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    DIY Crochet Summer Tote!

    Want a cute, trendy summer bag? This tote is perfect for any fun summer excursion where you just want to add a pop of color. This bag is also reversible (so it’s basically two bags in one!). Intrigued? Read to find out how you can create your own (no crochet experience required!).

    Materials

    1. 4 mm – 5mm Crochet hook (either size should work fine; I used a 5mm)
      1. I prefer an aluminum hook because it’s less likely to break 
      2. My favorite hooks 
    2. Size 4 White Yarn
      1. Recommendation here
    3. Size 4 Pink, Green, Yellow, and Orange Yarn
      1. You can choose your own colors to customize your bag
      2. I prefer Yarn Bee’s $0.99 Mini Maker Yarns for this
        1. One small ball of each color was enough for me, but depending on how big your stitches are it might take more
    4. Tapestry Needle (to sew in the ends and to sew the bag together)
    5. Scotchgard Fabric and Upholstery Water Shield Spray
      1. This will help protect your bag from stains and spills so you can enjoy it all season long! 
    6. (OPTIONAL): Fabric, Needle, and Thread and/or Sewing Machine to make liner
      1. I didn’t choose to do this because I don’t plan on putting anything particularly heavy in my bag, but it can definitely help the bag keep its shape over time!

    Total Cost: $20.56

    *This doesn’t include tax, shipping, and handling or the optional materials needed to sew a lining in the bag.

    How To Crochet

    Crocheting might seem daunting, but I promise you can easily get the hang of it with just a little practice. I was able to learn from Youtube videos, so here is what I watched that helped me the most!

    1. How to Tie a Slip-Knot
    2. How to Do a Magic Ring
    3. How to Chain 
    4. How to Do a Single Crochet Stitch 
      1. This is the basic stitch you’ll use for most all crochet projects
    5. How to Slip Stitch
    6. How to Do a Half-Double Crochet Stitch 
      1. This is the most used stitch in creating the bag. 
    7. How to Bind Off (Finish Your Project)

    The Pattern

    Here is an amazing video that goes in-depth on how to make this bag!

    The Granny Squares

    1. Start with a magic ring with the color (not white) that you want to go on the most inner part of the granny square. 
    2. Chain 2
    3. Do 2 Half Double Crochet Stitches
    4. Chain 2
    5. 3 Half Double Crochet Stitches 
    6. Repeat 4-5 2 times
    7. Chain 2
    8. 3 Half Double Crochet Stitches
    9. Chain 2
    10. 3 Half Double Crochet Stitches
    11. Chain 2
    12. Pull shorter tail of yarn to close the ring
    13. Slip Stitch into the second stitch to the left
    14. Chain 1
    15. Cut Yarn and Fasten Off
    16. Create a slipknot with next color 
    17. Slip Stitch into any corner of your square
    18. Chain 2
    19. 2 Half Double Crochets into corner
    20. Chain 2
    21. 3 Half Double Crochets into corner
    22. Chain 1
    23. 3 Half Double Crochets into next corner
    24. Chain 2
    25. 3 Half Double Crochets
    26. Repeat 23-24 for next two corners
    27. Slip Stitch to connect sides
    28. Chain 1
    29. Fasten off
    30. Create a slipknot with next color
    31. Repeat 16-28 with next color (making sure to also do 3 Half Double Crochets into the middle parts between the corners)
    32. Chain 1
    33. Fasten off
    34. Repeat 29-30 with white yarn (making sure to do 3 Half Double Crochets in all places where there’s space)
    35. Repeat 1-34 16 times
    36. Weave in all ends (refer to video tutorial; 11:15 timestamp)

    For Other Side of Bag

    1. Chain (at least) 49 with White Yarn
      1. The width can be longer than you need, because you just sew the excess parts to where they are hidden inside of the bag by folding the leftover parts inward and sewing the bag together where you need the edge to be (as seen in picture below). 
    2. Hold last chained stitch in place while Chaining 3
    3. Half Double Crochet into chain you’re holding
    4. Half Double Crochet in rest of chains until you get to the last chain
    5. Chain 2
    6. Turn Project
    7. Starting at second stitch, do Half Double Crochets all the way down the row until you get to the last stitch
    8. Last Half Double Crochet where last stitch is curved (refer to video: 14:45 timestamp)
    9. Repeat 7-8 for 6 rows
    10. Cut the white yarn
    11. Tie new color of yarn to white yarn (making a knot)
    12. Slide the knot close to the base of the last stitch
    13. Tie another knot with the white and new color yarn and slide it under the first knot
    14. Pull yarn on crochet hook and end of new color yarn
    15. Repeat 
      1. 6 rows of White
      2. 3 rows of Color of Choice (COC)
      3. 4 White
      4. 3 COC
      5. 4 White
      6. 2 COC
      7. 4 White
      8. 3 COC
      9. 4 White
      10. 3 COC

    For Straps (Make 2)

    1. Chain 5
    2. Skip second chain
    3. Go into the next chain, grab the yarn, and keep it on your hook
    4. Repeat until the end of the row
      1. This is row 1.
    5. Yarn Over and pull through the first loop
    6. Yarn Over and pull through the next two loops
    7. Repeat 6 until there’s one loop on your hook
      1. This is row 2.
    8. Go into second loop (refer to video; 21:37 timestamp)
    9. Yarn Over and pull through the loop
    10. Repeat 8-9 until the last loop
      1. This is row 3. 
    11. On last loop, go through last loop and the loop right behind it (refer to video; 22:07 timestamp)
    12. Repeat 5-7
      1. This is row 4.
    13. Repeat 8-12 until you have 84 rows

     

    Arrange and sew the granny squares together (refer to video; 26:00 time stamp). Turning everything on the wrong side (it’ll end up being inside out), sew the bag together. Sew the straps on. Refer to video (31:00 timestamp and forward). 

     

    Sew in a liner if you want to (video; 33:45 and forward).

     

    Turn the bag to where the correct sides are on the outside, spray with Scotchgard, and you’re done!