Sweet Nothings Crochet: PEAKS N’ VALLEYS POTLI BAG

PEAKS N’ VALLEYS POTLI BAG

A great stash buster.. and as I have a little bit of several yarns, so I thought this was the ideal pattern for it. That said, one could also use a combination specially bought for this lovely potli bag.

So what’s a Potli ? (पोटली {poTali} = SWAG is the Hindi equivalent for Swag bag. (Just in case you’ve missed my earlier potli bag blogs, and are wondering…)

We will start our little potli bag from the base and work up to the top – so no drama here.. let’s just start with this cute lil’ bag.

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Inspired by this free chart I found on the internet, here are my notes and few additions to this lovely design.

Materials used : Polyester purse yarn in cones , with a 3.5 mm crochet hook ; fabric glue to seal ends ; stitch markers ; embroidery needle.

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros e or unbranded knitting cotton as well

General yarn info : This polyester yarn is available only in India.

The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn.

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot : Here’s how you start with a slip knot. https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : This is a neat new way to start your work without a slip knot. https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a slip stitch : Here is a neat video tutorial at https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

What is a chain stitch ? https://youtu.be/pXx5ukBjKkY

Magic circle : To refresh your skill, please view this easy video https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

(Extended Double Crochet) e-dc :Yo, insert hk into st, yo, pull through 1 loop (3 loops on hk), yo, pull through 2 lps ( 2 lps on hk), yo, pull through both sts. One e-dc made. (This is like an sc over a regular dc). Photo tutorial for how to do an e-dc at the end of the blog.

Extended double crochet (e-dc) : Here is an easy video tutorial

https://youtu.be/hf8XIciS8AE

Triple / Treble crochet 2-tog : trc 2-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp ; yo and draw through 2 lps] 3 times (4 lps on hk) ;

{yo, draw through 2 lps on hk} 3 times. One trc 2-tog made.

This video tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0y4BbgDTbs shows you how to use the dc 2-tog to decrease as well as use as a decorative stitch.

Visit this video tutorial at https://youtu.be/lLUXOJ1sY9w

Triple Crochet : trc : wrap yarn twice around hook, insert hk into st ; yo (4 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] three times. One trc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/A0y4BbgDTbs

Chainless start for Triple / Treble Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of trc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/f42MO0cGYC0

Easiest I-cord : https://youtu.be/e_AQ9m0QeZI

How to line the bag : View the link below to see how to easily line your handbag. http://pattern-paradise.com/2014/06/12/tutorial-how-to-line-a-crocheted-bag/

Abbreviations used : (Using U.S terminology)

lp(s) : Loop(s) ch : Chain

sp : Space st(s) : Stitch(es)

sl-st : Slip stitch hk : Hook

yo : Yarn Over
sc : Single crochet
dc : Double crochet
e-dc : Extended Double Crochet

MC : Main Colour
CC : Contrast Colour

trc 2-tog : Treble / Triple crochet 2-together

hdc : Half double crochet

Instructions :

Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.

Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.

In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement. This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project.

So for this lovely swag or potli bag, we will start at the rounded base, and then work our way up the sides to the pull-tie top of the bag.

Start with a magic circle and 8 hdc in that circle.
Join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc.

Pull lightly to close the magic circle.

Round 1 : 2 hdc in the 1^st hdc and in each hdc all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^sthdc.

Round 2 : 2 hdc in the 1^sthdc ;

*hdc in the next hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc*.

Rep *to* till end ; hdc in the last hdc.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^sthdc.

Round 3 : 2 hdc in the 1^sthdc ;

*hdc in the next 2 hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc*.

Rep *to* till end ; hdc in the last 2 hdc.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^sthdc.

Round 4 : 2 hdc in the 1^sthdc ;

*hdc in the next 3 hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc*.

Rep *to* till end ; hdc in the last 3 hdc.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^sthdc.

Rep Rounds 4 , increasing 8 sts each round, till you have a base of the size you want for your bag.

Next round : In this last round for the base, sc in back loops only (blo), so that we get an edge that will not just look good, but also hold the bag base down flat.

Main body pattern for sides / top of potli bag

For the top / sides of our bag, we will continue without any increase.

Our stitch count is in multiples of 8.

For convenience, I am going to re-number our rounds starting once again from 1. Please do not confuse these rounds with the numbers above.
For all instructions that follow here, they are meant for this top/side section of your bag only.

I’ve decided to use three colours.

So there is a Main Colour (MC), and two Contrast Colours (CC1 and CC2).

Every alternate round will be an MC, and every other round will be a CC.

Round 1 : Using MC :

sc in the 1^stst ;

*ch 2, sk next st , sc in the next st ;
ch 4, sk next 5 sts, sc in the next st* ;

rep *to* all around
and join to the 1^st st.

Attach CC1 in the ch-2 sp.

You could either fasten off MC, or ensure that you bring it up with every round.

Round 2 : Using CC1 :

sc in the 1^stch-2 sp,

(3 dc in the next ch-5 sp ;
ch 1, 3 dc in the same ch-5 sp) ;

*ch 1, sc in the next ch-2 sp ;
rep (to) once* ;

rep *to* all around
and join to the 1^st st.

Fasten off CC1

(or ensure that you bring it up with each round to the point needed later)

As per the chart below, the pattern shows a trc 2-tog.
You could use a trc or an e-dc (or a dc) instead of the trc.
Each different stitch will give you a different end product.
Please check the top of this blog for video tutorials on all of these stitches.

Round 3 : Using MC :

trc 2-tog in the 1^stsc ;
ch 4, trc 2-tog in the same sc ;

*ch 2, sk next 6 dc and ch-1 sp,

(trc 2-tog in the next sc ;
ch 4, trc 2-tog in the same sc* ;

rep *to* all around ;
ch 2, and join to the 1^st st.

In this round, we work in our shelled pattern, and in the sc that is between the two shells, we need to do a spike stitch of sorts.

So we will work our sc over and around the ch-2 sp into the ch-1 sp that is between the two 3- dc sets from Round 2.

This will, in effect, lock the shells of Round 4 with Round 2.

Fasten CC2 in a ch-2 sp.

Round 4 : Using CC2 :

sc in the 1^st ch-2 sp ,

(3 dc in the next ch-4 sp ;
ch 1, 3 dc in the same ch-4 sp) ;

*sc around the next ch-2 sp and into the ch-1 sp of Round 2 ;
rep (to) once* ;

rep *to* all around
and join to the 1^st st.

Round 5 : Using MC :

trc 2-tog in the 1^st sc ;
ch 4, trc 2-tog in the same sc ;

*ch 2, sk next 6 dc and ch-1 sp,

(trc 2-tog in the next sc ;
ch 4, trc 2-tog in the same sc* ;

rep *to* all around ;
ch 2, and join to the 1^st st.

Round 6 : Using CC1 :

sc in the 1^st ch-2 sp ,

(3 dc in the next ch-5 sp ;
ch 1, 3 dc in the same ch-5 sp) ;

*ch 1, sc around the next ch-2 sp and into the ch-1 sp of Round 4 ;
rep (to) once* ;

rep *to* all around
and join to the 1^st st.

Round 7 : Using MC :

trc 2-tog in the 1^st sc ;
ch 4, trc 2-tog in the same sc ;

*ch 2, sk next 6 dc and ch-1 sp,

(trc 2-tog in the next sc ;
ch 4, trc 2-tog in the same sc* ;

rep *to* all around ;
ch 2, and join to the 1^st st.

And this completes one repeat.

Rep Rounds 2 – 7 till you have a bag of the height / length that you want, ending with a Round 4 or 6.

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog ; photo showing stitch detail

Finishing :

So we only have our I-cord to make and there are two options given above for this.

You will then pass your I-cord in through the “V” openings created on the border / last row, just by our own pattern.

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog ; photo showing bag lying flat down - showing bottom as well as sides of bag

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Photo tutorial for an e-dc or Extended Double Crochet

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