Crochet Handbag Pattern: The Forest Green Classic Handbag

 

Pattern name: Forest Green Classic Handbag

Designer: Mirrymas

Difficulty: Intermediate

Hook size: 6.00 mm

Size: One size: 9.5 in (about 24 cm) tall and 13 in (about 33 cm) wide

Gauge: 9 stitches x 10 rounds = 4 in (about 10 cm)

Steps: 10

Images: 15

Description

The Forest Green Classic Handbag is a structured crochet handbag with cut-out handles, a button closure and a pretty tassel. The whole bag is made with single crochet. The sides use a mix of back loop single crochet and the knit stitch (also called the waistcoat stitch), which lines up in neat vertical columns and gives the bag its lovely knit-look texture. It is worked in the round from the bottom up, in one piece, and the handles are built into the last three rounds, so there is nothing to sew on except the button.

Materials

• Hook — 6 mm crochet hook
• Yarn — macramé cord, rope yarn, t-shirt yarn, or any other bulky yarn about 3 mm thick; about 250 metres (273 yards)
• Notions — scissors, a 20 mm button, sewing needle and sewing thread (for the button), 6 stitch markers, a small metal ring (for the tassel) [icon: notions]

Special Stitch Instructions

• Knit stitch (also called waistcoat stitch): look at the front of a stitch and you will see two upright strands, called its legs. Instead of inserting your hook into the top of the stitch, insert it between the two legs, then work a normal single crochet.
• Increase: work 2 stitches into the same stitch.
• Top two loops: the top of every stitch looks like a sideways V made of two loops. Working into the top two loops means inserting the hook under both of them.
• Back loop: the loop of the V that is farthest away from you.
• Join: connect the end of a round to its beginning by working a slip stitch into the top of the stitch named in the pattern.

Step 1: The Bottom, Round 1 (Foundation Round)

The bottom is an oval, worked around both sides of a starting chain.

1. Chain 21.

2. Work 1 single crochet into the 2nd chain from the hook. Place a stitch marker in this stitch. This marker also shows the start of the round, so use a different colour from the other markers if you can.

3. Work 1 single crochet into each of the next 18 chains.

4. Work 4 single crochet into the last chain. Place a stitch marker in each of the last 3 of these 4 stitches.

5. Now work along the back of the starting chain: work 1 single crochet into the back of each of the next 18 chains.

6. Work 3 single crochet into the last chain (the one that holds your very first single crochet). Place a stitch marker in each of the last 2 of these 3 stitches.

You should now have 44 stitches, with stitch markers in stitches 1, 21, 22, 23, 43 and 44.

Step 2: The Bottom, Rounds 2 to 4 (Increases)

The 6 marked stitches are where the bottom grows. Until the bottom is finished, work 2 single crochet into each marked stitch, then move the marker up into the first of those 2 new stitches.

Round 2: work 2 single crochet into the first stitch and move the marker into the first of these 2 stitches. *Work 1 single crochet into each stitch without a marker until you reach the next marker, then work 2 single crochet into the marked stitch and move the marker into the first of these 2 stitches.* Repeat from * until you are back at the starting point. (50 stitches)

Round 3: repeat Round 2. (56 stitches)

Round 4: repeat Round 2 again. (62 stitches)

Step 3: The Bottom, Round 5 (Slip Stitch Round)

Remove all the stitch markers except the one in the first stitch, which marks the start of the round. Work 1 slip stitch into each stitch all the way around. Chain 1. This chain does not count as a stitch.

The bottom is complete. The side edge of the bottom should now show 3 loops.

Step 4: The Sides, Round 1

Work 1 single crochet into the top two loops of the first single crochet from Round 4, which sits underneath the slip stitches. Do not insert your hook through the slip stitch itself. Move the start marker into this first stitch.

Work 1 single crochet into the top two loops of each single crochet all the way around, always underneath the slip stitches. Do not work into the chain 1. (62 stitches)

Step 5: The Sides, Rounds 2 to 21

Round 2: work 1 single crochet into the back loop of the first stitch and move the start marker into this stitch. Work 1 knit stitch into the 2nd stitch. *Work 1 single crochet into the back loop of the next stitch, then 1 knit stitch into the following stitch.* Repeat from * until you finish the round. Your last stitch should be a knit stitch. (62 stitches)

Rounds 3 to 21: repeat Round 2 nineteen more times. Each knit stitch sits on top of a knit stitch and each back loop single crochet sits on top of a back loop single crochet, so the stitches form straight lines going up the bag.

Step 6: The Handles, Round 22

The handles are made in Rounds 22 to 24, carrying on from Round 21. Keep working the same pattern as the sides (1 single crochet into the back loop, then 1 knit stitch) except where the pattern says otherwise.

Before you start, counting from the first stitch of the round, place a stitch marker in stitch 9 (the last stitch before the first handle), stitch 23 (the first stitch after the first handle), stitch 40 (the last stitch before the second handle) and stitch 54 (the first stitch after the second handle).

1. Continuing the pattern, work stitches 1 to 9.

2. Chain 14.

3. Skip the next 13 stitches (stitches 10 to 22).

4. Continuing the pattern, work stitches 23 to 40 (18 stitches).

5. Chain 14.

6. Skip the next 13 stitches (stitches 41 to 53).

7. Continuing the pattern, work stitches 54 to 62 (the last 9 stitches). Round 22 is complete.

Step 7: The Handles, Round 23

1. Continue the pattern until you reach the first chain of 14.

2. Work 1 single crochet into each of the 14 chains.

3. Straight after the handle, place the metal ring on top of the next stitch and work that stitch through the ring, so the ring is caught in place. This is where the tassel will hang.

4. Continue the pattern until you reach the second chain of 14.

5. Work 1 single crochet into each of the 14 chains.

6. Continue the pattern until the round is complete.

Step 8: The Handles, Round 24

1. Continue the pattern until you reach the first handle.

2. Work 1 single crochet into each of the 14 stitches of the handle.

3. Continue the pattern until you reach the second handle. (There is no metal ring in this round.)

4. Work 1 single crochet into each of the 14 stitches of the handle.

5. Continue the pattern until the round is complete.

6. Join the last stitch to the first stitch with a slip stitch.

7. Cut the yarn and fasten off. The handles are done.

Step 9: The Button and Button Loop

The button: using the sewing needle and thread, sew the button onto one side of the bag, just below the handle, at the centre.

The button loop: on the other side of the bag, at the centre, chain 9. The chain needs to be long enough to wrap over the top of the bag and around the button on the other side. Work a slip stitch into the 6th chain from the hook to make the loop. Work 1 slip stitch into each of the remaining chains until you are back at the starting point (the centre).

Step 10: The Tassel and Finishing

1. Cut 10 strands of yarn, each about 18 inches (about 46 centimetres) long.

2. Insert the strands through the metal ring.

3. Tie the strands together just below the metal ring.

4. Trim the ends of the strands so they are even and neat.

Cut and fasten off all the remaining yarn ends, and weave in the loose ends. Your Forest Green Classic Handbag is complete!

Author Notes

• You work in continuous rounds, going around and around without turning your work. The stitch marker in the first stitch shows where each round begins, so move it up into the first stitch of every new round.
• The number at the end of a round, for example (50 stitches), is the total number of stitches you should have for that round.
• The rounds of the sides are numbered from Round 1 again. The handle rounds carry on from the sides, so they are Rounds 22 to 24.
• Once you get the rhythm of the back loop single crochet and the knit stitch, the sides grow quickly.

Customizing

• Try the bag in a different colour.
• Make the tassel in a contrasting shade for a pop of colour.
• Choose a button that matches your style.

Video

Watch the video tutorial

Conclusion

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed making the Forest Green Classic Handbag as much as I enjoyed designing it. It's so satisfying to watch those straight columns build up round after round.

The video tutorial comes in two parts: Part 1 and Part 2.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below or email me at mirrymascrafts@gmail.com. I'd love to see your finished bags, so please share your photos and tag me on Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest at @mirrymascrafts.

More patterns to try:

• The Mellow Tote: an easy, roomy double crochet tote with built-in handles.
• Crochet Granny Stripe Stitch: the classic granny look worked in rows.
• Crochet Cobblestone Stitch: round bumps made with single and treble crochet.

Thank you for your support, and happy crocheting!