Adventurous Intermediate
What the pattern's own author called it. Nothing here is graded again.
Bags 33 Laid out for paper No account, no download
Mint cottage garden bow purse with moss-lattice texture
A mint bucket purse with moss-lattice texture and bow appliqué, 44 rounds, G-6 (4mm) hook.
- Skill
- Adventurous Intermediate
- Time
- 8 to 10 hours
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Hook
- 4 mm
- Rounds
- 33
Worsted
What the sample was worked in. Any weight works; the size moves with it.
33
Each one is typed out whole and gets its own line.
This bucket-shaped purse begins as a flat circle and grows into a body worked in moss-lattice texture, then closes under a smooth top band fitted with drawstring eyelets. A handmade bow, pinched and wrapped at the center, carries nine daisy blossoms, yellow buds, and olive leaves across the front. Two crocheted handles finish the piece, each worked flat and sewn to the inside top band. Have worsted cotton on hand for the mint body plus small amounts for the flowers, a G-6 (4mm) hook, six stitch markers, and two wooden beads for the drawstring ends before starting.
Common mistakes and their fixes
- Losing count in moss-lattice rounds
- Chains used as stitches are easy to miscount against a plain stitch count. Place a marker every ten stitch positions and recount at each checkpoint round.
- Skipping the gauge checkpoint
- If the base does not measure about 7 to 7.5 inches across after Round 9, the eyelets and final size will be off. Frog back and adjust hook size rather than continuing.
- Attaching the bow before blocking
- Sewing the daisies and leaves onto an unblocked body distorts the texture. Let the body cool completely after steaming before adding any decoration.
The materials list
- Choose a firm yarn that holds texture and handles weight well. Good choices include Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton , Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran , or WeCrochet Dishie . You can substitute with any smooth worsted cotton that reaches gauge and creates a stable fabric. I’d avoid very soft acrylic for the handles unless you plan to line the bag.
Yarn
- Main color (mint): Worsted weight cotton or cotton-acrylic blend, 390 to 440 yards (357 to 402 meters)
Cream
- 18 yards (16 meters)
White
- 12 yards (11 meters)
Yellow
- 8 yards (7 meters)
Olive green
- 15 yards (14 meters)
Hook
- US G-6 / 4 mm, or size needed to meet gauge
Notions
- 6 stitch markers
- Yarn needle
- Pins
- Scissors
- 2 wooden beads with large holes
Optional
- Fat quarter cotton fabric for lining
- Magnetic snap or small sewn snap
Listed by the pattern's own author, in their words.
Key to this pattern, 20 short forms
Purse Body Pattern
With mint, make a magic ring. Work joined rounds unless noted.
Round 1
10 sc in MR, join. (10 sc)
Round 2
Ch 1, inc in each st around. (20 sc)
Round 3
Ch 1, sc in next st, inc in next st; rep from * around. (30 sc)
Round 4
Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, inc in next st; rep from * around. (40 sc)
Round 5
Ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, inc in next st; rep from * around. (50 sc)
Round 6
Ch 1, sc in next 4 sts, inc in next st; rep from * around. (60 sc)
Round 7
Ch 1, sc in next 5 sts, inc in next st; rep from * around. (70 sc)
Round 8
Ch 1, sc in next 6 sts, inc in next st; rep from * around. (80 sc)
Round 9
Ch 1, sc in next 7 sts, inc in next st; rep from * around. (90 sc)Checkpoint: After Round 9, your base circumference should be 90 stitches and measure about 7 to 7.5 inches (18 to 19 cm) across.
Round 10
Ch 1, sc in back loop only of each st. This turns the base upward. (90 sc)
Round 11
Ch 1, sc in each st around. (90 sc)
Round 12
Ch 1, sc in next st, ch 1, sk next st; rep from * around. (45 sc + 45 ch-sps)
Rounds 13–35
Sl st into first ch-sp, ch 1, sc in next ch-sp, ch 1; rep from * around. (45 sc + 45 ch-sps each rnd)
Round 36
Ch 1, sc in each sc and each ch-sp around. (90 sc)
Rounds 37–40
Ch 1, sc in each st around. (90 sc each rnd)
Round 41
Ch 3, dc in next 5 sts, ch 2, sk 2 sts, dc in next 8 sts; rep from * 7 times, ch 2, sk 2 sts, dc in last 2 sts, join to top of ch-3. (72 dc + 18 chs)
Round 42
Ch 1, sc in each dc and 2 sc in each ch-2 sp. (90 sc)
Rounds 43–44
Ch 1, sc in each st around. Fasten off after Rnd 44. (90 sc each rnd)Checkpoint: Top edge remains 90 sts. Eyelets should form 9 evenly spaced openings. Steam lightly from the wrong side, keeping the top edge round and the base flat.
Shoulder Handles (make 2)
With mint, ch 6.
Round 1
Sc in 2nd ch from hook and across. (5 sc)
Rounds 2–62
Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (5 sc) Fasten off, leaving a long sewing tail. Each handle measures about 15 inches (38 cm) before attachment. Sew one handle to the front inside top band and one to the back, placing ends about 3.5 inches (9 cm) apart.
Drawstring Cord
Row 1
With mint, ch 150. Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. Fasten off.Weave through the 9 eyelets, entering and exiting at one side. Add a wooden bead to each end and knot securely. If desired, make a second shorter decorative side tie by chaining 45 and slip stitching back for the opposite side.
Front Bow Panel
With mint, ch 31.
Round 1
Sc in 2nd ch from hook and across. (30 sc)
Rounds 2–16
Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (30 sc) Fasten off. Pinch the center and wrap with the center band below.
Bow Center Band
With mint, ch 9.
Round 1
Sc in 2nd ch from hook and across. (8 sc)
Rounds 2–8
Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (8 sc) Wrap around the cinched bow center and sew ends together on the back.
Bow Tails (make 2)
Row 1
Ch 13, sc in 2nd ch from hook and across. (12 sc)
Row 2
Ch 1, turn, sc across. (12 sc)
Row 3
Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc 8, sc2tog. (10 sc)
Row 4
Ch 1, turn, sc across. (10 sc)
Row 5
Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc 6, sc2tog. (8 sc)
Row 6
Ch 1, turn, sc across. (8 sc)
Row 7
Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog. (6 sc)
Row 8
Ch 1, turn, sc across. Fasten off. (6 sc)Sew tails behind the bow so they angle downward. The point is softly squared.
Leaves (make 8)
With olive, ch 9. Sl st in 2nd ch, sc in next ch, hdc in next 2 ch, dc in next 2 ch, hdc in next ch, 3 sc in last ch. Working along the other side of chain: hdc, dc in next 2, hdc in next 2, sc, sl st. Fasten off.
Assembly, in order
Step 1Blocking Tips: Steam gently from 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) away. Do not press the texture flat. Shape the body with your hands while warm, then let it cool completely before sewing on flowers.
Step 2Care Instructions: Spot clean with cool water and mild soap. Lay flat to dry over a towel form. If using cotton, reshape while damp. Remove heavy items before storing so the handles do not stretch.
Check these before you start
- Use a US G-6 (4mm) hook, or the size needed to reach both the single crochet and moss-lattice gauges; loose gauge will throw off eyelet alignment at the top band.
- Place stitch markers at the join point of each round on the base and body so the moss-lattice pattern stays aligned as chains are used as stitches.
- Keep the chains in the moss-lattice rounds snug rather than loose, since a loose chain reads as a gap instead of a stitch position in the finished texture.
- The ch 1 at the start of sc rounds does not count as a stitch. Join each joined round with a sl st to the first stitch unless told otherwise. In moss-lattice rounds, each ch-1 space counts as one stitch position. Use a marker at the first stitch and another marker at the center front after the body is complete.
- Left-handed crocheters may follow the same counts; your rounds travel in the opposite direction, so place the front decoration after the purse is complete rather than relying on the join position.
On one line
| Rounds | 33 |
|---|---|
| Parts | 7 |
| Level | Adventurous Intermediate |
| Time | 8 to 10 hours |
| Hook | 4 mm |
| Yarn | Worsted |
Set-up
- Check yarn: main mint needs 390 to 440 yards; confirm you also have the smaller amounts (18, 12, 8, and 15 yards) set aside for the flowers, buds, and leaves before starting the base.
- Work a swatch in both single crochet (16 sc and 18 rounds = 4 inches) and moss-lattice texture (15 stitch positions and 16 rounds = 4 inches), since the eyelets and finished shape depend on hitting both gauges.
- Set out six stitch markers before beginning the base chain so the round joins and the checkpoints at Round 9 and Round 44 are easy to track as you work.
- Read through the Front Bow Panel and Bow Center Band instructions before starting the body, since the bow is pinched and wrapped rather than shaped through increases.
Finishing
- Weave in ends from the base, body, top band, bow pieces, and each of the eight leaves before assembling the front decoration.
- Steam-block the body gently from 2 to 3 inches away, shaping it with your hands while warm, then let it cool completely before sewing on the flowers.
- Sew the two handles to the inside top band, one to the front and one to the back, with the ends about 3.5 inches (9 cm) apart, then attach the bow, daisies, buds, and leaves to the front panel.
Construction
The Front Bow Panel is worked flat over 16 rows rather than in the round, since it is pinched at the center and wrapped with the separately worked Bow Center Band to form the bow shape instead of being shaped through increases.
The base reaches 90 stitches by Round 9, and the body checkpoint at Round 44 sets the finished height at about 9.25 to 9.75 inches, showing that shaping happens early before the moss-lattice rounds run straight to the top band.
Time per section
| Base and body | about 4 to 5 hours because the body runs through Round 44 in moss-lattice texture, which is slower than plain single crochet. |
|---|---|
| Handles (make 2) | about 1.5 hours because each handle is worked flat over 62 rows before seaming to the inside top band. |
| Bow, daisies, buds, and leaves | about 2 to 3 hours because nine daisy blossoms, the buds, and eight leaves are each small appliqués that need careful finishing before assembly. |
Common questions
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.