Hey guys! It’s TUESDAY, so that means it’s time for a new free pattern! I particularly like this one, cause it’s the epitome of spring. I mean, who can resist a bag with little bouquets of tulips all around? Plus, my favorite thing about this bag – it’s totally a scrap buster. Make the flowers different colors! Make the stems different colors! The possibilities are endless!
So, it’s been both an awesome and a difficult week. On the one hand, toddler potty training has gone AMAZINGLY well. Like, the rugs have been unrolled again, that’s how good it is. BUT, I’m going pretty much stir crazy. I take care of my toddler and I crochet and I occasionally read a book, and I’m DYING for the ability to get out of the house and go to a restaurant. This social distancing is hard. The most exciting thing I do lately is go to different store websites, add about $50 worth of yarn to my cart, and then empty the cart and buy nothing. It’s disappointing. But I have 2395 ideas in my head, and I HAVE to use up some of the yarn that I have before I buy more. Partially because I don’t have that much space, and partially because I don’t want to decide on a project for a skein only to realize halfway thru that I need another skein and have it be impossible to find.
Anyway, on to the reason you’re here: the Tulip Bouquet Tote Bag pattern.
Unless otherwise noted, ch1 or ch2 at the beginning of each round does NOT equate to a stitch, so you will make the first stitch in the same stitch.
Special Stitches:
Cluster of 4 triples (trClust): **YO twice. Insert hook into stitch, YO, pull thru 2. YO, pull thru 2.**. Repeat ** to ** a total of 4 times, inserting in same stitch each time. There should be 5 loops on your hook. YO, pull thru all loops. This stitch is described in pictures below.
Popcorn: Dc 5 in same stitch. Drop loop from hook. Insert hook into top of first dc. Pick up dropped loop. Pull thru top of first dc.
Caron Cotton Cakes – Pink: 45 yards. Green: 65 yards. White: 170 yards. But you can rainbow it, different greens, different flower colors, etc!
5.5mm hook – gauge not important
Pattern written in US terminology
Attach all yarn on the RS.
Finished measurements: 11”x 14” flat, not counting handles
Starting with WHITE, ch28.
Round 1: 3Dc in 3rd chain from the hook, dc in each ch until the last chain. Work 6dc in the last chain, and work back along the chain, dc in each ch until the last chain. Work 3dc. In the last chain. Sl st to top of first dc. (60)
Round 2: Ch2. 2dc in next 3 sts. Dc in next 24 sts. 2dc in ea of the next 6 sts. Dc in next 24 sts. 2dc in ea of the last 3 sts. Sl st to top of first dc. (72)
Round 3: Ch2. Repeat (dc, 2dc) 3x. Dc in 24 sts. Repeat (dc, 2dc) 6x. Dc in 24 sts. Repeat (dc, 2dc) 3x. Sl st to top of first dc. (84)
Round 4: Ch2. Dc in BLO and third loop, around. Sl st to top of first dc. (84)
Round 5: Ch2. Dc in ea st around. Sl st to top of first dc. FO. (84)
Switch to GREEN, attach in same space you fastened off the white.
Round 6: Ch5 (counts as dc, ch2). Skip 5. *In next st, (trClust, ch4, sc, ch6 {skip 2 ch, ss 4 back along the chain}, sc, ch4, trClust). Ch2, skip 5, dc in next st, ch2. Skip 5.*. Repeat * to * around. Sl st to 3rd ch of the starting ch5. Turn your work. (7 stems, 14 leaves) Additional description for the { } in pictures below.
Round 7: Ss to top of first trClust. Ch1 *Sc on top of trClust (first sc of the round is in the same st as the ch1), Ch3, sc3 in top of flower stem, ch3, sc on top of trClust, ch3*. Repeat * to * around. Sl st to first sc. FO. (7 stems, 14 leaves, now connected).
Attach PINK to the rightmost sc at the top of the closest stem.
Round 8: Ch2. *(Popcorn, ch4) in the first and second sc at the top of the stem. (Popcorn, ch1) in the third sc. Sc in first ch3 space. Ch2. Dc in next ch3 space. Ch2. Sc in next ch3 space. Ch1*. Repeat * to * around. Sl st to first popcorn. FO. (Seven 3-popcorn flowers).
Switch to WHITE, attach in same space you fastened off the pink. (In round 22, be especially careful to attach such that when laying flat, the join is at the folded edge).
Round 9: Ch1. *3 sc between first and second popcorn. Skip popcorn. 3 sc between second and third popcorn. Skip popcorn and sc. 2dc in ch2 space. 2dc in dc. 2dc in ch2 space. Skip sc and popcorn*. Repeat * to * around. Sl st to first sc. (42 sc and 42 dc)
Round 10: Ch2. Dc in each sc and dc around. Sl st to first dc. (84)
Rounds 11-16: Repeat rows 5-10.
Rounds 17-22: Repeat rows 5-10.
Rounds 23-24: Ch1. Sc around. Sl st to first sc. (84)
Round 25: Before you begin this round, lay the bag flat and make sure your join is at the fold of the bag. If it is, continue. If not, skip down a line.
Ch1. Sc 11 (including the join), ch 60, skip 20, sc 22, Ch 60, skip 20, sc 11. Ss to first sc. (44 sc and two 60 ch spaces)
IF you made an error in where you attached your yarn and somehow the join isn’t quite at the edge, don’t panic! Lay the bag flat and count 11 stitches from the rightmost edge. Place a stitch marker in the 11thstitch. Skip 20 stiches, and place another marker in the 21st stitch. Flip bag over and repeat for the other side, making sure the stitch markers are evenly placed.
If your join is within the skipped 20 stitches, sl st to the next marker, and do as follows. If your join does NOT fall within the skipped 20 stiches, just do as follows.
Ch1. Sc to your first stitch marker (including in the join). Ch 60. Skip 20, sc into the stitch with the marker, sc to the next marker. Ch 60. Skip 20, sc into the stitch with the marker, and sc to your first sc. Sl st to first sc. (44 sc and two 60 ch spaces)
Round 26: Ch1. Sc around (including the join, and one sc in each chain). Sl st to first sc. (164 sc).
Round 26: Ch1. Sc around (including the join). Sl st to first sc. (164 sc).
Round 28: Sl st around. FO.
Additional explanation of { }, or making the stem:
Ch6. Arrows show where the 4 slip stitches go:
After the 4 ss back, this is the “stem.” The arrow shows the ch2 “space” where the 3sc will go in the next round.
And that’s it! As always, I’d love to hear from you about what you think about the Tulip Bouquet Tote Bag, or any of my other creations, so feel free to leave a comment or ask a question! If you make it, I’d love to see it in action, so tag me on Instagram @springintofalldesigns and on Ravelry at SpringintoFall. Also, follow me on Instagram to be the first to know what new patterns are on their way!!!
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