Beach Waves Bag
This bag can be made in 4ply, DK or Aran weight yarn- a cotton or cotton blend yarn would be best as it will give a relatively firm finish, and is approximately 12 inches (30cm) wide, 14 inches (36cm) high. You can use any combination of colours- my original used 4 colours in an interlocking stripe pattern: A, A, B,A, B, B, C, B, C, C, D, C, D, D, A, D
Pattern notes:
I recommend crocheting over the ends of your yarn as you go to avoid sewing in lots of ends afterwards. If you are continuing with the same colour you will need to work a sl st into the adjacent corner to begin each round. To keep the bag neat work any colour changes on the same side of the bag so that all the darned in/ crocheted over ends are at the back of the bag.
You will need roughly 225g of yarn and the appropriate hook: 4ply- 3mm crochet hook DK- 3.5mm crochet hook Aran- 4mm crochet hook Fabric to line the bag is optional US terms used throughout: st= Stitch ch= Chain sl st= Slip stitch sc= Single crochet hdc= Half double crochet dc= Double crochet dc2tog= Double crochet two stitches together (to decrease 1 stitch) hdc2tog= Half double crochet two stitches together (to decrease 1 stitch) sp= Spike stitch- work a sc into the gap between two dc's, this will form a stitch slightly longer than the usual sc Gauge when worked in sc: 4ply- 11 sts/ 2 inches (5cm) dk- 10 stst/ 2 inches (5cm) aran- 9 sts/ 2 inches (5cm) Instructions: 4ply (DK, Aran) Foundation square- make 2: Round 1. Into a magic ring: ch5, (3dc, ch2) repeat 3 times, 2dc, sl st into the 3'd ch of the initial ch5. Round 2. Starting in a ch2 space: ch5, dc2, dc into each dc, work 2dc, ch2, 2dc into the corner spaces, end with a dc and sl st into the 3'd ch of the beginning ch5. Work a total of 6 (5, 4) rounds in the same manner- starting each round with ch5, 2dc into the first corner, then work a dc into each dc, 2dc, ch2, 2dc into the corner spaces and end with a dc and sl st into the 3'd ch of the beginning ch5.
Joining rounds:
You will be working 1 more round on each square which will have decreases to shape the two corners of the base of the bag and on the second square will be joined to the first with some slip stitches at one corner, you should end up with the two squares joined which can then be folded to form the base of thebag.
First square:
(ch 5, 2dc) into a corner, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc2tog, dc2tog into the next st and corner space, dc2tog into the corner space and next st, dc2tog, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, (2dc, ch 2, 2dc) into corner space, dc into next 21 (17, 13) sts, dc2tog, (dc, ch 2, dc) into corner space, dc2tog, dc into next 21 (17, 13) sts, dc into corner, sl st into 3'd ch of initial ch 5, break off yarn and pull through hook. Second square: You now need to have your first square, right side up, with the corner which is opposite the one with the 4 dc2tog's next to the corner you're currently working, work a dc into the corner space then sl st into the dc opposite on the first square, sl st twice into the corner on the first square, dc into the corner on the second square then sl st into the opposite dc on the first square, carry on working on the second square as follows, dc2tog, dc in the next 21 (17, 13) sts, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into the corner, dc into the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc2tog, dc2tog into the dc and the corner space, dc2tog into the corner space and next dc, dc2tog, dc into next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc into the corner space then sl st into the 3'd ch of the initial ch5 to finish, break off yarn and pull through hook.
First round:
Fold the two joined squares in half to give an \*M' shape with a flat base, starting in the top left hand corner work ch5, 2dc, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc2tog 4 times, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into the corner space, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc2tog 4 times (note you will not be working into the dc's of the previous round which are joined by sl sts), dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into the corner space, dc into the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc2tog 4 times, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into the corner space, dc into the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc2tog 4 times (again not using the dc's from the previous round which are joined by sl sts), dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc into the corner space and join with a sl st to the 3'd ch of the initial ch5. All subsequent rounds: Starting in the left top corner, (ch5, 2dc), dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc2tog 4 times, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into the corner, dc in the next 21 (17, 13) sts, dc2tog, miss 2 sts, dc2tog, dc in the next 21 (17, 13) sts, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into the corner, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, dc2tog 4 times, dc in the next 20 (16, 12) sts, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) into the corner, dc in the next 21 (17, 13) sts, dc2tog, miss 2 sts, dc2tog, dc in the next 21 (17, 13) sts, dc into the corner and sl st into the 3'd ch of the initial ch5 to finish. Work these rounds until the bag measures 14 inches (36cm) from the base to the top corners, break off yarn and pull through hook.
Edging: There are four edge styles to choose from; Plain, Mini shell, Spike stitch and Eyelet. Plain edging: Working through the back loops only throughout, start in the top left point into the first ch, ch and sc into the same space, sc in the second ch, sc in the next 23 (19, 15) sts, sc2tog, sc in the next 23 (19, 15) sts, sc in the 2 ch, sc in the next 23 (19, 15) sts, sc2tog, sc in the next 23 (19, 15) sts, sc in the 2 ch, sc in the next 23 (19, 15) sts, sc2tog, sc in the next 23 (19, 15)sts, sc in the 2 ch, sc in the next 23 (19, 15) sts, sc2tog, sc in the next 23 (19, 15) sts, break off yarn and pull through the hook, fasten off invisibly.
Mini Shell edging:
Starting in the top left point and into the corner space, ch3, 2dc, \*skip 1, sl st, skip 1, 3dc\* repeat 5 (4, 3) times, skip 1, sl st, skip 1, over the next 2 sts work (dc, dc2tog, dc) \*skip 1, sl st, skip 1, 3dc\* repeat 5 (4, 3) times, skip 1, sl st, skip 1, 3dc into corner space, \*skip 1, sl st, skip 1, 3dc\* repeat 5 (4, 3) times, skip 1, sl st, skip 2, 3dc into the gap between the two dc2tog's, skip 2, sl st, skip 1, \*3dc, skip 1, sl st, skip 1\* repeat 5 (4, 3) times, 3dc into corner space, skip 1 , sl st, \*3dc, skip 1, sl st, skip 1\* repeat 5 (4, 3) times, over the next 2 sts work (dc, dc2tog, dc), skip 1, sl st, skip 1, \*3dc, skip 1, sl st, skip 1\* repeat 5 (4, 3) times, 3dc into corner space, skip 1, sl st, skip 1, \*3dc, skip 1, sl st, skip 1\* repeat 5 (4, 3) times, skip 1, 3dc into the gap between the two dc2tog's, skip 2, sl st, skip 1, \*3dc, skip 1, sl st, skip 1\* repeat 5 (4, 3) times, break off yarn, pull through the hook and fasten off invisibly.
Eyelet edging:
Starting in the top left point (ch 1, hdc, ch 1, hdc) into the corner space, \*ch 1, skip 1, hdc\* repeat 11 (9, 7) times, ch 1, skip 1, hdc2tog, \*ch 1, skip 1, hdc\* repeat 11 (9, 7) times, ch 1, skip 1, (hdc, ch 1, hdc) into corner space, \*ch 1, skip 1, hdc\* repeat 11 (9, 7) times, ch 1, skip 1, hdc2tog, \*ch 1, skip 1, hdc\* repeat 11 (9, 7) times, ch 1, skip 1, (hdc, ch 1, hdc) into corner space, \*ch 1, skip 1, hdc\* repeat 11 (9, 7) times, ch 1, skip 1, hdc2tog, \*ch 1, skip 1, hdc\* repeat 11 (9, 7) times, ch 1, skip 1, (hdc, ch 1, hdc) into corner space, \*ch 1, skip 1, hdc\* repeat 11 (9, 7) times, ch 1, skip 1, hdc2tog, \*ch 1, skip 1, hdc\* repeat 11 (9, 7) times, ch 1, break yarn, pull through hook and fasten off invisibly.
Spike stitch edging:
Starting in the top left point (ch 1, 3 sc) into the corner space, miss 1, \*sp, sc\* repeat 23 (19, 15) times, Sp, 3 sc into the corner space, skip 1, sp, \*sc, sp\* repeat 11 (7, 3) times, skip 1, \*sp, sc\* repeat 11 (7, 3) times, sp,3 sc into the corner space, skip 1, \*sp, sc\* repeat 23 (19, 15) times, sp, 3 sc into the corner space, skip 1, sp, \*sc, sp\* repeat 11 (7, 3) times, skip 1, \*sp, sc\* repeat 11 (7, 3) times, sp, break off yarn, pull through the hook and fasten off invisibly.
To fasten off invisibly:
Thread the yarn through a darning needle, with the right side of the bag facing you put the needle from front to back through both loops of the first sc or dc of the edging, pull the yarn through then thread through the back loop only of the last st worked.
Handles- make 2:
ch 122 (111, 10o), starting in the second ch from the hook sc in each ch, ch 1, rotate, sc in each of the remaining loops of the starting ch, break the yarn off leaving a tail of 6 - 8 inches to sew onto the bag, starting with a new colour and on the opposite end (working on the right side) pull yarn through the first sc, ch 1, sc in each sc of the previous row, ch 3 and working down the opposite side, sc in each sc of the previous row, break yarn off leaving a tail of 6 - 8 inches to sew onto the bag. For the dk and aran yarns only work one row on each side in the same manner but this time ch 5 after the first row.
Finishing:
Sew a handle onto each side of the bag, as shown, so that it overlaps by 1 inch from the top of the point, making sure not to sew through to the outside. Sew a fabric lining if you wish.
