crochet mini drawstring bag

once in a while, whenever I'm working on a big project (like scarves or purse) I usually squeeze in some small and quick ones to get a break. Setting aside my current work, I'd pick up some scrap yarn or any yarn that has cought my eye and begin making a flower, a ribbon, or a mini coin purse.......One of my favorite to make is this mini drawstring bag. About two years ago, we've made use of this as a party favor for my nephew's 2nd birthday. We just filled it with local miniature chocolates. It was gone by half, before it could even make it to its display tray! Here's the actual photo of the ones we used as party favor.

You could also make it as mini change purse.
or a place to keep your earphones! Bye bye tangled earphones!

I usually attach a keyring into it and keep a bunch for visiting friends and families.

I always want my drawstring mini bag to be teeny weeny so I usually use mercerized cotton thread  and 1.25 mm steel hook. though you could use any yarn you wish....the bigger the yarn ( and the hook size), the bigger your drawstring bag will be :-)

So here we go!

crochet mini drawstring bag

special terms used:

ch - chain

st - stitch

dc - double crochet

fan - 5 dc on the same st

v stitch - dc, ch2, dc
picot - sc, ch 3, sc on the same st

row 1 make a slip knot, and ch 4 (counts as 1st dc) work 14 dc on the 4th chain from the hook. join with a slip stitch on top of chain 4 at the beginning- (15 dc)

row 2 chain 3 counts as 1 dc. *( skip 2 st, work a fan on the next)* reapeat * 3 more times. skip 2 st, then work 4 dc on the same st as the beginning 3 chain, and join with slip st on top of the beginning 3 chain. after this row, you'll have 5 fans.

row 3 chain 5, dc on the space (of the two fans of the prevous row) this would be your first v st.   *(skip 2 st , work a fan on the next st, skip 2 st, v stitch  on the space between  the two fans of the previous row)* , repeat * 3 more times. skip 2 st, work a fan on the next st, then complete the row with a slip st on top of 3rd chain of the chain 5 at the beginning.

row 4 chain 5, skip 2 st, dc on the next (on top of prevoius row's dc)
*(skip 2 st, work a fan on the next st, skip 2 st, dc on the next, ch 2, skip 2 st, dc on the next)* repeat till end of the row ending with slip st on the 3rd chain of the beginning chain 5. after this row, you'll now have a little "bowl".

rows 5 to 10 repeat row 4

row 11 ch 3 (counts as 1 dc) work 3 dc on the chain 2 space, dc on the next. Continue all the way round working dc on each prevoius row's dc and 3 dc on the chain 2 spaces. join with a slip st on top of the chain 3 at the beginning.

row 12 ch 1, sc on the next st, *(picot on the next st, sc on the next 2 st, skip 2 st, work a fan on the next st, skip 2 st, sc on the next 2 st)* repeat 4 times. join with a slip st on the beginning chain 1.

weave in ends.....

for the string, chain 80 then cut off yarn but leaving around 2 inches tail. to assemble, weave your string around row 11  ( on the dc row). And hey, look here! I've found some colorful plastic beads. Might as well use them to add some colors on our project. 

you could make your own version by changing the boarders....or even changing colors..... you choose... :-)

easy crochet summer scarf/ beach cover up!

Lately I've been on the look out for scarves and shawls for I wanted to make some. Then I saw this triangular mesh summer scarf on a website. it's airy and summery looking one. The mesh pattern used is very familiar with me. I've used it to make market bags. The designer started at the tip of the triangle. Hmmm... I don't know how to do that but Maybe I could just do it my own way. I'm going to start at the longest part. Inspiration hit me! Our family road trip is getting nearer and I wanted something to show off alongside my crochet summer hat :-) and so I grabbed my cotton yarn and my not-so-expensive-but-trusty hook and corcheted right away.....before I knew, it was finished! I'ts just big enough to wrap around my neck. That would do, I thought.

 These days, another inspiration keeps on playing in my mind whenever I open my closet and catch a glimpse on my mesh summer scarf. Perhaps I could make a larger one that could also be used as beach cover up! I think I still have enough yarn left from making my scarf last summer. and so here it is, let me show you how....

By the way, this kind of project is super easy to make. It would be a great beginner's project. You could use cotton yarn, or worsted weight......let your imagination run! mine's hand- dyed 8 ply cotton. I used  4mm hook

We'll just be using the basic stitches:

Ch - chain

sc - single crochet

tr - trebble crochet

st - stitch

First, make a slip knot, then chain multiples of 5 as long as you wish. if you plan to use it as a cover up, make sure you could wrap it around your waist and that you could make a knot of course. 

TIP: we'd be making a long chain so it would be a great help to use stitch markers. be it a bobby pin or safety pin or even yarn scraps. Just put one stitch marker for every 50 or 100 chain you make to make final counting much easier and if you somehow lost your count in the process, you don't have to go back counting your chains from the start. Just imagine recounting hundreds of  chains... :-D

row 1 sc on the 10th ch from the hook, *ch 5 skip 4 st and sc on the next st.* repeat * across, stop  when you have 5 st remaining on your long chain, chain 2 skip 4 st  then tr on the very first chain. this technique will make it easier to go to the next row  than making several slip stitches to get to the middle of the ch5 space as you crochet you way up. turn your work...

row 2 *ch 5, sc on the next ch5 space*, keep repeating * across...pausing on the last ch5 space, ch 2 then tr on the middle of the last ch5 space. you can see, as we go up, our "mesh" decreases on both sides. again, turn your work.


row 3 repeat row 2 making sure your work decreases on both sides.



keep on working your way up till you reach the "tip" of your triangle, for the last row, just chain 2 and tr on the 5 chain space of the previous row

Once you've finished yout triangle, you may decide if you want to block it by  a single row of sc around your triangle. For added weight, add some pretty boarder, or just leave it as it is! Just cut off the yarn and weave all ends and there you are! another finished project......wrap it around your torso, around your neck.....or...around your waist!