Bag for Trip

This beautiful bag is created by crocheting a solid-color yarn around a multicolor strand. Plastic canvas gives structure to the bag and makes it strong enough for all your books and binders.
 
Size
14" wide x 12" tall (35.5 x 30.5 cm), excluding Strap

Materials
Lion Brand Wool-Ease 80% Acrylic, 20% Wool
3 oz (85 g) 179 yd (180 m) Ball
3 balls #177 Loden (A) or color of your choice

Lion Brand Landscapes 50% Wool. 50% Acrylic
1 3/4 oz (50g) 55yard (50m)
4 balls #273 Spring Desert (B) or color of your choice

Size J-l0 (6 mm} crochet hook or size to obtain gouge
•One sheet 10 gauge plastic mesh canvas
•Two 1/2”{13 mm) magnetic purse snaps
Large-eyed, blunt needle
 
Gauge
(Single crochet, chain 1) 9 times +12 rows = 4" (10 cm) in Woven Crochet pattern.
Be sure to check your gauge.

Pattern Stitch
Woven Crochet
Row 1 Holding 1 strand of A and 2 strands of B together, make an overhand knot at the end. Keep A to the back and top and B to the front and bottom. A is the working thread and B is held with the thumb and index finger of both left and right hands to keep it secure, straight, and at an even tension.

Yarn over with A, pull to the front, and make a chain so that it is on top of B. Insert hook under B, yarn over with A and pull to the front, yarn over, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook (single crochet made), chain 1; repeat from "for desired length of row, single crochet over B strand.

Turn. Note In this stitch, pieces are not begun with a set number of chains, but are worked for the number of inches (cm) given for each section. Row 2 Chain 1, keeping B to the front and A to the back, "'single crochet in next single crochet of previous row, chain 1; repeat from  across, single crochet in last single crochet. Turn. Repeat Row 2 until piece is desired length.

Note
Consistent tension is important. Make sure that your single crochet stitches in A are loose enough so that they don't squash B strands. Use a larger crochet hook if you find the crochet too tight. Keep the crochet tight enough to have a stable fabric. The chain stitches allow
 
B to show through, so keep them very consistent. Practice with some swatches until you achieve a satisfactory tension. The fabric has a lot of stretch widthwise and is stable lengthwise.

Body
Note Body is worked in one piece in vertical rows of woven crochet. Row 1 Work in woven crochet until Row 1 measures 38" (96.5 cm) from beginning. Turn. Row 2 Work Row 2 of woven crochet pattern.
Repeat Row 2 until Body measures 14" (35.5 cm) from beginning. Fasten off.

Strap
Row 1 Work in woven crochet until piece measures 76" (193 cm) from beginning. Turn.
Row 2 Work Row 2 of woven crochet pattern.
Repeat Row 2 until Strap measures 2 ¼” (5.5 cm) from beginning. Fasten off.

Side—Make 2
Row 1 Work in woven crochet until piece measures 11" (28 cm) from beginning. Turn.
Row 2 Work Row 2 of woven crochet pattern.
Repeat Row 2 until Side measures 2 1/2" (6.5 cm) from beginning. Fasten off.

Assembly
For bottom of the Bag, cut a piece of plastic canvas 17 squares wide x 90 squares long—approximately 2 1/4" x 14" (5.5 x 35.5 cm). Position plastic canvas for bottom horizontally over inside of Body, 23 ½” (59.5 cm) from top edge and 12" (30.5 cm) from bottom edge.

Sew plastic canvas to Body using large-eyed, blunt needle and A, working one stitch for every 10th square of canvas, and 4 squares in from the edge, making sure that stitches don't cover B strands on Body. Without twisting Strap, lay ends of Strap over plastic canvas bottom, with 4" (10cm) of Straps overlapping at center.

With A, sew strap edges to bottom of Body on outside of plastic canvas bottom. For the Sides of the Bag, cut 2 pieces of plastic canvas 17 squares x 67 squares—approximately 2 1/4" x 10 ½” (5.5 x 26.5 cm). Place plastic canvas sides on inside of Straps, starting flush with bottom. Sew Strap to plastic canvas sides with A through each square on outer edge of plastic canvas.

Place woven crochet Sides over plastic canvas sides on inside of Bag, with 1/2 (13 mm) excess folded over top of plastic canvas. Sew woven crochet Sides onto the plastic canvas, through the Strap on the bottom edge, and up the other side.

At top edge, sew through folded edge of Side, the plastic canvas, and the Strap. Repeat on the other side. Sew over any exposed edges of plastic canvas. With A, sew side edges of Strap to Sides of Body using edge-to-edge seam. Attach magnet snaps approximately 2" (5 cm) from bottom and Sides of Bag.