Patriotic Ripple Bag

Create a patriotic tote with ripples of red, white and blue. This is a great crochet bag pattern for beach trips or picnics. You can also use other colors if you prefer to create this ripple bag from Lily Sugar n' Cream.

Materials:

• Yarn: Lily® Sugar’n Cream (Solids 70.9 g/2.5 oz/109 m/120 yds)
  Contrast A (00001 White) 6 balls
  Contrast B (00095 Red) 5 balls
  Contrast C (00028 Delft Blue) 6 balls

or Lily® Sugar’n Cream (Ombres 56.7 g/2 oz/86 m/95 yds)
Contrast A 7 balls
Contrast B 6 balls
Contrast C 7 balls

• Yarn: Size 5 mm (U.S.H or 8) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge.

Size: 15 ins [38 cm] wide x 8 ins [20.5 cm] deep x 16 ins [40.5 cm] high.

Gauge: 12 dc and 6 rows using 2 strands of yarn tog = 4 ins [10 cm].

Instructions:

Note: To change color, work to last 2 loops on hook. Draw loop of next color through 2 loops on hook to complete st and proceed in next color.

Stripe Pat
With A, work 2 rows.
With B, work 2 rows.
With A, work 2 rows.
With C, work 2 rows.
These 8 rows form Stripe Pat.

FRONT and BACK PANELS (Make 2)
With 2 strands of C held tog, ch 49.
**1st row: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each of next 3 ch. *1 hdc in next ch. 1 dc in each of next 2 ch. 1 hdc in next ch. 1 sc in each of next 8 ch. Rep from * to last 8 ch. 1 hdc in next ch. 1 dc in each of next 2 ch. 1 hdc in next ch. 1 sc in each of next 4 ch. Turn.
2nd row: Ch 3. 1 dc in first sc (counts as 2 dc). *1 dc in each of next 3 sc. (Yoh and draw up a loop in next st. Yoh and draw a loop through 2 loops on hook) twice. Yoh and draw through all loops on hook - Dc2tog made. Dc2tog over next 2 sts. 1 dc in each of next 3 sc. (2 dc in next sc) twice. Rep from *, ending with: 2 dc in next sc. Join A. Turn.
3rd row: With A, ch 1. 2 sc in first dc. *1 sc in each of next 3 dc. Draw up a loop in each of next 2 sts. Yoh and draw through all loops on hook - Sc2tog made. Sc2tog over next 2 sts.
1 sc in each of next 3 dc. (2 sc in next dc) twice. Rep from *, ending with 2 sc in top of turning ch. Turn.**
First 3 rows of Stripe Pat are completed.
Keeping cont of Stripe Pat, rep last 2 rows until work from beg measures approx 14 ins [35.5 cm], ending with 2 rows of B.
Next row: With A, ch 1. 2 sc in first dc. *1 sc in each of next 3 dc. (Sc2tog over next 2 sts) twice. 1 sc in each of next 3 dc. Ch 4. Miss next 2 dc. 1 sc in each of next 3 dc. (Sc2tog over next 2 sts) twice. 1 sc in each of next 3 dc.* 2 sc in each of next 2 dc. Rep from * to * once more. 2 sc in top of turning ch. Turn.
Next row: Ch 3. 1 dc in first sc (counts as 2 dc). *1 dc in each of next 3 sc. (Dc2tog over next 2 sts) twice. 1 dc in each of next 2 sts. 6 dc in next ch-4 sp. 1 dc in each of next 2 sts. (Dc2tog over next 2 sts) twice. 1 dc in each of next 3 sc. *2 dc in each of next 2 sc. Rep from * to * once more. 2 dc in last sc. Join C. Turn.
Work a further 2 rows in pat. Fasten off.

Side Panels (Make 2).
With 2 strands of C tog, ch 37.
Work from ** to ** as given for Front and Back Panels. Cont in Stripe Pat until work from beg measures 16 ins [40.5 cm]. Fasten off.
Join Panels: Arrange Panels to form a rectangle, having Side Panels opposite each other. With WS of 2 Panels tog, join 2 strands of B with sl st to top left corner. Ch 1. Working through both thicknesses, work 1 row of sc evenly along side edge. Fasten off. Rep for rem Panels.
Base: With 2 strands of C, ch 49.
1st row: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch to end of ch. Turn. 48 sc.
2nd row: Ch 1. 1 sc in each sc across. Turn.
Rep last row until work from beg measures 12 ins [30.5 cm], ending with a WS row. Do not fasten off.
Join Base to Panels: With RS of Base facing, place lower edge of joined Panels
behind Base with WS of work tog, aligning corners of Base with joining rows of Panels.
Next rnd: Ch 1. Working through both thicknesses, work 1 rnd of sc evenly around all 4 sides of Base. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.
Top edging: With RS of work facing, join 2 strands of B with sl st to any corner of top edge. Ch 1. Working from left to right instead of right to left as usual, work 1 rnd of reverse sc evenly around top edge. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Handles (Make 2).
With 2 strands of B, ch 95 loosely.
1st row: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch to end of ch. Turn. 94 sc.
2nd row: Ch 1. 1 sc in each sc to end of row. Turn.
Rep last row once more. Fasten off.
With RS of Tote facing, push ends of Handle through slits of Front Panel to WS. Sew ends tog. Bring halves of Handle tog and taking 2 strands of A tog, wrap center 4 ins [10 cm] of Handle as shown in picture. Fasten ends securely. Rep for Back Panel.