Upcycled T-Shirt Handbag Crochet Pattern
by Yolanda Munoz, designer CharacterCrochet on Ravlery.com, and author of Sophisticate Style, the handmade way blog http://SophisticateStyle.blogspot.com This pattern may not be reproduced /distributed, or sold. You may link to my Ravelry.com page or Blog as a point of reference to access the pattern. Permission is granted to sell your finished project.
Materials Needed:
·SizeJ crochet hook ·Yarn Needle with large eye ·Large stitch markers ·Scissors ·5 T-shirts. Adult size large. If you are looking at using the same colors I have used in my pattern. (2 adult large Navy Blue for 9 Rounds / 2 Mens large white for 11 rounds / 1 Mens Large Grey for topper and handle straps) ·12" wide bamboo handles or something similar to what is pictured
Terminology:
CH = Chain S1 St = Slip Stitch SC = Single Crochet DC = Double Crochet TC = Treble Crochet FO = Fasten off
T-Shirt Handbag Crochet Pattern
Getting Started: Best NOT to use T-shirts with seams at the sides. Remove the hem from your shirts, and remove from the armholes upwards. You should have a clean tube now. Cut your T-Shirt in approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) strips. Make sure you do this in a spiral motion to keep the length of your strips as long as possible. Once your Strips are cut, tug at them so they resemble yarn.
T-Shirt Handbag Crochet Pattern
This bag is worked in continuous rounds. Use your stitch markers to identify the beginning of each round. Ch 31, insert second chain from hook (counts as 1st SC) Round 1: SC 59 in the round (60 stitches) Rounds 2-20: Repeat above FO at the end of round 20 Using your stitch markers, count 29 stitches on each side of bag and mark so that there is one lone chain in between each stitch marker.
Row 1: Insert hook into 1st stitch where marker is, Ch 2 (counts as 1st SC), SC 28 (total 29 stitches) Row 2: Ch 1, turn, SC 28 (29 stitches) FO Repeat for Rows 3 and 4 Repeat the above steps on the opposite side of the bag.
T-Shirt Handbag Crochet Pattern
Making your Handle straps:
Follow these instructions for each side of your bag Working on each side of the bag separately Row 1: Insert hook into 29th Loop, Ch 2, SC 5 (total of 6 stitches) Row 2: Ch 1, turn, SC 5 (6 stitches) Rows 3-7: repeat row 2 Row 8: Ch 1, turn, SC 1, DC next 2, SC 1, S1 St 1, FO In same row of 29, Insert hook into 6th Loop, Ch 2, SC 5 (total of 6 stitches) Repeat instructions for Rows 2-8 above
To make the center strap, Insert hook into 13th stitch from end of left handle Row 1: CH 2, counts as first SC , SC 8 (for total of 9 stitches) Row 2: Ch 1, turn, SC8 (for total of 9 stitches) Rows 3-5: Repeat instructions for row 2 Row 6: CH 1, turn, SC2, DC 1, TC 1, DC 1, SC 2, S1 St 1 (9 stitches), FO Place bamboo handles in front of handle straps, fold over, use large safety pins with no coils to hold in place and use large yarn needle to stitch shut.
T-Shirt Handbag Crochet Pattern
The bag is very durable, it will not lose it's shape, and nothing will fall through. Lining the bag is not necessary. However, if you prefer inside pockets to keep yourself organized, I'd suggest a simple liner with pockets and a magnetic closure. Unless you have a heavy duty sewing machine, I would suggest stitching the liner on your machine, but attaching the liner to the bag by hand.
