Crochet Purse - Diamonds in shades of blue and white

I decided on a new project. After searching for "crochet purse" I ran across a blog with some interesting pictures. The blog belongs to Jellina Verhoeff.  Visit in a browser with a translator if you want to do more then check out the photos of her work. She also has a Ravelry account and diamond blanket is the work she made that inspired the purse, diamond bag. (you'll need to sign up but its free and so is the 'pattern')

The pattern links you back to her web site and is very basic. These are diamonds and here is a chart to assemble them basic. I know how things tend to disappear online but I'm wary of posting her actual chart here. If you can't find it through the links please let me know and I'll send it to you and/or make my own reproduction of the bag assembly for this post.

The diamond is pretty simple. It still took me a few tries before I got what I deemed right.
5 diamonds each in 3 colors:

I used an I hook - 5.50 mm

Ch2, turn, sc in second ch from hook(1), ch1, turn, 2 sc in only st (2), ch1, turn, 2 sc in 2 st (4), ch1, turn, sc in each st across (4), ch1, turn, *2sc in first st, sc across, 2 sc in last st (increase by +2 each row), ch1, turn*, **sc across, ch1, turn**.
1=* 2=**  Alternate rows 1 and 2 to grow the diamond. Total of 1 and 2 is 4x. You will have a row of 12 sc at this point. This is your center row.

Then you decrease.
*sc dec2tog first 2 st, sc across, sc dec2tog last 2 st, ch1, turn*, **sc across, ch1, turn**
Repeat decrease 1 and 2 a total of 4x. You'll have 4 sc.
sc dec2tog twice, ch1, turn, sc dec2tog only 2 st, fasten off.
Total of 15 diamonds.

I may have over done explaining that but my diamond took forever to look 'right'.

 Some notes on assembly. First if you don't like to 'sew' you wont like the rest of this project. In the inspiration pictures I could see some of the yarn used to bring the pieces together. It detracts from the clean edges. I considered edging the diamonds in a sc or sl st but that ruined the look for me as well. I didn't consider at the time but perhaps edging in a neutral color and using it to join or (with or without edging) sc the pieces together with the color (most likely black since I used white)  would preserve the cube? The ridge of the join might even add to it. I decided to sew the pieces together with thread. First time I've tried this for overall assembly of a project.

All I had on had on hand was black thread. The pictures show the wrong side of the work. The stitches never went to the 'right' side. This works but only if you keep the stitches tight.








Tada! The finished purse.

The crochet was done in a few hours. The sewing together done the same day. The lining however...
My mother has a sewing machine I borrow when needed. But it's a huge hassle. (you'd think I was going to hurt it) So when it comes to linings, I usually hand sew. I'm not good at hand sewing. I don't do it often. It's a vicious cycle of unskilled procrastination. During the last 'omg I have too many clothes' purge, I set aside a few things to be repurposed. One was a pretty dress that mysteriously got a tear somewhere between the washer and my closet. It made a pretty lining though.

Once again hand stitched with black thread through the wrong side of the work only.


Look there was even a loop, for a tieback, that I used with a clamp for a closure.

 The loop attaching the ring to purse is a sc foundation row plus a single row of sc of the other two colors (12). The ring was made to hang curtains from a rod. That's where the little clamp came from. In a former home I had several windows that used these and now they are just packed away. I have bags of them in this natural color and a dark brown.

The strap/handle is 2 rows of the herringbone stitch in white and a reversed sc along the edges. The lower part in the photo to the left is the right side. I was going to line the strap. But yeah I hate lining. I had the pieces cut out and everything. If I'd had the machine handy, maybe. The reverse single crochet is pretty sturdy and the purse isn't large enough to stuff full of junk so I'm going without. I think it looks better. The lining was a bit dark for the strap.

This was made with my aunt in mind but I'm doubtful it will end up with her. I tend to lose the courage to hand out homemade gifts if I've struggled with the design at all.