Crochet tote/purse

[milney]

 

Hi,
I received a tote from my husband’s aunt. I’d like to make one myself. This is the pattern she sent me. I don’t understand how to do the corners. I put 3 stitches in the last sc as I was going down the first side. When I put 3 stitches in the last stitch on the opposite side, it just doesn’t seem right. How can you put 2 sc, 1sc, 2sc, 1 sc, 2sc in just 3 stitches?  Thanks for any clarification. Janice 

 

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[Granny Square]

This is a construction that comes up a lot in the Help section here, because it does sound weird (so don't feel bad, you are not the only one to go ?huh?)

Your pattern is confusing in that it doesn't really stop and tell you where each round ends; you will end up working in a spiral, but at the beginning it is not written as clearly as it could have been.  I suggest marking the first stitch of each round.

Basic overview: You will be 'working up one side and down the other' of that initial chain in the first round, to create an oval, which is the bottom of the bag.  While doing this, you are adding stitches at each end to 'turn the corners'.  

This is a paraphrasing of what you will be doing in the first round, which is worked around the chain:  Chain 20, and work SC 1 across as usual, using the top loop of the chain as it faces you.  In the last chain, put 3 SC instead of 1 'to turn the corner'.  Then, keeping the same side of the chain facing you, turn the chain so the side that was not worked into before is 'on top', and work back toward the beginning into the 2 loops that you skipped on the first pass, and put 3 SC into the last stitch (which is the same stitch you started this long skinny circle with).

What I have typed above is the first 3 sentences, starting with the one that says 'chain 20'.  You will continue this way for 6 rounds total, but what is really poorly written is the 'increasing on the ends' (or each end, where the turning happens).  I'm not faulting the author, if I were writing notes to myself I might have left out details and written it the same way because I understand the construction and what needs to be done, but IMO it is not clear for anyone who has not made an oval or a circle before. 

What is meant, that each end, for each subsequent 5 rounds, has to increase by 3 stitches to turn the corner and keep it flat.  So the first round has 3 corner-turning stitches, in rnd 2 you'd put 2 stitches into each of those corner stitches (adding 3), in round 3 you'd add 3 stitches by 2sc, increase 3 times, and so on, adding a plain stitch between increases (which is the usual way to make a flat circle, and you are making the bottom of the bag where each end is half of a flat circle; for a round circle in SC you increase by 6 each round, which you are doing here, it's just there is a rectangle in the middle that doesn't increase, if that makes sense. 

I hope I haven't confused you; if I have, there are lots of youtubes out there of how to make an oval in SC which might help with a visual. 

 

 

 

Edited April 11 by Granny Square

[milney]

Thank you Granny Square. I understand now with your explanation. I would never have figured out the increase the way it was sent to me. You went to a lot of work to help me. I appreciate it! Thanks again! Janice 

[milney]

Me again..On the increase corners of round 3 you would have a total of 9 increase stitches. If you increase by 3 stitches every round, on round 4 you should have 12 increase stitches. If you go 2 sc, 1sc etc across those 9 stitches, you’ll have 14 stitches. What am I missing? Thanks again. Janice 

I did watch videos & every one was different.

[Granny Square]

There are 2 'ends' to your oval, right?  You are increasing 3 stitches on each end, which is increasing by 6 all the way around, each round.

Bringing this down from my earlier post: "...each end, for each subsequent 5 rounds, has to increase by 3 stitches to turn the corner and keep it flat."  What I said in bold is sort of a 'rule' for crocheting flat circles in SC (start with 6 stitches, increase by 6 stitches each round), but in your pattern the 'round' is in '2 half rounds', 1 at each end, so you are increasing 3 at one end, 3 at the other, for a total of 6 increases each round.

I hope that is not clear as mud...

 

[milney]

I think I know what I was or wasn’t doing. On round 4 you would do this in the corner stitches, “2sc, sc in each of next 2) 3 times” which makes 12. Not correct is 2,1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2 which uses 9 sc but to many stitches. Thank you. Not sure if the purse will be worth the trouble. 🙃 Janice