Easy Pinky Tote Bag

Hello friends, I am still on track in my project to work all my yarn stash before the next autumn/winter season. I had four skeins, white and pink that I've bought in a very small shop in downtown Amman. two pink and two white, and since I've been thinking of making tote bags because they are a summer must have, I've made not one but two, this is the first, hope you like it.

Dimensions: 12.5 inch x 16.5 inch (32 cm x 42 cm) (height x width).

Gauge: 20 sc x 21 rows (4 x 4 inch/ 10 x 10 cm)

Materials:
Yarn: about 500 yard/450 meter of each ;white and pink yarn, worsted/aran.
Hook: size H /5 mm.
Buttons: 1 big button 1 3/4 inch (4.5 cm) diameter, 2 small 1 inch (2.5 cm) diameter each.
Ring: metal or wood, 2 inch (5 cm) diameter
Stitch markers
Yarn needle

Terms (US)
ch: chain
ss: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
dc: double crochet
tc: treble crochet
2sctog: 2 single crochet together
tripicot : ch 3, ss to sc before.

Level: easy

Instructions:

with pink yarn, chain 67 st.

Round 1: dc 2 in the 3rd ch from hook, dc in each ch to last ch, dc 5 in ch (mark the middle dc), dc into other side of each ch, dc 2 in the first ch, ss to second ch of first ch 2.

Round 2: ch 2, dc in same st, dc 2 in 3 next dc, dc in each st till 3 sts before the marked st, dc 2 in each 3 sts, dc 3 in marked st (mark the middle st), dc 2 in next 3 sts, dc in each dc to last 3 sts, dc 2 in each st, dc in the first st, ss to the second ch of first ch 2.

Round 3: ch 2, dc in same st, *dc, dc 2, repeat from * 3 times, dc in each st till 6 sts before marked st, * dc 2, dc, repeat from * 3 times, dc 3 in marked st, *dc, dc 2, repeat from * 3 times, dc in each st till last 6 sts, * dc 2, dc, repeat from * 3 times, dc in first st, ss to the second ch of first ch 2.

Round 4: ch 1, sc through back post in the same st and every st to end of round, ss to the first sc.

Bind on white yarn, from the next round you will be working alternate color rounds.

Round 5: (with white yarn) ch 1, sc in the same st, dc, trc, dc, *sc, dc, trc, dc, repeat from * to end of round, ss to first sc.

Round 6: (with pink yarn) ch 3, dc, *sc, dc, trc, dc, repeat from * to end of round, ss to 3rd ch of first ch 3.

Repeat rounds 5 and 6 fifteen times, then repeat round 5 one more time.




Cut white yarn, next Round: ch 1, sc in each st to end, ss to first ch. 
Repeat 7 times, cut yarn.


Bag straps

put the tote bag flat and mark each side st. then mark the 13th st on both sides of each marked st (27 sts on each side).

Long strap:

Row 1: facing  outside, bind on white yarn to first st of the right side of marked sts, ch 1, sc through back post in the same st, and every st, turn. (27 sts of the strap)

Decreasing rows

Row 2: ch 1, skip first st, sc in next st and every st to end of row, turn. (26 sts)

repeat this row till you reach an 11 st row.



Next row: ch 1, sc in the same st and each to end of row, turn (11 sts)
 Repeat this row till the strap's length equals 19 3/4 inch (50 cm).




Button hole rows:

Row 1: ch 1, sc in the same st, sc in next 3 sts, skip 3 sts, ch 3, sc to end of row, turn.

Row 2: ch 1, sc in the same st, sc in next 3 sts, sc 3 in ch 3 space, sc to end of row, turn.

Work 2 more sc rows, cut yarn.

Short strap (left one)

Work the same as the long strap till the strap's length equals  9 inch (23 cm), cut yarn.



Making button hole closure patch:

Mark the center st of the back of bag with a stitch marker, then count 8 sts on each side and put a st marker. (17 sts)

With pink yarn and facing outside, ch 1, sc in the same st and in every st to end of the 17 sts, turn.

Repeat this row 7 times. make the button hole rows:

Row 1: ch 1, sc in the same st and next 4 sts, skip 7 sts, ch 6, sc to end of row, turn.

Row 2: ch 1, sc in the same st and next 4 sts, sc 7 in ch 6 space, sc to end of row, turn.

Row 3 and 4: ch 1, sc in the next st and every st to end of row, turn. (15 sts)

Row 5 and 6: ch 1, skip st, 2sctog, sc to end of row, turn, (11 sts) cut yarn, weave in all loose ends of the bag.

Straps edging row:

with white yarn and facing outside, bind on yarn to the st on bag next to any strap first row, ch 1, sc through back post, then work next into side of the strap, *3chpicot, skip st, sc, repeat from * through long side, end row, and other long side of the strap, ss through back post of the first st of bag beside the strap first row, cut yarn, work the same for second strap, weave in loose ends. 

  

Closure patch edging row: 

with pink yarn and facing outside, bind on yarn to the st on bag next to the patch first row, ch 1, sc through back post, then work next into side of the patch, *3chpicot, skip st, sc, repeat from * through short side, end row, other short side of the patch, ss through back post of the first st of bag beside the patch first row, cut yarn, weave in loose end.

Sew small buttons on outside of the center long strap, 4 inch (10 cm), and 7 inch (18 cm) from  last row. On the short strap, sew the ring in place 1.5 inch (4 cm) from last row. 



Sew large button on center of the front of bag, in the first pink sc row. 

Block and enjoy your new tote bag.