Free Crochet Pattern and a Sneak Peek at the New Crochet Book

Hey y'all! I decided I needed a short (heh) vacation, but I'm back. More important, I'm back with post number 200 here on the blog.

In honor of this milestone, I've brought you a gift: a free pattern you're going to love. As promised, I'm continuing to drop patterns from my new, almost finished, crochet book. This one just may be my favorite of the bunch simply because I'm addicted to round hobo bags.

This week, you get just the basics, the body of the bag, but the recommended amount of yarn is for the whole thing. The shoulder strap pattern/tutorial is something I will share with you within the next couple of weeks.

As usual, I worked the sample in Lily Sugar 'n Cream yarn, but it will work with any worsted weight yarn. The colors here are Hot Pink and Hot Orange. Grab your hook and get to work!

The Blog Collection Hobo Bag

Finished Size:

body – 9" diameter x 11" high

strap – 32" long x 2 ½" wide

Supplies Needed:

3 balls of yarn for body

2 balls of yarn for contrast

size H-8 (5mm) crochet hook

stitch markers or pieces of scrap yarn

yarn needle or smaller crochet hook for weaving in ends

Instructions:

Round 1: using magic ring method, 12 sc in ring, pull ring tight to close gap (12 sc)

Round 2: 2sc in each st around (24 sc)

Round 3: sc in each st around (24 sc)

Round 4: [2sc in next st, sc in next st] around (36 sc)

Round 5: sc in each st around (36 sc)

Round 6: [2sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] around (48 sc)

Round 7: sc in each st around (48 sc)

Round 8: [2sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts] around (60 sc)

Round 9: sc in each st around (60 sc)

Round 10: [2sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts] around (72 sc)

Round 11: sc in each sc around (72 sc)

Round 12: [2sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts] around (84 sc)

Round 13: sc in each st around (84 sc)

Round 14: [2sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts] around (96 sc)

Round 15: sc in each st around (96 sc)

Round 16: [2sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts] around (108 sc)

Round 17: sc in each st around (108 sc)

Round 18: in BLO sc around (108 sc)

Round 19: sc in each st around (108 sc)

Rounds 20-27: repeat Round 19

change colors*

Round 28: sc in each st around (108 sc)

Round 29: repeat Round 28

Round 30: in BLO sc around (108 sc)

Round 31: repeat Round 30

Round 32: in BLO [sc in next st, dc in next st] around (108 sts)

Round 33: in BLO [dc in next st, sc in next st] around (108 sts)

Round 34: repeat Round 32

Round 35: repeat Round 33

Round 36: repeat Round 32

Round 37: in BLO sc around (108 sc)

Round 38-39: repeat Round 37

Round 40: sc in each st around (108 sc)

change colors*

Rounds 41-55: sc in each st around (108 sc)

do not finish off*

Before you move on to the shoulder strap, make sure this length works for you. If you do follow my instructions for the strap, you'll be adding another five rows (about 1 1/4") to the top of the bag, so keep that in mind as well.

Happy Crocheting!

Change-Up, Just for Fun. . .Free Crochet Pattern

I like playing with new ideas that incorporate environmental responsibility with crochet, or crafting in general for that matter.  That's why I started dabbling with scrubby sacks or soap sacks a while back.  Call them what you will, if you haven't encountered them before, I'll give you a brief explanation.  Pretty much, a scrubby sack is something my brother and I though WE invented in the tub when we were kids.  We took our washcloths, wrapped them around our favorite bar of soap, and used the whole package to scrub us clean.  Boy, did we think we were brilliant...LOL  Fast forward to last winter when I started surfing the web for cute little quickie projects to keep my itchy fingers busy during the cooler months so I wouldn't start yet another afghan.  I came across what many crocheters called scrubby sacks which took our "invention" one step further.  It's simply a cute pouch crocheted in an hour or two that's closed with a simple drawstring.  It's large enough to hold a full sized bar of soap, but my favorite part is that it's a great way to collect all those soap scraps sitting at the bottom of your soap dish so they're large enough to handle.  I'm cheap; I like to use every little bit of that soap, especially since I use a more pricey brand for my sensitive skin.

An added bonus to this pattern is that it's pretty (you like how I toot my own horn there?) so wrap a small gift in tissue, drop it in the sack, and your cute crochet project turns into a reusable gift bag!  Think about it:  wouldn't a gourmet bar of soap make a great grab gift when given inside a delightful little pouch?  Anyhow, I'm giving you the simple, round pattern here.  I have a couple of oval variations available in my Etsy and Ravelry shops as a set bundled with the pdf version of this one.

I have but one request if you make this pattern:  please come back and leave a comment to let me know how you felt about the instruction.  The oval patterns were tested extensively, but this one was typed up a while ago and not really well tested.  (I couldn't decide exactly what to do with it.)  Just as with any of my patterns I would love to see your finished projects.  I'd like to post a collection of photos some time before Thanksgiving, (maybe even ON Thanksgiving) to show off readers' handiwork.

As always, Happy Crocheting!

Round X-Stitch Pouch

Crochet Pattern

by Laurie Laliberte, Big Girl Jewelry & More

Special stitch used:  X-stitch -- skip next st, work dc in next st, work dc in previously skipped st around the dc you just made
To begin a round of X-stitch, skip the first 2 sts, work dc in next st, work dc in 2nd previously skipped st around the dc you just made

To end a round of X-stitch, work your last dc around the beginning ch3 of the round in the 1st skipped stitch.

Supplies Needed:

2 oz (95 yds) worsted weight cotton yarn (example was made using less than 1 ball Lily Sugar 'n Cream)

size H-8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook

size J-10 (6.0 mm) crochet hook (optional)

stitch markers or scrap yarn (optional)

yarn needle or smaller hook for weaving in ends

All instructions use American terminology and standard abbreviations

with smaller hook ch4, join w/sl st in 1st ch to form a loop

Round 1:  ch4 (counts as dc, ch1), [dc, ch1] 8 times, join in 3rd ch of ch4 (9 dc, 9 ch1 sp)

Round 2:  sl st into ch1 sp, [ch 4 (counts as dc, ch1), dc, ch1] all in same ch1 sp, join in 3rd ch of beg ch4 (18 dc, 18 ch1 sp)

Round 3:  sl st into ch1 cp, ch5 (counts as dc, ch2), [dc, ch2] in each ch1 sp around, join in 3rd ch of beg ch5 (18 dc, 18 ch2 sp)

Round 4:  ch1, sc in same st as joining, 2 sc in ch2 sp, [sc in next dc, 2sc in next ch2 sp] around, join in 1st sc (54 sc) 

Round 5:  ch3, X-stitch around (27 X-sts)

Round 6:  ch1, sc in each st around, join in 1st sc (54 sc)

Round 7:  ch4 (counts as dc, ch1), [sk next st, dc in next st, ch1] around, join in 3rd ch of beg ch4 (27 dc, 27 ch1 sp)

Round 8:  sl st into ch1 sp, ch4 (counts as dc, ch1), [dc, ch1] in each ch1 sp around, join in 3rd ch of beg ch4 (27 dc, 27 ch1 sp)

Round 9:  repeat Round 8

Round 10:  ch1, sc in each st and ch1 sp around, join in 1st sc (54 sc)

Round 11:  ch3, X-stitch around (27 X-sts)

Round 12:  ch1, sc in each st around, join in 1st sc (54 sc)

Round 13:  ch4 (counts as dc, ch1), [sk next st, dc in next st, ch1] around, join in 3rd ch of beg ch4 (27 dc, 27 ch1 sp)

Round 14:  sl st into ch1 sp, ch4 (counts as dc, ch1), [dc, ch1] in each ch1 sp around, join in 3rd ch of beg ch4 (27 dc, 27 ch1 sp)

Round 15:  repeat Round 14

Round 16:  ch1, sc in each dc and ch1 sp around, join in 1st sc, fo (54 sc)

Drawstring:

with larger hook ch 70, fo leaving a 1-2" tail at each end, Separate the strands of the yarn to form mini tassels.  Weave the drawstring through desired row of dc, ch1 spaces.

About my work:

Any pattern I design and post is my property.  Please do not duplicate my patterns for any reason especially to sell.  Instead, please link to my blog (http://biggirljewelry.blogspot.com/) or to the page where you found the pattern when referencing one of my patterns.

You are more than welcome to offer finished products made from my patterns for sale.  I see no reason why you should not profit from your hard work.  However, I'd really appreciate it if you gave me credit for the design; please reference my blog or the pattern page.

If you do make any of my patterns I'd love to see your finished items; please take a moment to email pictures to me.

If you are not interested in making your own pieces, I occasionally offer finished items in my shops.  I also welcome special orders, so email me and let's work together.

BigGirlJewelry@yahoo.com

I would love to see your finished projects!  Please send me photos.  With your permission, I will post them on 

Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/designers/laurie-laliberte/patterns 

and/or Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/BigGirlJewelry 

and/or my blog http://biggirljewelry.blogspot.com/ .