I'm not usually one to plan my designs too far in advance anyway, but lately I've been striking while the inspiration is SUPER hot at the drop of a hat. This was the case with my Annie Bucket Hat, and my newest design - the Lulu Basket Bag! While I originally made the bag in July, I put the pattern on the back burner while I finished more urgent projects but I'm super excited to finally share it now. You can find the free pattern below or the purchasable PDF here.

As I was doing my fall fashion research I was thrilled to see so much crochet on the runways. From bags to ponchos to cardigans to skirts and dresses, it seems to grace the majority of shows! It was around this time that Joann stores sent me a lovely gift bag including three skeins of Lion Brand Vel-Luxe Jumbo, and I couldn't wait to try something with this unique yarn.

Oftentimes the most dramatic and chic items are actually quite simple. I find that the less ornamented something is, the more I am drawn to it. So while it's fun to play around with different crochet stitches and colorwork, I almost always lean to a cleaner aesthetic as it also feels more high fashion. The qualities of Vel-Luxe Jumbo were just screaming for something that fit this bill, so I just started making single crochet rounds to see where it led me.

Since Vel-Luxe Jumbo is so thick and heavy, there isn't much yardage per skein so I wasn't really sure what to expect in terms of scale since I only had 3 skeins to work with. The density of it makes it a great choice for something that needs to be super sturdy, so a vessel of some sort was top of my list. As it started coming together I envisioned a smallish, structured basket bag with a short handle that could be held or slipped over the wrist, and the Lulu Basket Bag was born!

I love how structured this bag is and that It can sit erect on it's own. It could even be used around the house as a catch all style basket. The velvet quality of the yarn instantly evokes "holiday" for me, so I imagine it being used as an evening bag for a chic cocktail hour or Christmas party.

This is a beginner level crochet pattern and the techniques involved are the single crochet stitch and working in the round.

MATERIALS

3 skeins Lion Brand Yarn Vel-Luxe Jumbo in Silver Bullet (537-144)
Size US P/Q (15mm) crochet hook
Removable stitch marker
Tapestry needle

FINISHED SIZE

A) Circumference: 29”/74cm
B) Depth: 9”/23cm

GAUGE

5 sts + 5 rounds = 4”/10cm in single crochet

ABBREVIATIONS

Ch – chain
Ch-sp – chain space
Rep – repeat
Rnd – round
Sc – single crochet
Sk – skip
Sl st – slip stitch
St(s) – stitch(es)

Notes: Bag is worked in un-joined, spiral rounds from the bottom up. Use a stitch marker to keep track of the start of the round.

Base:

Create a magic loop.

Rnd 1: Working into the magic loop, ch 1 and sc 6. Do not join. Place marker for beginning of round. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: *2 sc in next st, sc in next st, rep from * around. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: *2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts, rep from * around. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: *2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 3 sts, rep from * around. (30 sts)

Rnd 6: *2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 4 sts, rep from * around. (36 sts)

Body:

Rnds 7-11: Sc around.

Handle:

Rnd 12: Sc 5, ch 8, sk 8, sc 10, ch 8, sk 8, sc 5

Rnd 13: Sc 5, sc 8 in ch-8 sp, sc 10, sc 8 in ch-8 sp, sc 5, sl st in next st.

Secure and weave in all ends.

Purchase the printable, ad-free pattern here.

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