The only thing better than rocking something handmade is when a doting mate asks you where you got your garb from. “Oh this?” you might ask, gesturing down to your snazzy crocheted cross-body bag, your gaze humbly averted. Then, you'll add, “I made it myself.” Cue: impressed gasps, jaws dropping to the floor and interrogations regarding where you found the pattern to crochet something so splendid.

Lucky for your envious pals, they can find the crochet pattern just below. We’ve snagged this exclusive DIY project from The Australian Yarn Company’s Big Book of Small Projects – Crochet (Book 1323), with the good folk at Patons sharing with us (and all of you!) how to crochet this beauty of a cross-body bag. Now, pick your jaw up off the darn floor – go forth and crochet.

MEASUREMENTS
Width (approx) – 45cm
Length (approx, excluding strap) – 17cm

MATERIALS
Patons Totem Merino 8 ply 50g balls: 1 ball of 1st colour (C1 – 4435 Jade); 1 ball of 2nd colour (C2 – 4402 Summit Blue); 2 balls of 3rd colour (C3 – 4437 Zenith Rose)
4mm crochet hook
2 swivel clips (20mm wide), 2 d-rings (20mm wide) and strap slide adjuster (25mm wide)
46cm dress zip, matching sewing thread and hand sewing needle
Wool needle for finishing
NOTE: It’s important to use the yarn specified. Other yarns are likely to produce different results. Quantities are approximate as they can vary between crocheters. Ensure all C3 yarn is from the same dye lot.

METHOD
NOTE ON TENSION: Motif to measure 15cm across, using 4mm hook. Correct tension is not essential for this bag, however stated measurements and yarn quantities are based on this tension.
For help with crochet abbreviations, head here.

Special abbreviation
fpdtr = front post double treble – (Yoh) twice, insert hook at front of work from right to left around post of tr below next dc (miss this st), draw lp through and complete dtr as usual.Motif A – make 2
Using 4mm hook and C1, make 3ch and join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.

1st round – 3ch, 7tr in ring, join with sl st in 3rd ch at beg.

2nd round – 1ch, 2dc in same st as sl st, (1dc in next tr, 3dc in next tr) 3 times, 1dc in last tr, 1dc in same st as first 2dc, join with sl st in first dc.

3rd round – 3ch, 1tr in same st as sl st, (1tr in next dc, fpdtr, 1tr in next dc, 3tr in next dc) 3 times, 1tr in next dc, fpdtr, 1tr in last dc, 1tr in same st as tr at beg, using C3 join with sl st in 3rd ch at beg.

Using C3, 4th round – 1ch, 2dc in same st as sl st, (1dc in each of next 5 sts, 3dc in corner tr) 3 times, 1dc in each of last 5 sts, 1dc in same st as first 2dc, join with sl st in first dc.

5th round – 3ch, 1tr in same st as sl st, * 1tr in each of next 2dc, fpdtr, 1tr in next dc, fpdtr, 1tr in each of next 2dc, 3tr in next corner dc, rep from * twice, 1tr in each of next 2dc, fpdtr, 1tr in next dc, fpdtr, 1tr in each of last 2dc, 1tr in same st as tr at beg, join with sl st in 3rd ch at beg.

6th round – 1ch, 2dc in same st as sl st, (1dc in each st to corner, 3dc in corner tr) 3 times, 1dc in each st to end, 1dc in same st as first 2dc, join with sl st in first dc.

7th round – 3ch, 1tr in same st as sl st, * 1tr in each of next 3dc, (fpdtr, 1tr in next dc) twice, fpdtr, 1tr in each of next 3dc, 3tr in corner dc, rep from * twice, 1tr in each of next 3dc, (fpdtr, 1tr in next dc) twice, fpdtr, 1tr in each of last 3dc, 1tr in same st as tr at beg, join with sl st in 3rd ch at beg.

8th round – As 6th round.

9th round – 3ch, 1tr in same st as sl st, * 1tr in each of next 4dc, (fpdtr, 1tr in next dc) 3 times, fpdtr, 1tr in each of next 4dc, 3tr in corner dc, rep from * twice, 1tr in each of next 4dc, (fpdtr, 1tr in next dc) 3 times, fpdtr, 1tr in each of last 4dc, 1tr in same st as tr at beg, join with sl st in 3rd ch at beg.

10th round – As 6th round.

11th round – 3ch, 1tr in same st as sl st, * 1tr in each of next 5dc, (fpdtr, 1tr in next dc) 4 times, fpdtr, 1tr in each of next 5dc, 3tr in corner dc, rep from * twice, 1tr in each of next 5dc, (fpdtr, 1tr in next dc) 4 times, fpdtr, 1tr in each of last 5dc, 1tr in same st as tr at beg, join with sl st in 3rd ch at beg. Fasten off.

Motif B – make 2
Work as for Motif A using C2 in place of C1 and C3 in same places.

Strap
1. Using 4mm hook and C2, make 2ch. Foundation dc row – Miss 1ch, insert hook in 2nd ch, yoh and draw lp through, yoh and draw through 1 lp (ch made), yoh and draw through 2 lps (dc made), * insert hook in last ch made, yoh and draw lp through, yoh and draw through 1 lp (ch made), yoh and draw through 2 lps (dc made), rep from * 150 times … 152dc.

2. 2nd row – 1ch, 1dc in each dc to end. Rep last row 3 times. Fasten off.

To make up
With wrong sides tog, using 4mm hook and C1, join both Motifs B together with a row of dc. Following assembly diagram, join 2 adjacent sides of one Motif A along both side edges of each Motif B and the other Motif A to the other side edges of Motifs B.

Top edging
Using 4mm hook, join C1 with a sl st in folded corner of a Motif A. Work 3 rounds dc around top edge sts. Fasten off.

Tabs – make 2
1. Using 4mm hook and C1, make 5ch. 1st row – Miss 1ch, 1dc in each ch to end … 4dc.

2. 2nd row – 1ch, 1dc in each dc to end. Rep last row 7 times. Fasten off.

3. Using a Flat seam and placing d-ring inside, join 1st and last rows tog. Oversew d-ring tab to outside of top edge at colour change, above folded corners of each Motif A.

4. Sew in zip between tabs.

5. Oversew one end of Strap to a swivel clip.

6. Thread other end of Strap through strap slide adjuster and join to other swivel clip taking care not to twist.

7. And, viola – your very own crocheted cross-body bag!

For more patterns and projects to keep your hands busy over the cooler months, have a squiz at the Big Book of Small Projects – Crochet (Book 1323).