White purse or market bag

Hello,
I found this pattern for a really nice and versatile purse or bag a while ago. I have to admit, I can’t remember where. I will be more than happy to give somebody credit for the nice idea, but I don’t know to whom. The idea is beautiful, but it turned out to be smaller than I thought and the handle wasn’t long enough. I made couple more adjustments – to make the bottom stronger, added the zipper and lined it up.
So here is the pattern I put together with all those little extras.

White purse / bag pattern

You need: 

-Acrylic yarn or cotton of your choice (I used cca 300 grams – 0.660 lbs. / 880 meters – 960 yds.) 

-The Crochet hook suggested for your material – I used G/4mm

-Yarn Needle 

-Around 45cm x 90cm (18” x 36”) off cotton for the lining (you don’t have to use cotton)

-25cm (10”) zipper

-A4 plastic wallet 

Terms/Abbreviations: I used US terminology

ch       chain 

slst      slip stitch

dc       double crochet 

st        stitch 

Bottom

Start with the bottom of the purse. It is worked in circular (oval in this case) crochet method, beginning at center of the oval. Slip stitch join at end of each round. Don’t turn, but continue in same direction.

Ch 47 + 4, dc into 5th ch from the hook and follow the chart. Make six rounds. End up with slst. The asterisks on the sides of the chart are indicating the point where the middle of the front and back will be.

You don’t need to cut the yarn, just continue on the body of the purse.

Body of the purse

Work it the same way as the bottom - around. At the end of each row slst into the place where you need to be. 

Note: 6th row from the bottom of the purse is the same one like the 6th row of the body. Don’t work it twice.

On the chart the first and last stitch is the same. Don’t do it twice. 

Work up to row 30. After row 30, repeat rows 15 – 30 again.

The asterisks on the sides of the chart indicate where the front and back middle of the purse is.

You should have 40 rows on the body of the purse. Fasten off.

Now it’s the time to make the bottom of the purse stronger.

I used A4 plastic wallet. Cut the shape of the purse bottom out of it and made stitches around, as you can see on the picture.

Turn the purse inside out and sew it to the bottom of the purse from inside. I used thinner yarn for that.

You should have nice body of the purse with stronger bottom now.

Handles: 

Handle is worked backwards and forwards. Start from the right side of the purse and follow the chart from body of the purse for the first half of handle. When you get to row 27 of the, follow this chart.

Remember not to make row 27 twice. Finish with the row 34. Fasten off.

Other side of the handle is worked same way, but finish with row 33. Otherwise the pattern won’t work.

Sew the two parts of handle together. The arrow on the picture is pointing to the place where I sewed it.

Lining:

I put a lining in the purse.  I sewed it in by hand, to the second last round of the purse’s body. I suppose, you can sew the lining by machine. I just don’t know how visible it’ll be from outside.

Zipper:

I’m adding zippers to most of my purses. This time I put the zipper in at the end.

First I crochet ch56, sc into the second ch from the hook and sc front/back for six rows. Fasten off, but leave around 1,5m (60”) long end.

I did two pieces and sewed it by hand to the zipper.

Than I sewed the zipper with the extension to the purse.

Finishing:

For the finishing I used crab stitch around the handle, and put my little “Emm” label on the front of the purse.

Final measurements are: cca

38cm x 38cm (15" x 15"), handle 60cm (24")

There it is. You should have nice purse now, or an inspiration for one at least.

I hope you understand, but if you come up with any problems or difficulties, write to me, and I’ll be more than happy to help.

Have nice week

Clara