Sweet Nothings Crochet: YET ANOTHER WATERMELON BAG

YET ANOTHER WATERMELON BAG

After the huge success of my first watermelon inspired bag, I was requested to make another one .. now if you have been following me and my blogs, you’ll know that I realllllllly do not like to repeat my patterns.. so I decided to come up with a new idea for my next watermelon inspired bag..

Smart gurrrl, right ;) !

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The beauty of this bag is that you can make it in just about any size you want.

Just go ahead and increase the rounds, and you’ll have a larger bag.

Throw in a few black beads and you get an authentic watermelon slice with seeds !

I’m making this bag to be used to put in toilet accessories – so it does not require a handle. I am, however, giving you links for lining the bag and adding an I-cord if needed, so you can make this a nice hanging bag too.

With this blog, you get a whole load of new bag ideas.. and if you like swag / potli bags, then you get a whole load of those ideas too.. check out the end of this blog

Materials used : polyester purse yarn in cones , with a 4 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

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : To refresh your skill on the fsc, please view this video https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA

Single Crochet : Sc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (2 lps on hk); yo, draw through both lps. One sc made. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/ghACqBpA-3k

First stitch for Single Crochet : This is how I like to start my row of sc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_M

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

yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

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

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

Abbreviations used : (Using U.S terminology)

lp(s) : Loop(s) sc : Single crochet

dc : Double crochet sp : Space

sl-st : Slip stitch ch : Chain

st(s) : Stitch(es) hk : Hook

yo : Yarn Over

Instructions using U.S terminology

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.

As usual, before we head off into our project, let’s take a quick look at what we’re working on today. We will work two halves to our bag and then we join the two halves together .. maybe add in a little side extra bit .. (?) , put in a zipper along the flat top end, line it .. and voila we’re done with our lovely bag.

You can use this pattern to make any bag (i.e not just a watermelon one), but if you’re making the watermelon bag, you need to use the three colours – red, white and then green.

Part 1 : Base of the Potli bag

Make two pieces

Start Round 1 (with red yarn) : with a magic circle and 12 dc in that circle.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st dc. Pull lightly to close the magic circle.

Rounds 2 – 3 : (with red yarn) : 2 dc in the 1^st dc and in each dc all around.

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

Round 4 : (with red yarn) : 2 dc in the 1^stdc ;

*dc in the next dc ; 2 dc in the next dc*.

Rep *to* till end ;

dc in the last dc.

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

Now here’s where this gets tricky and where you get to make decisions and design a difference. If you are making a small bag, then carry on with me.

If you decide to make a larger bag, then work a few more rounds of Rounds 4 (increasing 12 dc each round) and 5 (which is a non-increase round) till you have a slightly larger round base. (Read Note 1 )

In our following round, we are going to “flatten” the top off our round and make this a slightly flattish top. So how do we do that? At this point, you should have 72 sts.

I have decided not to work the last 24 sts. So I have counted off the last 24 sts and placed a marker in that 24^th st from end. So in our next round, work dc only till the marked st, and then sc till end.

Note 1 : Oh, if you are making a larger bag, and are working a larger round, you will follow this idea, but you will be placing your marker not on the 24^th st from end but on whichever st gives you a flattish top. As your bag will be bigger, the number of stitches you will leave for the opening will also be more.

Round 5 : dc in the 1^stdc and in each dc till the marked st ;

hdc in the marked st ; sc in the next 22 sts ;

hdc in the last st and join with a sl-st to the 1^stdc.

Move marker up.

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

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

This video tutorial at https://youtu.be/1_oPlUfN5eg shows you how to use the dc 2-tog to decrease.

Sometimes we work the dc 2-tog in the same stitch, to use as a decorative stitch. Visit this video tutorial at https://youtu.be/lLUXOJ1sY9w

Round 6 : hdc in the 1^st2 sts ;

dc 2-tog over the next 2 dc ;

dc and in each dc till the last 4 dc before the marker,

dc 2-tog over the next 2 dc ; hdc in the next 2 dc,

sc in the marked st and in each st till the end.

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

Move marker up.

From the following row on, we will not work the last 24 sts and work back and forth in rows between markers.

Change to white yarn. Fasten off red yarn.

Round 7 : (Using white yarn) :

hdc in the 1^st4 dc ;

dc 2-tog over the next 2 dc ;

dc and in each dc till the last 6 dc before the marker,

dc 2-tog over the next 2 dc ; hdc in the next 4 dc. Turn.

You can put the markers away, as the end of our row will be where we have ended with the white yarn.

Change to green yarn

Round 7 : (Using green yarn) :

hdc in the 1^st4 dc ;

dc and in each dc till the last 4 dc before the marker, hdc in the next 4 dc. Turn.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Make one more piece in exactly the same way.

Part 2 : Side for our bag

For the sides of our bag, I have decided to make a flat rectangle which I plan on attaching around the sides of the green watermelon part. This will give our bag a little thickness / space.

For this, please first count the number of stitches you have in your last row (so check either or both the green and white rows).

You should have the same number of stitches for both the halves of your bag.

This is the start number of stitches that you will use for your rectangle.

Start Row 1 : With green yarn :

(Using fsc for the number of stitches you just counted) : with as many stitches as needed / counted. Turn.

Rows 2 - 4 : (Using green yarn) : sc in the 1^st fsc and in each fsc till end.

Fasten off.

Finishing :

Now all we need to do is attach this rectangular strip to the sides of the bag only from one end to the other along the green section.

Using one of the methods below, please join the flat strip to the rounded purse.

Whipstitch to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the whipstitch at https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the embroidery needle and whipstitch to get an invisible join at https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the single crochet at https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

a) 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/

b) Easiest I-cord : Check out this video for a really easy I-cord at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_AQ9m0QeZI

c) How to attach a zipper : Check this link at http://frogknitting.blogspot.se/2013/08/att-sy-i-dragkedjor-installing-zippers.html?m=1

If you want to add more authenticity, go ahead and either embroider in black seeds, OR add in some beads to mimic the seeds of the lovely watermelon.

Finally, I have added a few watermelon seeds using a black yarn and some embroidery thread.

We’re ready to show off this lovely creation too.

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If you'd like to check out some of my other bag patterns, here goes

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2019/08/zeeba-coin-purse.html