Ribbed Winter Purse Pattern

I imagine I'm not the only person wanting to get started making gifts for the holidays so I'm not swamped come December. My goal is to make something for everyone on my list.  I can supplement with store-bought items, but I want to make many of my gifts this year.  Whew! We'll see how it goes...

I had some chunky yarn left over from another project, so I came up with this cute little winter purse pattern.  It's the perfect size for a small handbag to throw in your wallet and phone when you don't want the bulk of your everything-but-the-kitchen-sink bag.  It would also make a great purse for a child or teen.

Supplies:

• Size L (8.0mm) crochet hook
• 1.5 skeins of Super Bulky weight (6) yarn, approximately 121 yards or 109 meters; I used Lion Brand Hometown USA in Los Angeles Tan
• Scissors
• Button

Abbreviations: 

• ch - chain
• slst - slip stitch
• sc - single crochet
• dc - double crochet
• fpdc - front post double crochet (see directions below)

This purse is about 8.5 inches wide by 6.5 inches tall under the straps.  If you would like to make it bigger, increase the starting chain by multiples of 2 and make your strap as wide as you wish. :)

To Begin: ch 40, join with slst to 1st chain, being careful not to twist the chain

Round 1: ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each st around, join with slst to top of 1st sc

Round 2: ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout pattern), dc in next st, dc in each st around, join with slst to top of ch 3

Round 3: ch 3, fpdc around next dc, *dc in next dc, fpdc around next dc*, repeat * * around, join with slst to top of ch 3

Rounds 4 - 11: ch 3, fpdc around each fpdc and dc in each dc around, join with slst to top of ch 3

Round 12 - 13: ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each st around, join with slst to top of 1st sc

Round 14: ch 1, sc in same st, sc in the next 4 sts, ch 15, skip 10 sc, sc in next 10 sts, ch 15, skip 10 sc, sc in next 5 sts, join with slst to top of 1st sc

Round 15: ch 1, sc in same st, sc in the next 4 sts, 20 sc around ch 15 from previous row, sc in the next 10 sts, 20 sc around ch 15 from previous row, sc in the next 5 sts, join with slst to top of 1st sc, tie off, weave in ends

To close the bottom: Flip the purse inside out, so that the seam of joins is to one side of the purse.  Slst the two sides together along the bottom edge to close the purse, tie off and weave in ends. Flip right side out again

For Button & Clasp: Sew button on to the front of the purse, around row 7.  Then, attach yarn to the back side of the purse, in one of the middle two sc of the skipped 10 sc section.  Ch 20, slst to the other of the two middle sc of the skipped 10 sc section. Tie off, weave in ends.

Fill and enjoy!

How to do Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc): 
Set up like you are going to do a normal double crochet stitch: yo, but instead of sticking your hook through the top of the dc stitch of the previous row, you will stick your crochet hook just to the right of the post of the double crochet stitch of the previous row, and poke your hook back out toward you on the other side of the post of that stitch, so that the post of the dc stitch from the previous row is popped toward you on your hook...

Then, finish like you would a normal double crochet stitch: yo, pull loop through behind dc st of previous row, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, pull through last 2 loops on hook.

And you're done! :)


Ribbed Winter Purse by Emily Bittel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.