Bag Pattern #2263

Materials: Clark's O.N.T. Mercerized Crochet, size 10, 9 balls of Autumn Glow and 3 balls of Linen; or J. & P. Coats Mercerized Crochet, size 10, 7 balls of Autumn Glow and 3 balls of Linen.
Milward's steel crochet hook No. 9.
1 yd. millinery wire.
½ yd. lining material.
A 6½-inch slide fastener.

When completed, bag measures about 7¾ x 8¼ inches.

Body of Bag. Starting at long side, with double thread of Autumn Glow, ch 122 (to measure about 12½ inches), turn. 1st row: Make a group-st in 3rd ch from hook (to make a group-st, * thread over hook, insert hook in st, draw loop through. Repeat from * once more, thread over, and draw through all 5 loops). ** Ch 1, skip 1 ch, group-st in next ch. Repeat from ** across, ending row with d c in same place as last group-st (60 group-sts). Ch 3, turn. 2nd row: Make a group-st in 1st d c (increase), * ch 1, group-st in next ch-1 sp. Repeat from * across, ending with group-st in turning ch-3, and d c in same place. This completes 1 stripe. Drop Autumn Glow. Attach double thread of Linen, ch 3, turn. 3rd and 4th rows: Same as 2nd row. This completes 2nd stripe. Drop Linen, pick up Autumn Glow, ch 3, turn. Repeat the last 2 stripes, increasing 1 group-st at beginning of each row until there are 69 group-sts in the row. Work straight until 1st row of 7th dark stripe is made; then, decrease 1 group-st at end of each row until 60 group-sts remain. (To decrease 1 group-st, make last group-st in last ch-1 sp and d c in turning ch-3.) Break off.

With double thread of Autumn Glow, work a row of s c all around edges of bag, making 3 s c at corners. Border. With 1 strand of Autumn Glow, ch 12, turn. 1st row: S c in 2nd ch from hook, s c in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. Hereafter, pick up only the back loop of each sc. 2nd row: S c in each s c across. Ch 1, turn. Repeat 2nd row until piece measures same as long straight side of bag. Break off. Sew this strip on long side of bag. Make another strip same as this and sew it to opposite long side. Make 2 more strips each 3¼ inches long and sew one to each straight center-top of bag, leaving two 1-inch open­ings (for handles), and having the openings 1¼ inches apart from each other. Make 4 more strips to fit into the shaped sides at top of bag, working as follows: Ch 2, turn. 1st row: S c in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, turn. Hereafter, work as for other strips, increasing 1 s c at one side only, on each row until there are 10 s c in the row. Work straight until piece measures 2 inches. Then decrease 1 s c on each row at same side as increases were made, until 1 s c remains. Break off.

Handles. With Autumn Glow, ch 25, turn. 1st row: S c in 2nd ch from hook, s c in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. Hereafter, pick up only the back loop of each s c. 2nd row: S c in each s c across. Ch 1, turn. Repeat 2nd row until piece measures 12 inches. Break off. Join the 2 longer sides, together by work­ing a row of s c through the 2 thicknesses. Break off. Insert one end of handle in each opening at top of bag, and sew in place on wrong side. Make an­other handle same as this, and sew to opposite side of bag.

Gusset. Starting at lower edge, with double thread of Autumn Glow, ch 13, turn. 1st row: S c in 2nd ch from hook, s c in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. Hereafter, pick up only the back loop of each s c. 2nd row: 2 s c in 1st s c, s c in each s c across, 2 s c in last sc. Ch 1, turn. Repeat 2nd row until there are 24 s c in the row. Work straight until piece is long enough to fit between sides of bag. Break off. Sew a piece of millinery wire around edge of gusset, leaving top edge free. Fold the bag in half.

Place the wired edge of gusset against the inner edges of bag; then, work a row of s c through the 2 thicknesses and over the wire to join pieces together. Make another gusset and join to opposite side of bag. Line bag, and sew slide fastener across the top.