Bonfire Bag

For this bag you will need:

Approximately a ball and a half (150g) of Double Knit (I used  Ice Yarn - Magic Light 22036)

4mm crochet hook

A darning needle

A Button

This pattern uses UK crochet terms. 

Stitches used: Chain (Ch), Half Trebles (HTr), Double Crochet (DC), Treble Crochet (Tr), Back Post Trebles (BPTr) and Front Post Trebles (FPTr) I have added photos for these post stitches in case you are not sure how to do them.

Notes

I have made this bag in what I call ‘Fine Basket Weave Stitch’; this is worked by alternating each stitch between Back Post Trebles and Front Post Trebles. Each part of the bag is made in exactly the same way just with a different number of rows or starting stitches.

The bag is made in two panels, a pack panel which is bigger as incorporates the flap that goes over top of the bag and the front panel which is shorter. The long strap goes all the way around the bag, being the bottom, sides and strap part of the bag, but we will get on to construction when all three parts of the bag are made, by that time it should be quite obvious how it is put together.

The Ch 3 at the start of the row counts as 1 stitch

Back Panel

Start by chaining 52

Row 1—Crochet 1 Tr in the 3rd Ch from your hook,

(where my needle is showing in the picture to the below):

1 Tr in each Ch along (you should have 49 Tr and 1 Ch3 at the beginning of the row which also counts as a stitch).

  

Row 2—Ch3, turn, Crochet a FPTr around the post of the next stitch:

A FPTr is made the same as a normal Tr only instead of working into the stitch, you work around the post of the stitch—as my needle is showing in the picture to the below:

So, yarn over your hook, insert hook around the post of the stitch (where my needle is), yarn over, pull your hook back through the stitch, yarn over and through 2 loops, yarn over and through 2 loops. It should look like this:

Then Crochet a BPTr around the post of the next stitch:

A BPTr is made the same way as a FPTr, only instead of putting your hook under from the front, you put it in from the back, where my needle is threaded through in the picture to the below:

So, Yarn over, put hook around the post of the stitch, Yarn over your hook and pull it back through, yarn over and through 2 loops, yarn over and through 2 loops.

Repeat this along the row, alternating between FPTr and BPTr, the second to last stitch of the row should be a BPtr. 

In the last stitch of the row (the Ch3 from the previous row) crochet 1 HTr:

HTr is made by: Yarn over your hook, put it into the stitch where my needle is showing in the picture below. Yarn over your hook and back through the stitch, yarn over and through all 3 loops on your hook.     

Chain 3 and Turn

Row 3— This row is the same as the last row only you start with a BPTr, alternate this and FPTr along the row until the last stitch, which is a HTr made into the Ch3 from the previous row (as in the picture above).

This is the basic pattern for both of the panels and the strap.

Repeat this until the back panel is 32 rows long.

The Front panel is made in the same way but only 18 rows  long.

For the long strap piece the starting chain is only 12 stitches  but made in exactly the same way as the panels: Crochet 1 Tr in the 3rd chain from your hook and 1 in each stitch across (10 stitches). Then repeat rows 2-3 of the main pattern. Make the strap 170 rows long.

If you get lost about what your starting stitch for the row is, just look at the stitch below it: If it looks like it sits behind the horizontal stripe of the row then the next stitch you make will be a FPTr, or if it sits in front of it, your next stitch will be a BPTr. For example, in the picture below, the next stitch will be a BPTr. You will soon get to recognise which stitch is next as the pattern is worked.

 Construction

You should now have 2 panels and a long thin strap as below:

The panels are attached to the strap piece by crocheting them with DCs neatly around.

Start at the end of the strap piece and attach the front (smaller) panel first. The DCs are made around the first/last stitches of the rows. Insert your hook, front to back through the front panel and strap like in the picture below:

Draw up a loop of yarn, Ch 1 to hold it in place, make 1 DC in the same space.

Work along the edge of the bag and the strap by neatly and evenly crocheting around the first/last stitches of the rows. I found that 2 DCs around each row gave a nice neat finish but you may need to adjust this depending on your tension, if you find it is bunching up a bit, add more stitches, if it is a bit stretched do fewer.  

When you come to the corners, you may need to add an extra stitch. Work along the bottom of the front panel making DCs in the spare chain loops and then back up the other side of the bag.

When attaching the back panel it is important to start in the same way that you did the front panel, otherwise the DCs around the edge will be facing the wrong way. So count up 18 rows on the left side of the panel and start at the correct point of the strap, so that your starting point lines up with the top of the front panel, as in the picture to the below. DC around, the same way as with the front panel.

It may help to count along to where the corner row is and put a stitch marker in so you know where to aim for with your DCs, this also helps to hold both the panel and the strap together as you crochet so that both panels line up properly and you get a nice square finish.

The button loop is made by simply making a chain of 20 and sewing it on the middle of the flap and finding a button that works well. Adjust the size of the loop to suit the button you use.  Add a button to the middle of the front panel.

Finish by sewing the bag strap neatly together and by sewing any ends in neatly.

© abijamtastic 2016. Please respect my copyright and do not resell, publish, or distribute this pattern.  However, you are free to use the final items you make from the pattern for charity, gifting, or selling in limited numbers. A link back to my webpage is greatly appreciated :)