SUN CITY BAG

 

Enjoy sunny days with a new stylish bag on your shoulder! A fun and easy crochet project, it is a pleasure both to make and to wear.

The bag is of a comfortable size and has enough room for way more than just the necessities.

The complex tassel not only makes this gal look playful, but also can help to blend her more easily into your wardrobe - just choose the yarn colors that suit you more! You can also make several different tassels and change them depending on the outfit, weather, or mood.

 
 
 

YARN

  • King Cole Raffia (100% cellulose rayon; 1.75oz/50g, 124yds/114m), color 1456/natural
  • Appr. 7oz/200g, 4 balls
  • Can be adjusted to other raffia yarns, for ex., Ra-Ra Raffia from Wool and the Gang

HOOK

  • 3 mm (US C/2 or D/3) or the size needed to fit the gauge

GAUGE

  • 20 sts and 21 rows in 4”/10cm, steam-blocked

NOTIONS

        

  • Stitch marker
  • Tapestry needle
  • Optional: appr. 11yds/10m of millinery wire (see notes)
  • Optional: yarn of desired colors for the  tassel

FINISHED SIZE

  • 13”/33 cm in diameter
  • Straps are 29”/74cm long (adjustable)
 
 
 
 

Notes

  • The bag consists of two identical halves. They are crocheted in the round and then connected together.

  • Add millinery wire where stated in the pattern if you want your bag to hold the shape more stiffly. If you prefer it to be softer, skip these directions.
    Millinery wire can be hard to find, but is easily substituted for invisible hanging cord (transparent plastic wire used for hanging pictures), which is accessible in any hardware store.

  • A complex tassel is added for more polished and festive look. You can skip this step if desired.

ABBREVIATIONS

ch - chain
sc - single crochet
st(s) - stitch(es)
R, rnd(s) - round(s)
M - marker
PM - place marker

 

Pattern

 

ROUND PANEL

Start, making a magic circle (or a magic loop: video).

R1: make 6sc into the circle. Combine them in a round, tightening the loop.. PM to mark the beginning. //6sts
R2: (2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //12sts
R3: (sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //18sts
R4: (2sc in next stitch, 2sc)x 6 times. //24sts
R5: (3sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //30sts
R6: 2sc, (2sc in next stitch, 4sc)x 5 times or until the last 3sts; 2sc in next stitch, 2sc. //36sts
R7: (5sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //42sts
R8: 3sc, (2sc in next stitch, 6sc)x 5 times or until the last 4sts; 2sc in next stitch, 3sc. //48sts
R9: (7sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //54sts

R10: Crochet, adding a round of millinery wire (video). If using the plastic kind, you can secure it by melting the ends briefly and then holding them together until plastic hardens.
4sc, (2sc in next stitch, 8sc)x 5 times or until the last 5sts; 2sc in next stitch, 4sc. //60sts

R11: (9sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //66sts
R12: 5sc, (2sc in next stitch, 10sc)x 5 times or until the last 6sts; 2sc in next stitch, 5sc. //72sts
R13: (11sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //78sts
R14: 6sc, (2sc in next stitch, 12sc)x 5 times or until the last 7sts; 2sc in next stitch, 6sc. //84sts
R15: (13sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //90sts
R16: 7sc, (2sc in next stitch, 14sc)x 5 times or until the last 8sts; 2sc in next stitch, 7sc. //96sts
R17: (15sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //102sts
R18: 8sc, (2sc in next stitch, 16sc)x 5 times or until the last 9sts; 2sc in next stitch, 8sc. //108sts
R19: (17sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //114sts
R20: 9sc, (2sc in next stitch, 18sc)x 5 times or until the last 10sts; 2sc in next stitch, 9sc. //120sts
R21: (19sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //126sts

R22: Crochet, adding a round of millinery wire.
10sc, (2sc in next stitch, 20sc)x 5 times or until the last 11sts; 2sc in next stitch, 10sc. //132sts

R23: (21sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //138sts
R24: 11sc, (2sc in next stitch, 22sc)x 5 times or until the last 12sts; 2sc in next stitch, 11sc. //144sts
R25: (23sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //150sts
R26: 12sc, (2sc in next stitch, 24sc)x 5 times or until the last 13sts; 2sc in next stitch, 12sc. //156sts
R27: (25sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //162sts
R28: 13sc, (2sc in next stitch, 26sc)x 5 times or until the last 14sts; 2sc in next stitch, 13sc. //168sts
R29: (27sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //174sts
R30: 14sc, (2sc in next stitch, 28sc)x 5 times or until the last 15sts; 2sc in next stitch, 14sc. //180sts
R31: (29sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //186sts
R32: 15sc, (2sc in next stitch, 30sc)x 5 times or until the last 16sts; 2sc in next stitch, 15sc. //192sts
R33: (31sc, 2sc in next stitch)x 6 times. //198sts

R34: Attach one more strand of raffia.
Crochet this round, holding two threads together and adding two millinery wires.
198sc (1sc in each stitch). Leave the M on its place. Do not cut yarn.

Steam-block the panel to shape it into a flat round. If using an iron, be sure not to touch raffia. It’s better to do this through a piece of cotton fabric.

HANDLE AND BOTTOM

R1 (in two threads): remove the M, 2sc, PM; ch145.
Count 55sts to the left on the edge of the round panel and make 1sc into the next stitch, attaching the future handle.
142sc (1sc in each stitch until the end of the round).

Fold the stitches of this new round so that they stand at the right angle to the wrong side of the round panel. This will form the bottom part of the bag.
Cut one thread and continue crocheting with another one.

R2: 1sc in each stitch of the chain; 1sc in each stitch until the end of the round.
R3: as R2.
R4: as R2.

FINISHING

After completing two identical halves of the round panels + handles and bottoms, steam-block them. Place a folded towel inside along the angle between the round panel and the bottom, and form the right angle, stretching raffia with your hands.

Connect two halves so that their wrong sides are facing each other.
On the wrong side, sc into corresponding stitches of the bottoms, crocheting them together (video).
Do not connect the handles if you want to have two of them :)

Weave in ends. Turn the bag out to the right side. Steam-block once more if it’s necessary to even the bottom.

Make 2 pompoms with the yarn of your choice using 1.5”/3.5cm and 1”/2.4cm pompom makers.

Make a tassel with raffia and two-three threads of the yarn you used for pompoms. (mini-tutorial). Tie it tightly with an extra thread, so that the ends are at least 20”/50cm long. Braid the ends into a simple braid.

Attach pompoms to the top of a tassel, pulling the braid through them.

Fold the braid in half and tie its end tightly close to the pompom so that the knot is almost hidden in the yarn.

Attach the tassel to the bag. Enjoy!