 3, 5 dc (shell) in sp of next v-st; rep from * around, join in top of first ch-3. Fasten off – 6 5-dc shells, 6 sc, 12 ch-3 sps.
Rnd 7: With color A, join with sl st in first dc, ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1) in same st, (dc, ch 1) in next 4 dc, *(dc, ch 1) in each of next 2 ch-3 sp, (dc, ch 1) in next 5 dc; rep from * around, join in 3rd ch of first ch 4. Fasten off – 54 dc, ch 1.
Rnd 8: With color B, join with sl st in first ch-1 sp, ch 2, hdc in same sp, ch 1, *hdc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, 2 hdc in next ch-1 sp, ch1; rep from * around, join in top of first ch 2. Fasten off – 81 hdc.
Rnd 9: With color C, join with sl st in any single hdc, ch 4, dc in same st (beg v-st made), *ch 1, sk first hdc of next 2-hdc group, sc in next hdc, ch 1, v-st in next hdc; rep from * around, join in 3rd ch of first ch 4. Fasten off – 27 v sts, 27 sc.
Rnd 10: With color D, join with sl st in first v-st, ch 2, hdc in same st, *ch 3, 2 hdc in next v-st; rep from * around, join in top of first ch 2. Fasten off – 54 hdc, 27 ch-3 sps.
Rnd 11: With color E, join with sl st in 2nd hdc of first 2-hdc group, ch 2, 2 hdc in same st, *ch 4, 3 hdc in 2nd hdc of next 2-hdc group; rep from * around, join in top of first ch 2. Fasten off – 81 hdc, 27 ch-3 sps.
Rnd 12: With color F, join with sl st in 2nd hdc of first 3-hdc group, ch 2, 4 hdc in same st, *long dc in next sc of Rnd 9, 5 hdc in 2nd hdc of next 3-hdc group (5 hdc shell made); rep from * around, join in top of first ch 2. Fasten off – 27 5-hdc shells.

Finishing

Weave in all loose ends. Sew mandala to front of tote securing around the last rnd. Also sew around the second or third round of mandala and then again at rounds 7 or 8. This way the mandala will not sag.

Lining

Cut a piece of lining fabric and fusible interfacing 12¾” x 32”. Cut piece of lining fabric and interfacing for bottom piece according to diagram. Fuse interfacing to the lining pieces. Sew side seam of lining together. Then pin and sew to the bottom piece easing in any fullness. Place lining inside tote and turn down top edge of lining so that lining is about one row below top of the tote. Hem top edge of lining by machine. Attach purse magnets to smaller pieces of fused lining fabric (about 2” square or so). Machine sew these magnet pieces to front and back side of tote lining being sure they line up evenly. Place lining inside the tote and hand sew to around the top edge.

Using main color yarn, sew handles to the tote front and back.