Learn a Stitch
Tunisian Meets Tartan Bag
This duffel-style bag offers a surprising take on a tartan plaid. Worked in a four-color combination, it’s stitched in three pieces in Tunisian simple stitch and then overstitched in crochet chain stitch to create the plaid effect.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
51/2 x 71/2 x 111/2 inches, excluding handles
MATERIALS
• Cascade 220 medium
(worsted) weight wool yarn (31/2 oz/220 yds/
100g per hanks):
2 hanks #9499 sand
1 hank each #8686 brown, #2427 glamour and
#8010 natural
• Size H/8/5mm 12-inch Tunisian crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge
• Sizes H/8/5mm and I/9/5.5mm
crochet hooks
• Tapestry needle
• Sewing needle
• Sewing thread to match fabric • 12-inch purse zipper (2 slider,
closed bottom) to match Bag • 151/2-inch set of leather handbag
handles
• 3/4 yd fabric
• 1/2 yd 1-sided fusible ultrafirm
interfacing
• Straight pins
• Split-ring markers
GAUGE
Tunisian hook: 15 TSS = 4 inches; 12 TSS rows = 4 inches
PATTERN NOTES
The Bag is made in 3 pieces—the main body and 2 sides. Columns of top slip stitch are worked onto the 3 pieces of completed Tunisian crochet fabric. Interfacing is added, along with a fabric lining. Finally, a zipper is installed and bag handles attached.
Join with slip stitch as indicated, unless otherwise stated.
SPECIAL STITCHES
Work loops off hook (work lps off hook): Yo, pull through 1 lp on hook (see A of illustra
tion), [yo, pull through 2 lps on hook (see B of illustration)] across. Last lp on hook counts as first st of next row.
Tunisian Simple Stitch
(TSS): Insert hook under front vertical bar from side to side (see illustration), yo, pull lp through.
Top stitch (top st): Holding yarn at back of work, insert hook between sts, yo, pull lp through st and lp on hook.
BAG MAIN BODY
Row 1: With size H crochet hook and sand, ch 44; A. with Tunisian hook, holding all lps on hook, insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, yo, pull up lp, [insert hook in next ch, yo, pull up] across (44 lps on hook); B. work lps off hook (see Special Stitches). Rows 2 & 3: A. TSS (see Special Stitches) across; B. work lps off hook.
Row 4: A. TSS across;
B. work lps off hook across to last 2 lps, change colors to brown and work off last 2 lps. Do not fasten off sand. Row 5: With brown;
A. TSS across;
B. work lps off hook across to last 2 lps, change colors to sand, work off last 2 lps. Fasten off brown.
Row 6: With sand;
A. TSS across; B. work lps off hook across to last 2 lps, change colors to glamour and work off last 2
lps. Do not fasten off sand.
Row 7: With brown;
A. TSS across; B. work lps off hook across to last 2 lps, change colors to sand, work off last 2 lps. Fasten off glamour.
Rows 8–12: With sand;
A. TSS across; B. work lps off hook.
Next rows: Rep rows 4–12 consecutively until piece measures 24 inches from beg, ending with sand row.
Bind off row: Sk first st,
[insert hook from right to left of vertical strand of next st, yo, pull through vertical strand and lp on hook] across. Fasten off.
SIDE
Make 2.
Row 1: With size H hook and sand, ch 23, with Tunisian hook; A. pull up lp in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; B. work lps off hook.
Next rows: Work same as for Main Body in established color pattern until piece measures 8 inches, ending with sand row. Bind off same as Main Body.
TOP STITCHING Main Body
First column: With size I crochet hook and natural, with RS facing, join (see Pattern Notes) in 3rd st from lower lefthand corner, top st (see Special Stitches) across. Fasten off. 2nd column: Sk next 4 TSS columns, join brown at bottom of next column, top st across. Fasten off. 3rd column: Sk next TSS column, join glamour at bottom of next column, top st across. Fasten off. 4th column: Sk next TSS column, join brown at bottom of next column, top st across. Fasten off.
Rep these 4 top st columns across TSS fabric on all 3 Bag pieces.
FINISHING
Block bag pieces to schematic measurements.
ATTACHING INTERFACING
From the interfacing fabric, cut 3 pieces: 1 piece, 10 x 12 inches; 2 pieces, 5 x 7 inches. With WS of Main Body piece facing, place interfacing on top evenly sp between all edges with fusible side down. Using a hot iron on steam setting, place damp cloth on top of bag piece and interfacing. Iron, holding for a few seconds before moving iron, placing special attention at corners and edges of interfacing. Remove iron and damp cloth and let bag piece cool. Rep if necessary in any area not fused. Rep procedure for 2 Sides. Let all pieces cool completely.
CONSTRUCTING BAG
With RS of Main Body piece facing, measure 11 inches from each short side along both long edges and place split ring stitch markers (bottom 6 inches of
Bag marked). With straight pins and RS facing, pin 1 small Side piece to Main Body piece, starting with bottom of side piece to marked-off bottom of Main Body piece, pin both sides, ending with Main Body piece edges meeting at top. With sand and size H hook, join at top corner and sl st pieces tog along pinned edge.
Rep along other edge with final Side piece.
Bag Opening Edging/Lining
Turn bag RS out. At either left edge of Bag opening, join sand with size H hook, working from left to right, ch 1, reverse sc
(see Stitch Guide) across edge of bag opening.
Fasten off.
Turn bag and rep along other bag edge opening.
From fabric, cut 1 piece 18 x 28 inches. Stitch 1/2- inch seam on each short side of rectangle. Fold in half widthwise with WS of fabric facing out. With sewing thread, sew 1/2- inch seam on each side of fabric, creating an enclosed rectangle of 3 sides, with an open top.
With WS of lining facing out, slip lining onto bag. Fold each bottom corner of lining and tack in place along lining bottom, creating square bottom corners. Whipstitch (see illustration) closed along each side of top of lining to correspond with width of bag opening. Fold each side corner of lining and tack along lining side, creating square sides.
Slip lining off bag. Turn lining RS out. Turn bag inside out and slip lining, with RS facing, onto WS of bag. Pin top of lining to bag along front top, below reverse sc edging. Sew lining to bag.
Bag Zipper
Remove zipper from package and unzip so zipper pulls are at each end of zipper. With WS of zipper facing, pin zipper, placing teeth just even with bag opening edge. Carefully turn bag RS out. Check to ensure that both zipper pulls sit squarely and flush at each corner of bag opening. With sewing needle and thread matching zipper color, stitch zipper in place, stitching just below reverse sc row.
Turn bag WS out and stitch zipper tape to lining, taking particular care at each corner. Turn bag RS out and, testing with zipper open and closed, work additional stitches where needed to ensure that zipper is securely stitched to Bag opening, paying special attention to each corner.
Handles
Place handles on each side of Bag, just below the edge of zipper tape. With matchingcolor thread, sew handles to
Bag as shown in photo.