How to Make...Crochet Girl's Purse

This purse accompanied the shopping lists and used up lots of odds and ends of wool that I had knocking about. Took about an hour and was a quick, satisfying make, working in circles. Other colourways would work really well too -pick whatever you have knocking around your yarn stash.

You will need:
A variety of scraps and one base colour (here I used the cream), in DK or cotton;
A 3.00mm hook;
Darning needle;
Scissors




Read on for instructions!




How to Make:

Front panel:
1. Ch5 and join into ring with ss;
2. Ch2 and 12dc into the ring. Join with ss;
3. Ch2 dc twice into every previous dc, join at end with ss;
4. Switch colour, ch2 and dc around the circle [dc twice into every other stitch], join at end of round with ss;
5. Switch colour, ch2 and dc around the circle [dc twice into every third stitch], join at end of round with a ss;
6. Ch2, dc all around, join at the end of round with a ss;
7. Switch colour (to base colour), ch2 and dc around [dc twice into every fourth stitch], join at end of round with a ss;
8. Ch2, dc around until 14 stitches from the end. Ch2, turn and dc back until the start of the previous row. Fasten off.

Back Panel:
Worked in the base colour, this is a repeat of the front panel stitches  without any colour switches.

Flowers:
1. Join in a pink in the first row of stitches in the middle of the front panel circle;
2. Ch3, miss a stitch, ss into the next stitch, and repeat around, until you have 6 loops of 3 stitches;
3. Into each loop, 2dc, 2trc, 2dc;
4. At the end (after 6 petals), ss to secure and fasten off;
5. In a second colour, working into the back of the first row and using the stitches you had skipped, Ch4, ss into the next spare stitch around until you have 6 loops;
6. Into each loop, 2dc, 3tr, 2dc;
7. At the end (after 6 petals), ss to secure and fasten off.

Sewing up and strap:
Join the two sides together with dc, and run a row of dc across the tops of the two purse sides. I used a contrast colour, but the same as the base works equally well;
For the strap, join in another colour (I used the base) on the inside of the purse,  and ch as many stitches as fits the recipient! Then secure the other side and sc back again to double the thickness. Fasten off and work in all loose ends.

Fill with a clean hankerchief, a safety pin, 10p to phone home and a gobstopper...or was that the Brownies?