Skill Level: Easy

Size:  Finished tote 17” high x 13” wide, handle is about 9” tall x 1.75” wide

Gauge: 5 blocks in pattern = 4” [10 cm]

Materials:

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver (100% Acrylic; 364 yards [333 meters]/198 grams): #382 Country Blue (C1, 1 skein), #672 Spring Green (C2, 1 skein), #254 Pumpkin (C3, 1 skein), #356 Amethyst (C4, 1 skein), #321 Gold (C5, 1 skein)

Hook: US size I/9 (6.0 mm)

Notions: Tapestry needle, safety pins, glue, black paint, paint brush, tealight candles (for eyes)

Special Stitches

Block: (Slip st, ch 3, 3 dc) all in ch-3 sp.

Increase Block: Ch 5, dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next 2 ch, then work next block(s).

Decrease Block: For decrease block at beginning of row, sl st in each of 3 dc of first block, then work next block(s). For decrease block at end of row, sl st in ch-3 of last block, then turn or fasten off as needed. 

Pattern Notes

Tote is worked diagonally beginning in first corner. Pattern st is worked in blocks of (slip st, ch 3, 3 dc) all in each ch-3 space of each block of previous row. Each row will have one more block until Row 16. Then one block is added along one side and one block is decreased along opposite side to make a rectangle. After Row 21, one block will be decreased along both sides until one block is left on last row worked. Color changes are indicated in the pattern.

Always turn at the beginning of a new row

Pattern

Front and Back of Tote (make 2)

With C1, ch 5.

Row 1 (RS): Dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next 2 ch. (1 Block)

Row 2: Ch 5, turn, dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next 2 ch, (sl st, ch 3, 3 dc) in ch-3 sp of previous row. (2 Blocks)

Row 3: Ch 5, turn, dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next 2 ch, ([sl st, ch 3, 3 dc] in next ch-3 sp of previous row) 2 times. Fasten off C1. (3 Blocks)

Row 4: With C2, work Increase Block, work Block in ch-3 sp of each Block across. Fasten off C2. (4 Blocks)

Row 5: With C4, work Increase Block, work Block in ch-3 sp of each Block across. Fasten off C4. (5 Blocks)

Row 6: With C3, work Increase Block, work Block in ch-3 sp of each Block across. Fasten off C3. (6 Blocks)

Row 7: With C4, work Increase Block, work Block in ch-3 sp of each Block across. Fasten off C4. (7 Blocks)

Row 8: With C2, work Increase Block, work Block in ch-3 sp of each Block across. Fasten off C2. (8 Blocks)

Rows 9-16: With C1, turn, work Increase Block, work Block in ch-3 sp of each Block across. Each row will have 1 more block. At end of Row 16 there will be 16 blocks.

Note: In this section you are increasing at the beginning of every other row and decreasing at the beginning of each of the other rows so you have the same number of blocks in each row (16 blocks.

Row 17: Increase Block, work Block in each space across, ending row with a Decrease Block.

Row 18: Decrease Block, work Blocks across, ending with an increase block

Row 19: Increase Block, work Block in each space across, ending row with a Decrease Block.

Row 20: Decrease Block, work Blocks across, ending with an increase block

Row 21: Increase Block, work Block in each space across, ending row with a Decrease Block

Note: From here on work a Decrease Block at each end of every row.

Rows 22-28: Decrease block, work blocks across, Decrease block to end row. At end of Row 28, fasten off C1. At end of Row 28 there will be 9 blocks.

Row 29: With C2, work Decrease Block, work Blocks across, Decrease Block to end row. Fasten off C2.

Row 30: With C4, rep Row 29. Fasten off C4.

Row 31: With C3, rep Row 29. Fasten off C3.

Row 32: With C4, rep Row 29. Fasten off C4.

Row 33: With C2, rep Row 29. Fasten off C2.

Rows 34-36: With C1, rep Row 29. At end off Row 36, there will be one block. Fasten off C1. Weave in all ends.

Handles (make 2)

With C1, ch 75.

Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across.

Row 2: Ch 3, turn, dc in each dc across. Fasten off.

Trim Rnd: Join C2 in any corner sp, 3 sc in corner, 2 sc in side of each dc row, 3 sc for next corner, sc in each dc to next corner sp, 3 sc for corner, 2 sc in sides of next 2 rows, 3 dc for next corner, sc in each dc to end, join with sl st to first sc of beginning corner.

Fasten off. 

Owl

Body

With C3, ch 4, beginning ch-3 counts as first dc.

Rnd 1: Work 11 dc in 4th ch from hook, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (12 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same dc, 2 dc in each dc around, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (24 dc)

Rnd 3: Ch 3, *2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc; rep from * around, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (36 dc)

Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in next dc, *2 dc in next dc, dc in each of next 2 dc; rep from * around, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (48 dc)

Fasten off.

Front Eye Piece

With C3, ch 15, join with sl st to from a ring, ch 3, dc in same ch, 2 dc in each ch around, sl st to top of ch-3, ch 18, sl st in 15th ch from hook to form a ring, leave 3 ch unworked for between eyes, ch 3, dc in same ch, 2 dc in each ch around, join with sl st to top of ch-3.

Tack eyes together using photo as a guide.

  

Back of Eye Piece (make 2)

With C3, ch 4.

Rnd 1: Work 14 dc in 4th ch from hook, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (15 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each dc around, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (30 dc)

Fasten off.

Eye Trim (make 2)

With C2, ch 15, sl st to form a ring, sc in first ch, *ch 2, sc in next ch; rep from * around, join with sl st to beginning sc.

Fasten off.

Beak

With C5, ch 2.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook.

Row 2: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in sc.

Row 3: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in each sc.

Row 4: Ch 1 turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc in 2 sc, 2 sc in last sc.

Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc in each sc.

Fasten off, leaving length of yarn to sew beak in place.

Wings (make 2)

With C2, ch 7.

Row 1: Work dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across. Fasten off. (5 dc)

Row 2: With C4, ch 3, turn, dc in same st, dc in each dc across, ending with 2 dc in last st. Fasten off. (7 dc)

Row 3: With C2, ch 3, turn, dc in same st, dc in each dc across, ending with 2 dc in last st. Fasten off. (9 dc)

Row 4: With C4, ch 3, turn, dc in same st, dc in each dc across, ending with 2 dc in last st. Fasten off. (11 dc)

Row 5: With C2, ch 3, turn, dc in same st, dc in each dc across, ending with 2 dc in last st. Fasten off.  (13 dc)

Finishing

Assembly

Use photo as a guide to sew Owl to front of Tote Bag.

Sew the Body down first, using safety pins to hold it in place.

Sew Back of Eyes to front section, being sure to leave the upper edge open to insert the tealight candles, then tack Eye Trim in place. Next, pin Eye piece above Body and tack in place.

Tack Wings and Beak in place using photo as a guide.

Cut a few pieces of C2 and C4 and tie above Eye section.

Paint center of tealight candles with black acrylic paint and let it dry thoroughly. Insert into the opening and glue to secure the tealights.

Using 2, starting at top corner and working toward the bottom of the bag, sc the front and back of Tote together on 3 sides, *2 sc in side of each ch-3 and sc in each dc; rep from * to corner, 3 sc in corner st, continuing in established pattern work across the bottom of bag and up the second side, then around open top edge of bag.

Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Pin handles in place, starting 2 blocks from each edge. Tack handles to each side of Tote bag.