Crochet handbag using African flower hexagon motifs

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Materials:

DK weight yarn in 4 colours (preferably 100% cotton or acrylic)

3.5 mm crochet hook

Readymade bag handles

Yarn needle

Size:

The bag measures about 13 inches wide at the bottom, 7 inches at the top and the height is about 8.5 inches

Stitches/Abbreviations Used:

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

[ ] - Repeat instructions within brackets as a set as many times as directed

st/sts - stitch/stitches

ch - chains

sl st - slip stitch

sc - single crochet (UK - double crochet)

sc2tog - single crochet worked together in 2 consecutive stitches

dc - double crochet (UK - treble)

Instructions:

African flower motif (make 13)

Round 1: Using colour A make a magic ring, ch 3 (counts as 1st st), dc into ring, ch 1, repeat [2 dc into ring, ch 1] 5 more times. Join with a sl st to the top of 3 ch. Fasten off.

Round 2:  Join colour B to next ch-1 space, ch 3 (counts as 1st st), dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same space, repeat [2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc] in each ch-1 space around. Join with a sl st to 1st st. Fasten off.

Round 3: Join colour C in any ch-2 space, ch 3, 6 dc in same space, ch 1, repeat  [7 dc in next ch-2 space, ch 1] around. Fasten off.

Round 4: Join colour A in the 1st st, ch 1, sc in 7 sts, **dc in the space between 2 sets of dc of the 2nd round, sc in next 7 dc** Repeat from ** to ** around. Join with a sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off.

Round 4: Join colour D in 1st sc, ch 3 (counts as 1st st), dc in next 2 sts, 3 dc in next sc, **dc in next 7 sts, 3 dc in next st** Repeat from ** to ** around, dc in last 4 sc. Join with a sl st to 1st sc and fasten off.

Make 13 motifs for the bag and join them as shown below

Joining the motifs

To make the 1st joint take 2 motifs and place one on top of the other with the  wrong sides in and the right sides out. Start from the 2nd st of any set of 3 dc and work sc into the outer loops of both the motifs up to the 2nd st of the next set of 3 dc (one side is joined)

Similarly join all the motifs as shown above.

Fold into half at the middle row 

After joining the bottom row, join the top row as shown below

After joining bring the right side out. 

Work a row of sc at the top. Join yarn in a corner and work sc in each st up to the joint. At the joint work sc2tog, sc in rest of the sts up to the corner st at the top, work 2 sc in the corner st at the top. Repeat around and fasten off. Weave in all the loose ends. 

You can crochet a strap and attach it to the bag or use readymade handles.