Book Bag Pattern #49

Materials: Clark's O.N.T. Knitting and Crochet Cotton, 6 balls of color 48 Hunter's Green. Milward's steel crochet hook No. 5. Two buckles.

Front: Ch 102, turn. 1st row: 1 s c in 2nd ch from hook and in each st of ch, ch 1, turn. 2nd row: 1 s c in each s c, turn. 3rd row: Sl st in each s c of previous row. Ch 1, turn. Alternate 2nd and 3rd rows for length desired (about 10 inches).

Back and Flap: Work same as front, making piece about 15 inches long. Center section: Same as front.

Gussets: (Make 2 — one to sew between front and center section and another between center and back). Make a ch long enough to go around 2 sides and lower edge of front. Then ch 25 additional sts to allow for working up. 1st row: 1 s c in 3rd ch from hook and in each st of ch until work measures same as one side of front. Then to shape for corner, insert hook in next ch, draw loop through, insert hook in following st, draw loop through, insert hook in next st, draw loop through. Thread over and draw through all loops on hook (2 sts decreased). Work s c in next 100 sts, make 2 decreases for next corner, then work same number of sc as were made for other side. 2nd row: Sl st in each st, ch 1, turn.

3rd to 10th rows incl: Make s c in s c for odd rows and 2 sts decreased at corners over decreases of previous row. Work sl sts for all even rows. 11th to 20th rows incl: Work s c in s c on odd rows, increasing 2 sts at corners where decreases were made previously. Work sl sts for all even rows. Make another piece the same. Sew the gussets between side pieces, using a firm stitch.

Handle: Ch 122, turn. 1st to 18th rows incl: Work same as front. Sew across top of flap, leaving loop for handle as illustrated. Make 2 pieces for buckle straps, and 2 pieces to sew buckles to bag. Sew straps to flap to correspond to the buckles.