Ripple Stripe Beach Bag
A chevron worked in the round, so the stripes never have to be sewn.
Bag · Intermediate · 10–12 hours · About 18 cm wide (36 cm around), 32 cm tall, straps 45 cm
Yarn and tools
- weight: Aran / Worsted (CYC 4)
- fibre: Cotton — it takes sand and sun and washes clean
- amount: 400 g (about 130 g of each of 3 colours)
- examples: Drops Paris, Paintbox Cotton Aran, Hobbii Cotton 8/8
- hook: 5.0 mm
- gauge: One 14-st repeat about 6 cm wide (84 sts = about 36 cm around, about 18 cm flat). The stated 32 cm height over 18 chevron rounds implies about 1.8 cm per round; the old '4 chevron rounds = 10 cm' line is not reconciled. Check on a swatch
Notions
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
- Fabric for a lining (optional, 40 x 70 cm)
Stitches used
- Chain (ch)
- Double Crochet (dc)
- 3 Double Crochet Together (dc3tog)
- Single Crochet (sc)
- Slip Stitch (sl st)
- Whip Stitch & Mattress Seam (seam)
Notes
- THE CHEVRON MATHS: each 14-stitch repeat = dc3tog (uses 3, makes 1) + dc 4 + 2 dc in next st + 2 dc in next st (uses 2, makes 4) + dc 5. Sts used: 3+4+2+5 = 14. Sts made: 1+4+4+5 = 14. Balanced, so the count never drifts.
- 84 sts = exactly 6 repeats. Colour changes happen at the join, every 2 rounds.
- The bag is a tube; the bottom is closed flat at the end, which is what gives the ripple its deep zigzag hem.
Pattern
Set-up
- With Sunshine, ch 84 and join with a sl st into the first ch, taking care not to twist. (84 ch sts)
- Ch 3 (counts as first dc), skip the first foundation ch beneath it, dc in each of the remaining 83 ch. Join to the top of the ch-3. (84 dc sts)
Chevron body
Every round: ch 3 as an uncounted lift, work the 14-st repeat six times starting in the first stitch, and join to the first dc3tog, not the ch-3. Change colour every 2 rounds in the order Sunshine, Sea Blue, Cloud White.
- Ch 3 (not counted). [Dc3tog, dc 4, 2 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc 5] x6. Join to the first dc3tog. (84 dc — the zigzag appears sts)
- Repeat the chevron round. (84 sts)
- Change to Sea Blue. Repeat. (84 sts)
- Repeat. (84 sts)
- Change to Cloud White. Repeat. (84 sts)
- Repeat. (84 sts)
- Change to Sunshine. Repeat. (84 sts)
- Repeat. (84 sts)
- Change to Sea Blue. Repeat. (84 sts)
- Repeat. (84 sts)
- Change to Cloud White. Repeat. (84 sts)
- Repeat. (84 sts)
- Change to Sunshine. Repeat. (84 sts)
- Repeat. (84 sts)
- Change to Sea Blue. Repeat. (84 sts)
- Repeat. (84 sts)
- Change to Cloud White. Repeat. (84 sts)
- Repeat — measure the tube height; the 32 cm size is an estimate. Keep the working yarn for the top band. (84 sts)
Close the base + handles
- Flatten the foundation edge so 42 chains lie on each face. With a separate length of Cloud White, sc through both layers across all 42 chains. Fasten off. (42 sc seam sts)
- Top edge: using the working yarn at the final chevron round, sc in each of the 84 stitches. Join. (84 sc sts)
- Ch 1 (not counted), sc around twice more, joining each round; fasten off. (84 sc sts)
- Handles (make 2): ch 105 (about 45 cm at this gauge — measure over your shoulder first), sc 104, then 3 more rows of 104 sc in BLO. Fold in half lengthways and whip stitch closed. (104 sc x 4 rows ≈ 45 cm sts)
- Sew handle ends inside the top band, 12 sts in from each side. Cross-stitch each join twice. (— sts)