Crochet My Heart Gift Bag

GAUGE: 4 sts = 1″ (2.5 cm); 5 rows = 1″ (2.5 cm) in single crochet with larger hook. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size hook to obtain the gauge.

Gift bag measures 6” long x 5½” wide (15 x 14 cm), not including handles

Adjustable-ring method—Wrap yarn into a ring, ensuring that the tail falls behind the working yarn. Grip ring and tail firmly between middle finger and thumb. Insert hook through center of ring, yarn over (with working yarn) and draw up a loop. Work stitches of first round in the ring. After the first round of stitches is worked, pull gently, but firmly, on tail to tighten ring.

Notes

1. Bag is made of 3 hearts sewn together with gusset side and sewn-on handles.

2. Hearts are worked in 2 separate sections: a mitered square and first lobe, then the 2nd lobe and edging.

3. Smaller hook is used only for handles to create a stronger fabric.

BAG

Large Hearts (make 2)

Mitered Square With larger hook and A, make an adjustable ring.

Row 1 (right side): Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ring, turn—2 sc and 1 ch-2 sp.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first st, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 space, sc in last st, turn—4 sc and 1 ch-2 sp.

Rows 3–14: Ch 1, sc in each st to ch-2 space, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 space, sc in remaining sts, turn¬—28 sc and 1 ch-2 space. Place marker in ch-2 space of Row 14.

First Lobe

Row 15: Ch 1, sc in first 5 sts, skip next 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in last 4 sts, sc in ch-2 space, turn—5 dc and 10 sc.

Row 16: Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, skip next 2 sts, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, 3 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc in next st, next skip 2 sts, sc in last 3 sts, turn—9 dc and 6 sc.

Row 17: Skip first 3 sts, [2 dc next st, dc next st] twice, 3 dc in next st, [dc next st, 2 dc next st] twice, skip next 2 sts, slip st in last st—15 dc. Fasten off.

Second Lobe

With right side facing and larger hook, join A with slip st in ch-2 space.

Row 1 (right side): Ch 1, sc in ch-2 space, sc in next 4 sts, skip next 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in last 5 sts, turn—5 dc and 10 sc.

Rows 2 and 3: Repeat Rows 16 and 17 of first lobe. Do not fasten off.

Edging

Round 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts] 2 times, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, sc in last st of Row 16 of second lobe, ch 1, slip st in marked ch-2 space, ch 1, sc in first st of Row 16 of first lobe, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, [sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] 3 times; *sc in ends of next 16 rows,* (sc, ch 2, sc) in beginning ring; repeat from * to * once; join with slip st in first st—74 sc and 1 ch-2 sp. Fasten off.

Lace Heart

Mitered Square

Work same as Rows 1–10 of large heart—20 sc and 1 ch-2 sp. Place marker in ch-2 space of Row 10.

First Lobe

Row 11: Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, skip next 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in last 2 sts, sc in ch-2 space, turn—5 dc and 6 sc.

Row 12: Skip first 3 sts, 2 dc in next 2 sts, 3 dc in next st, 2 dc in next 2 sts, skip 2 sts, slip st in next st—11 dc and 1 slip st. Fasten off.

Second Lobe

With right side facing and larger hook, join A with slip st in ch-2 space.

Row 1 (right side): Ch 1, sc in ch-2 space, sc in next 2 sts, skip next 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in last 3 sts, turn—5 dc and 6 sc.

Row 2: Repeat Row 12 from first lobe of lace heart—11 dc.

Edging

With right side facing, join B with slip st in marked ch-2 space.

Row 1: Ch 1, sc in first st of Row 11 of second lobe, *[2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] 3 times, 2 sc in next st, sc in next st;* sc in ends of next 11 rows, (sc, ch 2, sc) in beginning ring, sc in ends of next 11 rows, sc in next st; repeat from * to * once, 2 sc in next st, sc in last st of Row 11 of first lobe, turn—56 sc and 1 ch-2 sp.

Row 2: Ch 3, sc in next st, *[ch 3, skip next st, sc in next st] 13 times, ch 3,* skip ch-2 sp, sc in next st; repeat from * to * once, slip st in last st, turn—28 sc and 28 ch-3 sps.

Row 3: Ch 1, slip st in first ch-3 space, [ch 3, skip next sc, sc in next ch-3 space] 14 times, ch 3, sc in same ch-3 space as just worked, [ch 3, skip next sc, sc in next ch-3 space] 13 times, ch 3, slip st in last ch-3 space—28 sc and 29 ch-3 sps. Fasten off.

Side Gusset

With larger hook and A, ch 52.

Row 1 (right side): Working in back bars, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn—51 sc.

Rows 2–4: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn.

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in each st, ch 2; working in spaces between rows, sc 4 sts evenly across to Row 1, ch 2; working in opposite side of Row 1, sc in each ch, ch 2; working in spaces between rows, sc 4 sts evenly across to Row 5; join with slip st in first sc—110 sc and 4 ch-2 sps. Fasten off. Place markers on center sts of each long edge.

Handles (make 2)

With smaller hook and B, leaving an 8” (20.5 cm) tail, ch 41.

Row 1: Slip st in 2nd ch from hook and each ch, turn—40 slip sts.

Row 2: Ch 1, slip st in each st. Fasten off, leaving 8” (20.5 cm) tail.

FINISHING

With right side facing, place lace heart on top of right side of large heart. With B, sew through both lower edges, leaving 18 stitches open across top to create pocket.

With wrong sides together, align one marked stitch on gusset with point of large heart. With A and overcast stitching, sew through both edges to create a raised seam on right side of bag. Repeat to attach 2nd heart to gusset.

Using photograph as a guide for placement, sew ends of handles to wrong side of large hearts.

Weave in ends.

ABBREVIATIONS A, B = Color A, Color B; ch = chain; dc = double crochet; sc = single crochet; sp(s) = space(s); st(s) = stitch(es); ( ) = work directions in parentheses into same st; [ ] = work directions in brackets the number of times specified; * = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated.