Diamond patterned sling bag - free pattern

Skill Level:

Advanced

Materials:

• Sport weight/category 2 yarn in 2 colors (light and dark blue) 100 meters each
• 3 mm crochet hook
• measuring tape
• button
• yarn needle

Size:

The bag measures about 7.5 inches wide and 8 inches high not including the strap

Stitches/Abbreviations Used:

** - Repeat instructions within asterisks as many times as directed

ch - chain

st/sts - stitch/stitches

sl st - slip stitch

sc - single crochet

dc - double crochet

fptr2tog - front post treble crochet 2 sts together 

Watch the video tutorial here

Technique

To make the fptr2tog, yarn over twice, insert hook around the post of the st (taking hook from front to back and bringing to front again), **yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops on hook, again yarn over and pull through 2 loops on hook**, yarn over twice, skip the next 3 sts, insert hook around the post of the next st and repeat the same steps from ** to ** , you will have 3 loops on the hook now, yarn over and pull through all the three loops. This completes the stitch.

Instruction

Round 1: Using color A (light blue), ch 38, skip 3 ch and work dc in the 4^th ch from hook and in rest of the chs except the last, 4 dc in the last ch, dc in the next 34 ch on the other side, 3 dc in the next ch (this will be in one of the 3 skipped chs, the other 2 ch will count as your 1^st st). Join with a sl st to the 1^st st. (76 sts) 

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1^st st), dc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the 1^st st (76 sts)

Round 3: Pull color B (dark blue) through the loop, sc in 2 sts, fptr2tog in the 1^st and 4^th st of round 1, **skip the st next to the last sc, which is right behind the fptr2tog st, work sc in next 3 sts, fptr2tog in the 4^th and 8^th st of round 1** Repeat from ** to ** around working fptr2tog in the 8^th and 12^th, then 12^th and 16^th sts and so on. The last fptr2tog will be worked over the 73^rd and the 1^st st. You will finish the round with 1 sc worked after the last fptr2tog. 

Round 4: Pull color A through the loop, ch 3, dc in next sc, dc in next fptr2tog, **dc in next 3 sc, dc in next fptr2tog** Repeat from ** to ** around, dc in last sc. Join with a sl st to the 1^st st. (76 sts)

Round 5: Pull color B through the loop, fptr2tog around the previous fptr2tog in round 3 and the next fptr2tog, sc in next 3 sts, **fptr2tog around the previous fptr2tog in round 3, skip the st next to the last st which is right behind the fptr2tog and work sc in next 3 sts** Repeat from ** to ** around. Join with a sl st to the 1^st fptr2tog.

Round 6: Pull color A through the loop and ch 3, dc in next 3 sc, **dc in next fptr2tog, dc in next 3 sc** Repeat from ** to ** around. Join with a sl st to the 1^st st. (76 sts)

Round 7: Pull color B through the loop, sc in 2 sts, **fptr2tog around the fptr2tog below it and next to it, skip the st right behind it and sc in next 3 sts** Repeat from ** to ** around finishing the round with 1 sc in the last st. Join with a sl st to the 1^st sc.

Repeat rounds 4 to 7 until the total height is about 7 to 7.5 inches finishing with round 5 or 7.

Next 4 rounds: Pull color A through the loop and work sc in each st around. Cut yarn off and weave in all the loose ends.

To make the strap, ch 160, sl st in 2^nd ch from hook and in rest of the chs across. Cut off yarn and weave in the ends.

Finishing

Sew both ends of the strap to the sides of the bag. Sew a button on the front of the bag at the center. Join yarn to the back of the bag right behind the button and make chs long enough to go around the button, sl st in the next st and fasten off. Weave in the loose ends.