Crochet Flower Purse

Anyone who has searched Bags or Purses online has probably seen the hobo bag like bag made of flowers. This pattern is based on someone figuring out that pattern On a blog by Karen Valladares you can find this and a few other bags. This bag is that last on that page. Instead of making the large bag, because really the larger my bag the more junk I put in it, I made something smaller.

You would use the exact motif to make a 3 by 5 square. You will need 4 more of the motifs to be joined as you shape the bag. Fold so there are 3 of the major motifs along the top. You'll attach your first extras to the bottom corners. It will join existing flowers on three sides complete the flower and the next motif is joined above it, also joining three sides with the last side being the top of the side of the bag. Finish the other side the same way. Note: the bottom corners, which you join with the small motif will only have three join points instead of 4 (mine are white)

 The handles are based on a bag on the same page, but a bit longer. These would be perfect for the full size bag. They are a bit much for the small bag. I wanted something sturdy that I could throw over my shoulder. They will stretch out and probly look better with age. its 2 handles looped. Mine were 210 ch to begin with. The join was rather clean if your careful and you coldn't see it so much as feel it. The darker piece is to hide the join so if your careful you can omit that part if you

dont want the handles held together. It wraps around both loops of one handle.
You could use metal loops to join as well, but I dont have any so each loop is anchored by a tapered rectangle piece.
The top edging of the purse is really simple.
row1: sc in top of flower loop, ch1 repeat across top to side, [ch 3 between 3rd flower and side flower], sc in top of flower loop, ch 1 repeat across with [ ] at each side.

The wave along the top will come naturally. I liked it so I made sure it stayed. If you were to do straight rounds arter first row it would probly even out.
row2:  sc in each st and each space around to top arch of first flower sc increase, continue sc in ea to first dip between flowers leave lowest st, ch space between the 2 flowers unworked, continue to next top of flower arch, work same around. work side flowers straight across.

So you add a st at the top of the front and back flowers and loose a st between the flowers. That will keep the wave along the top edge. The side flowers were worked straight across, but that it up to you. I made a small design in the corners of my edging by putting one st in the row below to creat a long stich one on second row and then 2 on third row, one on both sides of first row.
row 3 and 4: repeat row 2

The handle attachments were sewn to 2nd row of edging along edges of the tapered rectangle. Sturdy and secure. The bag must be lined and you might wanna do that before you put handles on. I didn't because I wanted to see finished bag but I did measure lining before I attached handles. I wonder if it will ever get lined. XD

The finished bag area only was about 13" across top and 9"high

I really liked this bag. It started as something to keep me busy and I finished the entire project, except lining, in one sitting. Ofcourse I was in front of the computer listening to an audio book from the library. So it was probly still 4 to 5 hours of work, with breaks. Perhaps with different handles this would make nice spring bags for some family members. Some of them are so picky. But it is versatile. It could be used as a large makeup bag or made a bit larger a beach bag. In fact the beach bag might work without the lining. The whole thing might even look decent in plarn (that's plastic yarn - where you cut up those plastic shopping bags) That might make an interesting beach bag. Well im thinking of making another dragon and Im looking for inspiration. I'd like to make a lil deathwing, from wow. But everything I see is cute not fierce and a cute deathwing would just be wrong!