Bavarian Tote Bag

This Bavarian Tote Bag is a great challenge for crocheters who are looking for something on an intermediate level.  Made using the Bavarian stitch, this crocheted bag has great texture and is perfect for toting anything from books to groceries.  If you're unfamiliar with the Bavarian crochet stitch, you can check out Roseanna's tutorial on How to Crochet the Bavarian Rectangle.  With helpful step-by-step instructions and photos, this tutorial will help you as you create this adorable bodycross bag.

Materials:

• 1 skein Red Heart with Love yarn in Holly Berry
• 1 skein Red Heart with Love yarn in Aran
• 5.0 mm(US H-8), 5.5 mm (US I-9) crochet hook or size needed for gauge

Gauge:  With H hook a 3-round rectangle measures 5 ½” x 7 ½”

Special Stitches (for more information or clarification, see How to Crochet the Bavarian Rectangle):           

• Cluster Treble Crochet (cl tr): Holding back last loop of each stitch on hook, 3 trs in place indicated, yarn over, pull through all loops on hook, ch 1 to secure.
• Back post treble (bptr)
• Large Shell (lg shell):  (4 tr, [ch 1, 4 tr] twice) in place indicated.
• Small Shell (sm shell):  (4 tr, ch 1, 4 tr) in place indicated.
• 4-back post treble decrease (4-bptr dec): Holding back last loop of each stitch on hook, bptr around each of next 4 stitches, yo, pull through all loops on hook.
• 8-back post treble decrease (8-bptr dec): *Holding back last loop of each stitch on hook, bptr around each of next 4 stitches*, skip sc between shells and working on next shell, repeat between * once, yo, pull through all loops on hook.  The 8-bptr dec is always worked using the last 4-tr group of 1 shell and the first 4-tr group of the next shell.  When working into beginning ch, insert hook under top two loops of ch to avoid stretching the chain and leaving a large hole.

Instructions:
Finished Size:  12” wide x 15” high (without the strap)

Tote Bag Side  (Make 2)

1. Round 1: With holly berry and H hook ch 22, sc in 2nd ch from hook, [skip 4 chs, sm shell in next ch, skip next 4 chs, sc in next ch] twice, working in opposite side of starting ch, skip 5 chs, sm shell in next ch, which will be the same ch as sm shell on the opposite side of the ch, skip next 4 chs, sc in next ch, skip next 4 chs, sm shell in next ch which will be the same ch as sm shell on the opposite side, skip last 5 chs, join to beginning sc and fasten off.    (4 sc, 4 small shells)
    
2. Round 2: Join aran with a sc in first sc, *ch 5, 4-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space, ch 5, 8-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space, ch 5, 4-bptr dec, ch 5*, sc in next sc, repeat between * once, join to beginning sc.  (2 8-bptr, 4 4-bptr, 6 sc)
    
3. Round 3: Ch 1, sc in first sc. lg shell in top of first 4-bptr dec (corner), sc in next sc, sm shell in top of next 8-bptr dec, sc in next sc, lg shell in top of next 4-bptr dec (corner), sc in next sc, lg shell in top of next 4-bptr dec (corner), sc in next sc, sm shell in top of next 8-bptr dec, sc in next sc, lg shell in top of last 4-bptr dec (corner), join to beginning sc and fasten off.  (2 sm shells, 4 lg shells, 6 sc)
    
4. Round 4: Join holly berry with a sc in first ch 1 space of first corner shell, *ch 5, 4-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space, [ch 5, 8-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space] twice, ch 5, 4-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space, ch 5, 8-bptr dec*, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space, repeat between * once, join to beginning sc.   (10 sc, 4 4-bptr dec, 6 8-bptr dec)
    
5. Round 5: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *lg shell in top of next 4-bptr dc, sc in next sc, [sm shell in top of next 8-bptr dec, sc in next sc] twice, lg shell in top of next 4-bptr dec, sc in next sc, sm shell in top of next 8-bptr dec*, sc in next sc, repeat between * once, join to beginning sc and fasten off. (10 sc, 6 sm shells, 4 lg shells)
    
6. Round 6: Join aran with a sc in first ch 1 space of shell in first corner, *ch 5, 4-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space, [ch 5, 8-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space] 3 times, ch 5, 4-bptr dec, ch 5, [sc in next ch 1 space, ch 5, 8-bptr dec, ch 5] twice*, sc in next ch 1 space, repeat between * once, join to beginning sc.  (14 sc, 4-4bptr dec, 10 8-bptr dec)
    
7. Round 7: Ch 1, sc in first sc, *lg shell in top of next 4-bptr dec, sc in next sc, [sm shell in top of next 8-bptr dec, sc in next sc] 3 times, lg shell in top of next 4-bptr dec, [sc in next sc, sm shell in top of next 8-bptr dec] twice*, sc in next sc, repeat between * once, join to beginning sc and fasten off.  (14 sc, 10 sm shells, 4 lg shells)
    
8. Round 8: Join holly berry with a sc in first ch 1 space of shell in first corner, *ch 5, 4-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space, [ch 5, 8-bptr dec, ch 5, sc in next ch 1 space] 4 times, ch 5, 4-bptr dec, ch 5, [sc in next ch 1 space, ch 5, 8-bptr dec, ch 5] 3 times*, sc in next ch 1 space, repeat between * once, join to beginning sc and fasten off.  (18 sc, 4-4bptr dec, 14 8-bptr dec)

Flower  (Make 2)

1. Round 1: With holly berry and H hook ch 3 and form a ring, 6 sc in ring, join to beginning sc and fasten off.
    
2. Round 2: With I hook join aran with a sc in any sc, ch 3, (cl tr, ch 3, sc) in same stitch, [sc, ch 3, cl tr, ch 3, sc] in each sc around, join to beginning sc and fasten off.  (6 petals)
    
3. Sew on flowers as shown on photo.

Joining of Tote Bag Sides

1. With wrong sides together and holly berry starting at upper right corner whipstitch sides and bottom together matching chain stitches and single crochets.

Top Edging of Tote Bag

1. With H hook and holly berry working around top edge sc in any sc, [sm shell, sc in next sc] around and in the 2 joining seams, join to beginning sc and fasten off.

Strap

1. Row 1: With H hook working on the sm shell of side joining skip 2 tr of the sm shell, join holly berry with a slip stitch in next tr, ch 3, skip 1 tr, (2 tr, ch 1, 2 tr) in ch 1 space, skip 1 tr, tr in next tr, turn.
    
2. Row 2: Ch 4, (2 tr, ch 1, 2 tr) in ch 1 space, tr in last tr, turn.
    
3. Rows 3-11: Repeat Row 2, then fasten.
    
4. Repeat on other side joining sm shell.  Leave yarn when fastening off for joining.
    
5. With holly berry and wrong sides together whipstitch the 2 pieces of the strap together.