Worked double stranded, this tote bag is designed for durability in the winter months. A pink poinsettia adds much-needed cheer to a gray winter’s day.
Skill Level: Easy
Size: Base of Tote: 12” long x 3” wide, Height of Body: 14” tall, Width of Body: 13” wide
Gauge: 12 sc = 4” [10 cm]
Materials
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima (100% Pima Cotton; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams): 3724 Armada (MC, 5 hanks), 3713 Wine (CC1, 2 hanks), 3702 Pink Sapphire (CC2, 1 hank)
Hook: US size I/9 (5.50 mm)
Notions: Stitch markers, tapestry needle
Special Stitches
Begpc (beginning popcorn): Ch 3, 4 dc in same st, drop lp from hook, insert hook from front to back through 3rd ch of beg ch-3, place dropped lp on hook and pull through.
Pc (popcorn): Work 5 dc in same st, drop lp from hook, insert hook from front to back through top of first st made, place dropped lp on hook and pull through st.
Fpsc (front post single crochet): Insert hook from front to back and to front again around post of st indicated, yo and pull up a lp, complete as regular sc.
Picot: Ch 3, insert hook into 3rd ch from hook, yo, pull up a lp and draw through all lps on hook.
Pattern Notes
Entire pattern is worked double stranded, holding 2 strands of yarn together.
The Base is worked flat and in the round. You may wish to PM in the 2nd st of each 3-st group to keep track of st counts.
The Body will be worked upwards in rounds from inside out.
Pattern
Tote
Base
With MC, ch 31.
Rnd 1: Work 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 28 chs, 3 sc in last ch, working on other side of chs sc in next 28 chs, sc in same ch as first 2 sc, join with sl st to first sc. (62 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 2 (count as hdc here and throughout), hdc in same st, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 28 sts, 2 hdc in next st, 3 hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 28 sts, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in same st as first 2 hdc, join with sl st to first hdc. (70 hdc)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, hdc in same st, (2 hdc in next st) twice, hdc in next 30 sts, (2 hdc in next st) twice, 3 hdc in next st, (2 hdc in next st) twice, hdc in next 30 sts, (2 hdc in next st) twice, hdc in same st as first 2 hdc, join with sl st to first hdc. (82 hdc)
Rnd 4: Ch 2, hdc in same st, (hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st) twice, hdc in next 32 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next st) twice, 3 hdc in next st, (hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st) twice, hdc in next 32 sts, (hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st) twice, hdc in same st as first 2 hdc, join with sl st to first hdc. (94 hdc)
Rnd 5: Ch 2, hdc in same st, (hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st) twice, hdc in next 38 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next st) twice, 3 hdc in next st, (hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st) twice, hdc in next 38 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next st) twice, hdc in same st as first 2 hdc, join with sl st to first hdc. Do not fasten off, cont to Body of Tote. (106 hdc)
Body
Rnd 6: Cont in MC, ch 2, with RS facing work 1 hdc around post of next st and each st around, join with sl st to first hdc. (106 hdc)
Rnd 7: Ch 1 (does not count as a st here and throughout), (sc, dc) in same st, sk next st, *(sc, dc) in next st, sk next st; rep from * around, join with sl st to first sc.
Rep Rnd 7 until Body meas approx. 14” tall or desired height.
Last Rnd: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st around, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (106 sc)
Strap
Row 1: With CC1, ch 8, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 6 chs, turn. (7 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, (sc, dc) in first st, sk next st, *(sc, dc) in next st, sk next st; rep from * to last st, sc in last st, turn. (7 sts)
Rep Row 2 for approx. 12” or desired length.
Last Rnd: Ch 1, working around entire Strap, sc evenly along all sides placing 3 sc in each corner, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.
Flower
Rnd 1: With CC1, ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join with sl st to first sc. (8 sc)
Rnd 2: Begpc in first st, ch 3, *pc in next sc, ch 3; rep from * around, join with sl st to top of begpc. Finish off. (8 pc, 8 ch-3 sp)
Rnd 3: Join CC2 with sc to any ch-3 sp, *fpsc around top of next pc, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp; rep from * around, ending with 2 sc in beg ch-3 sp, join with sl st to first sc. (8 fpsc, 24 sc)
Rnd 4: Sc into next fpsc, ch 5, sk next 3 sc, *sc in next fpsc, ch 5, sk next 3 sc; rep from * around, join with sl st to first sc. (8 ch-5 sp, 8 sc)
Rnd 5: Working behind each ch-5 sp and in unworked sc on Rnd 4, sl st into next sc, ch 3, dc in next 2 sc, ch 8, *dc in next 3 sc, ch 8; rep from * around, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. (24 dc, 8 ch-8 sp)
Rnd 6: *Ch 2, (sc, 5 dc, picot, 4 dc, sc) in next ch-8 sp; rep from * around, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3 on Rnd 5. Fasten off. (8 picot, 8 ch-2 sp, 16 sc, 72 dc)
Rnd 7: With RS facing and working in front of piece, join CC2 with sl st to any ch-5 sp on Rnd 4, ch 1, *(sc, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, sc) in next ch-5 sp; rep from * around, join with sl st to first sc. (8 ch-2 sp, 48 dc, 16 sc)
Rnd 8: *Sc in next 3 dc, (2 sc, picot, sc) in next sp, sc in next 3 dc, sl st in next 2 sc; rep from * around, join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (16 sl st, 8 picot, 72 sc)
Finishing
With coordinating colors, sew Strap and Flower on Body using photo as a guide, placing one end of Strap behind Flower on front and other end at top of Body in back.
Weave in all ends.