Friday, May 8, 2009

CROCHET TOTE REVISITED



One fellow blogger Agy is interested in my crochet tote and asking if i have a pattern for it. I'm so sorry to disappoint her as i'm no expert in crocheting. Usually my crochet are done by looking at real sample itself. For this tote, there's no sample, i just make use of my balance yarn from many years back when i was crocheting tissue box cover for my classmate's parents and aunties. Wow, that's really a long time ago huh? Anyway, i do this tote bag base on my own preference and crochet the pattern as i go along. Haha...... genius huh? Actually not, i'm quite lousy, but i really loves to share. Now, i tried as best as i could by sketching the pattern out and i hope it's easy to understand.

Things needed:

Yarn based on rough estimation
1 ball of 80gm 4 ply single color yarn (mine is peach)
1/4 ball 80gm 4 ply with fossils yarn dual color (mine is grey with silver)
1 4mm crochet hood
4 pieces of white large 4 holes button
Matching color Thread for sewing button
Needle for sewing button




This is the base pattern

This is the base photo.

Base:
1) 1 row - Start with 6 chain stitch, join with a slip stitch to form a loop
2) 2nd row - Make 3 chain stitch (count as 1 double stitch), make 11 double stitch, each inserting to the centre of loop above, slip stitch to join
3) 3rd row - Make 3 chain stitch (count as 1 double stitch) and 1 double stitch in the same hole, in each double stitch hole above, make 2 double stitch, repeat to complete whole row, slip stitch to join
4) 4th row - repeat row 3 pattern
5) 5th row - Make 3 chain stitch (count as 1 double stitch), in the next double stitch hole, make 1 double stitch, repeat to complete the row, slip stitch to join
6) 6th row - Make 3 chain stitch (count as 1 double stitch), in the same hole, make a double stitch, in the next double stitch hole, make 2 double stitch, repeat to complete the row, slip stitch to join
7) 7th row - Make 3 chain stitch (count as 1 double stitch), in the next double stitch hole, make 1 double stitch, repeat to complete the row, slip stitch to join
8) 8th row - Make 3 chain stitch (count as 1 double stitch), in the same hole, make a double stitch, in the next double stitch hole, make 2 double stitch, repeat to complete the row, slip stitch to join.
The base is completed.
This is the side bottom pattern




This is the side bottom photo


9) 9th row, 10th row, 11th row - make 3 chain stitch at beginning, considered as 1 double stitch, then in each double stitch hole, make 1 double stitch
10) 12th row - change color (this part i'm not good in it. i only try to join the 2 different color yarn together as close the edge as possible so that when i make the next row, it would be the other color) - make 3 chain stitch at beginning, count as 1 double stitch, then in each double stitch hole, make 1 double stitch
11) 13th row - change back to base color again, do the same as above
12) 14th and 15th row - change to the other color again, do the same
13) 16th, 17th and 18th row - change to base color, repeat above
The side bottom is completed



This is the side middle pattern







This is the side middle photo

14) 19th row - Make 3 chain stitch, count as 1 double stitch, make another chain, skip 1 double stitch space, make a double stitch, repeat to complete the row, slip stitch to join
15) 20th row - repeat above



This is the side upper pattern






This is the side upper photo

16) 21st row - Make 3 chain stitch (count as 1 double stitch), in the same hole, make 3 double stitch, skip 1 double stitch and it would bring you to the space where the chain stitch from 20th row is, make 4 double stitch, repeat to complete the row, slip stitch to join
17) 22nd row - Make 3 chain stitch (count as 1 double stitch), in the same hole, make 3 double stitch, skip 4 double stitch, make 4 double stitch, repeat to complete the row, slip stitch to join
18) 23rd to 26th row - repeat as above



This is the top pattern


This is the top photo
19) 27th row - make 1 chain stitch (count as 1 single stitch), in every double stitch hole, make 1 single stitch, repeat to complete the row, slip stitch to join
20) 28th row to 31th row - repeat as above
21) 32nd row - change color - repeat above
22) 33rd row - same color as 32nd row - repeat the pattern, at the end of the 33rd row, loop backwards to prevent stitch from dropping
The crochet bag without the handle is completed




This is the handle pattern




This is the handle photo
1) Make 7 chain stitch, then 3 chain stitch, in the space of the 7th chain, make 1 double stitch, then in each chain, make 1 double stitch to complete the row
2) Turn around, make 3 chain stitch, then in the next double stitch, make 1 double stitch, repeat to complete the row
Depending on how long you want your handle to be, keep repeating above till you get your desired length for the handle, at the end, loop backwards to prevent the stitch from giving way.
I have make 2 different color for the 2 handle to add some fun to the tote bag.
Assemble the handle onto the crochet tote, put a button on it, sew the button on together with the handle.



The completed crochet tote with handle.
There's really no fixed rule to my crochet tote. So by all means, base on your own imagination and size of the bag you want, you may just add or reduce stitches to suit your own requirement. Just bare in mind, add stitches by adding additional stitch in 1 hole, reduce stitch by skipping hole and joining in the next stitch hole. The bag will turn out whatever way you desired as long as you base on the basic steps.
Ha.... never realise that this is an extremely long post, i hope anyone reading it would not find it tiring and boring. And since i already spend a substantial amount of time doing my this lousy sketch pattern, i might as well share it on cut out + keep too.