It’s In The Bag

Crochet a shopping bag that combines practicality with style.

MATERIALS

3 x 70.9-gram balls of Lily Sugar’n Cream in either

Black Currant (01318), Dazzle Blue (01131) or Dark Pine (00016); 5 mm crochet hook. If you have difficulty finding the yarn used, you can order directly from many stockists including www. woolwarehouse.co.uk, telephone: 0800 505 3300.

TENSION

3.5 ch and 8.5 rows to 10 cm measured over mesh st using 5 mm crochet hook.

ABBREVIATIONS

ch – chain; dc – double crochet; rep – repeat; sp(s) – space(s); ss – slip stitch; tr – treble.

BODY

Make 90 ch.

1st row (right side) – 1 dc in 2nd ch from hook, ★ ch 5, skip next 3 ch, 1 dc in next dc, rep from ★ to end of chain, turn – 22 ch-5 sps.

Join with ss in first tr.

2nd row – Ch 5 (counts as 1 tr, ch 2), 1 dc in first ch-5 sp, ★ ch 5, 1 dc in next ch-5 sp, rep from ★ to last dc, ch 2, 1 tr in last dc, turn.

3rd row – Ch 1, 1 dc in first tr, ★ ch 5, 1 dc in next ch-5 sp, rep from ★ to last ch-sp, ch 5, 1 dc in last tr (3rd ch of beg ch-5), turn.

4th - 53rd rows – Rep 2nd and 3rd rows 25 times more for Mesh St, ending on a 3rd row.

1st Cinched Edge –

★★ 1st row (right side)

– Join yarn with sl st to dc at top right corner to work across last row of body, ch 1, 1 dc in first dc, 1 dc in each ch-5 sp to last dc, 1 dc in last dc, turn – 24 dc.

2nd - 6th rows – Ch 1, 1 dc in each dc across, turn ★★ . Fasten off.

2nd Cinched Edge –

Work from ★★ to ★★ as for first cinched edge across foundation edge.

Do not fasten off.

STRAPS & EDGING

1st rnd (right side) – Ch 1, 1 dc in first dc, ch 60, skip next 22 dc, 1 dc in next dc, taking care not to twist ch – strap made.

Do not turn.

Cont working around body, work 6 dc along the side of 2nd cinched edge, work 1 dc around each st along first side edge of body, work 6 dc along side of 1st cinched edge.

Cont working around 1st cinched edge and make strap as before.

Cont around second side edge of body, work 6 dc along side of 1st cinched edge, work 1 dc around each st along second side edge of body, work 6 dc along side of 2nd cinched edge, join with sl st to first dc.

2nd rnd – Ch 1, 1 dc in first dc, 1 dc in each of next 60 ch, 1 dc in each of next 67 dc, 1 dc in each of next 60 ch, 1 dc in each of last 66 dc, join with sl st to first dc – 254 dc.

3rd and 4th rnds – Ch 1, 1 dc in each dc around, join with sl st to first dc.

Fasten off. ■