Crochet spike stitch tote bag pattern: the Dream tote bag

Level of skill Required:

Knowledge on how to crochet single crochet and slip stitch is required for this pattern.

Material list:

1. Crochet Hook size 6mm
2. Macramé/ Rope or t-shirt yarn or any other bulky yarn that is about 3mm thick
3. Meters used –  black macramé -85 meters and beige – 240 meters
4. Scissors
5. 7 Stitch markers

One size bag

Finished bag measurements

26cm height and 39cm width, handle length-50cm

Crochet Terms in US Terminology

• rep – repeat (do it again)
• st (s) – stitch(es)
• **  –  means do what is written in-between the asterisks (for example rep** , means repeat what is written in between the asterisks)

Stitch guide

• ch – chain
• sl st – slip stitch
• sc –single crochet

Pattern notes:

• You are going to work in rounds.
• The number in the brackets at the end of each instruction is the total number of stitches for that round.

Instructions:

Make the bag in 3 steps

• Step 1 – the bottom
• Step 2 – the sides
• Step 3 – the handles

The spike stitch ( elongated single crochet stitch)

Here is how you crochet the spike stitch:

The spike stitch is worked exactly like a regular single crochet except that it is longer than the traditional sc. To crochet the spike stitch, insert hook in the round immediately below, pull up a long loop to the height of the working round.

Now you have two loops on the hook, yarn over and pull through both loops to have one spike stitch. You should remember to skip the stitch of the working round located behind the spike stitch just made. This is because the spike stitch overlays the stitch of the working round and replaces it.

Step 1- The bottom(crochet in beige)

Foundation round: ch 23. Sc 1 in the 2^nd ch from the hook and put a st marker (take note of the color of this st marker or if possible it should be a different color from the rest of the markers as it also marks the starting point of our round), continue with sc in the next chains.

.Sc 5 in the last ch and put 3 st markers into the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th sts of the 5 sc that you just crocheted. Continue to crochet at the back of the chains, sc 4 in the last chain and put st markers into the last 3 sts of the 4 sc just made. (50)

Round 2: sc 1 in the 1^st st (put back the st marker) *continue with1 sc  in the following sts which do not have stitch markers until you reach a st marker, sc 2 in the sts with st markers (put back the st marker into the 1^st st of the increase).* Repeat from * to * until you are back at the starting point.  (56)

Round 3 and Round 4:  Repeat round 2.

After completing round 4 you should have 68 stitches. Add one more stitch in the last st to make them 69 (the following stitch for the sides requires odd numbers).

Round 5: remove all the other st markers and remain with the one that marks the starting point (the one in the first st). Slip st in each st right around. This completes the bottom.

Step 2 – The Sides

Turn the bottom of the bag to see 3 loops on the sides. In the next round insert hook in outer/ back loop of the 3 loops

Round 1: sc 1 into the back loop of the first st put back the st marker, continue with 1sc in each st (back loop) until the round is done. (69)

Round 2: sc 1 in the first stitch, *in the following st crochet 1 spike stitch (refer to the top on how to crochet the spike st). sc 1 in the next st*  repeat from * to * until the round is done.

Take note: when you start a round with single crochet st you finish with single crochet st likewise when you start with spike st.

Round 3: since the last st of round is sc, put 1 spike st in the first st, *sc 1 in the following st. In the next st put 1 spike st* repeat from * to * until the round is done.

Round 4 to round 27: repeat round 2 and round 3

In the last st of round 10 yarn over using the black yarn so as to begin round 11 with the black yarn. (Do this whenever you change yarn color in the following rounds)

Round 11 to round 15: black yarn

Round 16 to round 20: beige yarn

Round 21 to round 25: black yarn

Round 26 to round 27: beige yarn

Step 3 – The Handles

Lay your bag flat. Put one st marker on one edge (this is just a reference point for marking the handles since the real starting point is not on the edge of the bag. It will be removed later when we start crocheting). Start counting from this st with marker and put other st markers in st number 10; 25; 45; 60.

After this remove the stitch marker you put earlier on as reference point.

Round 28 – round 29 use beige yarn

Round 28- continue with the pattern as done in the previous round. *When you reach the stitch with marker that is stitch number 10, crochet spike stitch and chain 50, and join the chain in the next st marker (stitch 25) with a spike stitch* (for a stronger attachment of handle).

Continue with the pattern and repeat from * to * for st 45 and 60 for the second handle. Continue with the pattern until the round is done.

Round 29- crochet the pattern as done in previous rounds *when you reach the handle, put 1 sc in each chain of the handle, after the handle, continue with the pattern*. Repeat from * to * until the round is done.

To finish off the round join the last st to the first st with a sl st. Cut and fasten off the ends. The tote bag is done