crochet project Archives — Page 2 of 3

Part 7 of CAL – making the gusset

May 10, 2020 by Annie Leave a Comment

Get ready for Part 7

Part 7 explains how to make the gusset and for this, you already need to have made the other pieces so that you can work out how long to make it. Have you been following along? If so, you’re ready to go. If not head back and do, Parts 1 (main square rounds 1-6) , Part 2 (rows 7-9), Part 3 (finishing the main square) , Part 4 (small squares) , Part 5 (side strips) and Part 6 (finishing the sides) first.. If you prefer to follow standard written instructions instead of the version with lots of pictures, head here.

Part 7 doesn’t seem to have many instructions, but there’s quite a lot of crocheting involved!

Gusset

Work 10ch, turn.

Miss the chain nearest your hook and start in second ch, work 1dc in each chain stitch, turn. You’ll have 9 double crochet stitches.

Next row: 1ch, dc in each st along, turn. (Make sure you remember to do the double crochet in the first stitch after you’ve done the initial chain stitch – you should always have 9 dc in a row.)

Repeat last row until gusset is long enough to fit down one side, across the bottom and up the other side. Measure it against the bag side as you go, and don’t finish off at the end. You may need to adjust the length as you start pinning it.

Here’s mine when I’d worked 44 rows – this was long enough to fit down one side…

And here it is when I’d done 88 rows…

This is mine when I’d worked 126 rows.

I decided that was enough to start pinning in place. I’d then add more rows or take a few back when I’d pinned it all the way round, as then I could judge what fitted exactly.

Attaching the gusset

Pin one long side of the gusset around the main square with wrong sides together – going down one side strip, across the bottom and up the other side strip. Ease it round the corners when pinning.

Now you should be able to see whether the gusset is the correct length, so adjust slightly if you need to – either add a few more rows, or take a few rows back – and then finish off and cut the yarn. Here you can see I needed to add a few extra rows – you can see I’ve left the loop so I could just insert the hook again and do a few more rows.

*Here, I’ve worked the extra rows to fit exactly*

Now starting at a top corner, work 1dc in each st and edge of gusset along the side, again catching one loop from each piece as before.

*Here’s the starting point for your joining double crochet stitches*

*Here’s how the edge looks as you go along*

When you get to a corner, work 3dc in the same place, then continue along the bottom to the next corner, work 3dc in the same place again and up the other side.

*Here’s the first side attached to the gusset*

Now attach the other side of the bag to the gusset in the same way, being careful when you pin it that it doesn’t distort – make sure the place you pin the corners at the bottom correspond with the same points of the gusset as the corners you’ve already joined.

*Once you’ve completed that side it should look like this*

Now go on to Part 8 to find out how to make the strap…

Share your pictures with the hashtag #SpringBagCAL and get in touch if you need any help.

Part 6 of CAL – Completing side sections

May 8, 2020 by Annie Leave a Comment

This is Part 6. Have you been following along? If so, you’re ready to go. If not, head back and do Parts 1 (main square rounds 1-6) , Part 2 (rows 7-9), Part 3 (finishing the main square) , Part 4 (small squares) and Part 5 (side strips) first. If you prefer to follow standard written instructions instead of the version with lots of pictures, head here.

Once you’ve blocked your main squares, small squares and side strips, you’re ready to begin crocheting the bag’s side pieces together – each side is made up of one main square, three small squares and two side pieces.

Part 6 needs these pieces - a main square, three small squares and two side strips

First you need to crochet three small squares together.

Place two squares, wrong sides together,

and join by working a double crochet through each stitch, catching one loop on each square (the outer loop) for each stitch.

*Just catch the outer loop of each stitch on each square all the way along*

*Here I’m working the first dc after my starting chain stitch*

You can start with 1 chain stitch, but make sure you also work a double crochet in the first stitch before making your way along the side.

You end up with a ridge on the right side.

I chose to do all my joins in the same colour, but it’s entirely up to you what colours you choose.

Now join these two squares to the third square in the same way.

Now make another three-square strip for the other side of the bag.

Next it’s time to join the side strips to the main square.

Place wrong sides together, pinning the long side of a strip to one side of the main square. It’s best if you match each end of the strip to the corners of the square and pin those first, then ease the rest of the strip to fit and pin the middle.

*And this is what it looked like on the back when I’d pinned the strip. You can see the right side of the side strip here and the back of the square*

Now join with double crochets in each stitch all the way along, catching one loop on the main square and one loop on the side strip for each stitch. Now join the other side strip to the other side of the square in the same way.

*The strips are attached – don’t worry if it’s not exactly straight – as long as the edges match at the top and bottom of the square*

Finally join the top strip of three squares to the main square with the side strips attached – they should fit exactly. Place the wrong sides together and pin the corners first, then the mid point, then ease the pieces and pin before you join them – make sure the edges match up.

*Now add a few more pins to keep in place*

*This is what it looks like on the back (ie you can see the front of the small squares*

Now, catching one loop (or bit of edge) on each piece and working in double crochet as before, work all the way across. Bear in mind that for the short edge of the side strip, you won’t be working into the loop on the strip, but into the edge of one of the stitches – as in the following picture.

*Work along the side of the stitches for the short end of the side strip*

Take care when you get to the place where you joined the strip to the main square – be careful not to leave a gap here, even if it means making an extra stitch.

Side looks like this after Part 6 completed

Now complete the other side to match.

These again won’t necessarily look exactly square at this point, but don’t worry, once the finishing touches have been done, it should all look perfect!

In the next part. we’ll be making the gusset of the bag, so you to have the sides completed before you do that to that you make sure you make the gusset the correct length. Find Part 7 here.

Share your photos on social media with the hashtag #SpringBagCAL

Part 4 of CAL – the small squares

May 4, 2020 by Annie Leave a Comment

On to Part 4 – the squares along the top of the square

Part 4 of the crochet-along starts here, but i you’ve just found this page, you can start with these squares, and then go back and do Parts 1 (rows 1-6 of main squares), Part 2 (rows 7-9), and 3 (finishing the main squares) starting here. But if you prefer standard written instructions instead of the version with pictures, head here.

And don’t forget, if you’re still on one of the previous parts, it doesn’t matter – there’s no rush, just take as long as you want!

SMALL SQUARES (make 6)

Round 1: Either make a circle from 4 chain stitches joined with a slip stitch, or start with a magic circle.

*…joined into a circle with a slip stitch*

Now work 3 chain stitches [counts as a half treble and 1 chain], then work (htr, 1ch) seven times, and join with ss to the 3rd chain at the start.

*Working the first round starting with the chain ring*

*Here’s the half trebles worked into a magic circle*

Fasten off. You should now have a circle of spokes – like the beginning of the main square, but a bit smaller.

Round 2: Join yarn into a space with a ss, (work 3ch, then slip stitch into the next space) 7 times,

*Here’s the start with 3ch and a ss into the next space*

another 3ch, and join with ss to the first stitch. Fasten off. It should look like this…

Round 3: Join yarn in a chain space on Round 1, work 1 chain stitch [counts as a double crochet],

*Make sure you work through Round 1 (the pink round here)*

(work 2ch, then a double crochet in next sp on Round 1) 7 times – you’ll have a stitch of the current round sitting next to a stitch from round 2 – here’s the first one done.

Finally 2 chain stitches, join with ss to the 1st chain. Fasten off. It should look like this…

Round 4: Join yarn in a 2-chain space and work (3ch [counts as a treble here] 2tr, 2ch, 3tr),

* in the next 2ch-sp, work 3 half trebles,

then in the next 2ch-sp work (3tr, 2ch, 3tr).

Now go back to the asterisk and repeat from the * twice – you should now have three sides and four corners completed, so just work 3htr in the next 2ch-sp, and join with ss to the third chain. Fasten off. Here’s what that looks like when the round’s finished.

Nearly there – just two rounds to go

Round 5: Join yarn in a corner space and work (3ch [counts as dc and 2ch] plus another dc),

*now work (2ch, double crochet in next space between groups of trebles) twice, [NB these groups of three trebles are quite close together, so make sure you’re working between the groups] then 2ch, dc into the corner space, 2ch and a dc in the same corner space – it should look like this…

Repeat from the asterisk twice, then to finish the round (2ch, and dc in next sp) twice, and finally 2ch, and join with ss to the first ch. Fasten off. Here’s the completed round.

Last round coming up…

Round 6: Join yarn in a corner space and work (2ch [counts as a dc, plus 1ch], then another dc),

then * (a double crochet in the next stitch, then 2dc in the 2-chain space) this bit in brackets needs doing 3 times,

*Remember to work through the top of the dc from the previous round – here’s where the hook goes*

*And this is what the double crochet looks like when it’s done*

*And again, remember to work in the double crochet*

Once you’ve done that bit 3 times, you’re up to the corner, so work a double crochet in the next st, (1dc, 1ch, 1dc) in the corner sp.

*This is what it looks like when one side and two corners are complete*

Now go back and repeat from * twice. Now to finish, work (1dc in next st, 2dc in next sp) 3 times, and 1dc in next st, and finally join with ss to first ch. Fasten off.

The finished small square looks like this…

The final row of a square - Part 4 of the CAL

You can vary the colours as you like! I’ve chosen to do the final round in the same colour as the final round of the main square, but it’s entirely up to you! You need to make six of these squares – that’s 3 for each side of the bag.

Part 4 of the CAL is the small squares for the bag sides three per side

Don’t forget, you need to make 6 of these squares altogether, so get crocheting . Ready for Part 5? Part 5 is here

Share your photos on social media with the hashtag #SpringBagCAL

And if you get stuck – get in touch by email, facebook, instagram or twitter and I’ll try to help.