Purses, Bags & Totes Project of the Month: February

Felted Purse

Design by Lori Zeller

Skill Level
Intermediate

Finished Size
12 inches x 10 inches, excluding handle before felting
9 1/2 inches x 9 inches, excluding handle after felting

Materials

• Lion Brand Lion Wool medium (worsted) weight wool (3 oz/158 yds/85g per ball: 2 balls #153 ebony 1 ball each #147 purple and #110 cadet blue
• Size G/6/4mm crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge
• Tapestry needle
• Sewing needle
• 1 size 3 snap
• 7 assorted 1/2-inch–3/4-inch black buttons
• Matching sewing thread

Gauge
12 dc = 3 inches; 7 dc rnds = 3 inches

Pattern Notes
Weave in ends as work progresses.
Join with slip stitch as indicated unless otherwise stated.
Chain-3 at beginning of row or round counts as first double crochet unless otherwise stated.
Finished size may vary due to amount of felting done.

Special Stitch
Long double crochet (long dc): Yo, working over ch sp, insert hook in indicated st on rnd below, draw up lp even with working row, [yo, draw through 2 lps on hook] twice.

Purse
Bottom
Row 1 (RS): With ebony, ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each rem ch across, turn. (3 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc, 2 sc in last sc, turn. (5 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next 3 sc, 2 sc in last sc, turn. (7 sc)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.
Rows 5–45: Rep row 4.
Row 46: Ch 1, sc dec (see Stitch Guide) in first 2 sc, sc in each of next 3 sc, sc dec in last 2 sc, turn. (5 sc)
Row 47: Ch 1, sc dec in first 2 sc, sc in next sc, sc dec in last 2 sc, turn. (3 sc)
Row 48: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.

Body
Rnd 1: Ch 1, working around edge of piece, work 100 sc evenly sp around, join (see Pattern Notes) in beg sc.
Rnd 2: Ch 3, working in back lps (see Stitch Guide), dc in each sc around, join in first dc.
Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in each dc around, join in top of first dc.
Rnd 4: Rep rnd 3. Fasten off.
Rnd 5: Join purple in same dc as joining, ch 1, sc in same dc, ch 1, sk next dc, *sc in next dc, ch 1, sk next dc, rep from * around, join in beg sc. Fasten off.
Rnd 6: Join cadet blue in same sc as joining, ch 1, sc in same sc, long dc (see Special Stitch) over next ch-space into st on rnd below ch, *sc in next sc, long dc over next ch-space into st on rnd below ch around, join in beg sc.
Rnd 7: Ch 3, dc in each st around, join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3. Fasten off.
Rnd 8: Join purple in same ch as joining, ch 1, sc in same ch as joining, ch 1, sk next dc, *sc in next sc, ch 1, sk next dc, rep from * around, join in first sc. Fasten off.
Rnd 9: Join ebony in same sc as joining, ch 1, sc in same sc, long dc in next sk dc on rnd below ch, *sc in next sc, long dc in next sk dc on rnd below ch, rep from * around, join in beg sc.
Rnd 10: Ch 3, dc in each st around, join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
Rnds 11–21: Rep rnd 10. At end of last rnd, fasten off.
Rnds 22–26: Rep rnds 5–9.
Rnds 27–29: Rep rnd 10.
Rnd 30: Ch 1, sc in first st, hdc in next st, dc in each of next 8 sts, hdc in next st, sc in each of next 40 sts, hdc in next st, dc in each of next 8 sts, hdc in next st, sc in each of last 39 sts, join in beg sc. Fasten off.
Rnd 31: Join purple with sc in first hdc worked on rnd 30, hdc in next dc, dc in each of next 6 dc, hdc in next dc, sc in each of next 42 sts, hdc in next dc, dc in each of next 6 dc, hdc in next dc, sc in each of next 41 sts, join in beg sc. Fasten off.
Rnd 32: Join cadet blue with sc in same sc as joining, hdc in next dc, dc in each of next 6 dc, hdc in next dc, sc in each of next 42 sts, hdc in next dc, dc in each of next 6 dc, hdc in next dc, sc in each of next 41 sts, join in joining sc.

First Strap
Row 1: Sl st in next hdc, sl st in next dc, ch 1, sc in same dc, sc in next dc, leaving rem sts unworked, turn. (2 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc, turn.
Rows 3–160: Rep row 2.
Row 161: Ch 1, sc in each sc. Fasten off, leaving long end for sewing.

2nd Strap
Row 1: Join ebony with sc in next dc on rnd 32 from First Strap, sc in next sc, turn. (2 sc)
Rows 2–161: Rep rows 2–161 of First Strap.

3rd Strap
Row 1: Join purple with sc in next dc on rnd 32 from First Strap, sc in next sc, turn. (2 sc)
Rows 2–161: Rep rows 2–161 of First Strap.

Flap
Row 1: With ebony, ch 10, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each rem ch across, turn. (9 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next 7 sc, 2 sc in last sc, turn. (11 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next 9 sc, 2 sc in last sc, turn. (13 sc)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.
Row 5: Ch 1, 2 sc in first sc, sc in each of next 11 sc, 2 sc in last sc, turn. (15 sc)
Rows 6–36: Rep row 4. At end of last row, fasten off.

Inner Flap
Rows 1–35: With purple, rep rows 1–35 of Flap.
Row 36: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.

Flap Edging
Rnd 1: Hold Inner Flap behind Flap, ch 1, working through both thicknesses at same time, sc evenly sp around outer edge, join in beg sc. Fasten off.
Rnd 38: Join cadet blue with sc in same sc as joining, ch 1, sc in each sc around and working 2 sc at each corner to keep piece flat, join in beg sc. Fasten off, leaving long end for sewing.

Large Flower
Rnd 1: With purple, ch 4, join in first ch to form a ring, ch 1, 8 sc in ring, join in first sc. (8 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, working in front lps (see Stitch Guide), (sc, ch 3, sc) in first sc, ch 1, sk next sc, *(sc, ch 3, sc) in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc, rep from * twice, join in beg sc.
Rnd 3: Sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, (sc, 4 dc, sc) in same sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp, *(sc, 4 dc, sc) in next ch-3 sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp, rep from * twice, join in beg sc. Fasten off.
Rnd 4: Join cadet blue with sc in back lp (see Stitch Guide) of any st on rnd 1, 2 sc in next st, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 3 times, join in beg sc.
Rnd 5: Ch 1, (sc, ch 3, sc) in first sc, ch 1, sk next sc, *(sc, ch 3, sc) in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc, rep from * 4 times, join in beg sc.
Rnd 6: Sl st in first ch-3 sp, ch 1, (sc, 5 dc, sc) in same sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp, *(sc, 5 dc, sc) in next ch-3 sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp, rep from * 4 times, join in beg sc. Fasten off, leaving long end for sewing.

Medium Flower
Make 1 cadet blue and 1 purple.
Rnd 1: Ch 4, join in first ch to form a ring, ch 1, 10 sc in ring, join in beg sc. (10 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, (sc, ch 3, sc) in first sc, ch 1, sk next sc, *(sc, ch 3, sc) in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc, rep from * 3 times, join in beg sc.
Rnd 3: Sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, (sc, 4 dc, sc) in same sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp, *(sc, 4 dc, sc) in next ch-3 sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp, rep from * 3 times, join in beg sc. Fasten off, leaving long end for sewing.

Small Flower
Make 2 cadet blue and 2 purple.
Rnd 1: Ch 4, join in first ch to form a ring, ch 1, [sc in ring, ch 3] 5 times, join in beg sc.
Rnd 2: Sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, (sc, 4 dc, sc) in same sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp, *(sc, 4 dc, sc) in next ch-3 sp, sl st in next ch-1 sp, rep from * 3 times, join in beg sc. Fasten off, leaving long end for sewing.

Assembly
Braid Straps together. Sew ends to opposite sides of Purse. Sew top side of Flap to back top edge of Purse, centering Flap. Sew 1 button to center of each Flower. Sew large Flower to bottom section of flap. Referring to photo for placement, sew remaining Flowers to front of Purse.

Felting
Wash Purse in hot water and machine dry on high heat. Repeat washing and drying if desired. Press flowers open if needed.

Finishing
Sew 1 piece of large snap fastener to underside of Flap and sew remaining piece to Purse opposite first piece.

DOWNLOAD
Click here to download the PDF (275.7 KB)

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