STASH SLASHER SAMPLER TOTE

Many thanks to Vanessa, Virginia and Patti for their help in testing this pattern.

TWO SIZES: Measured flat
Small 16 wide by 16 inches tall
Large 18 wide by 17 inches tall

MATERIALS:

Worsted weight yarn, approximately 10 ounces assorted colors

US I (5.5 mm) Crochet hook

Tapestry needle

SPECIAL STITCHES:
Small popcorn (sm pc): Work 3 dc in stitch, remove hook from yarn, insert hook in first dc of the group, pull the dropped loop through the first dc.

Large popcorn (lg pc): Work 4 dc in stitch, remove hook from yarn, insert hook in first dc of the group, pull the dropped loop through the first dc.

Cluster (cl): YO, insert hook into indicated st and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops on hook, (yo, insert hook in same st and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops) 2 times, yo and pull through all 4 remaining loops on hook

NOTES:

1. Read instructions all the way through before beginning bag.
2. I used partial skeins of Red Heart Super Saver.

3. The single crochet rounds give the tote structure, so don’t shortcut it and use double crochets.
4. Weave in ends as you go. See my post about how I weave in as I go here:

5. The handles in the instructions are long enough for over the shoulder, if you want shorter handles only chain 40.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Round 1: Chain 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Don’t join, use a stitch marker to keep track of rounds. (6 sc)

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around. (12 sc)

Round 3: *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc, repeat from * around. (18 sc)

Round 4: Sc in 1 st, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 2 sts, repeat from * around. End with sc in last st. (24 sc)

Round 5: *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 3 sc, repeat from * around. (30 sc)

Round 6: Sc in 2 st, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 4 sts, repeat from * around. End with 2 sc in next st, sc in last 2 sts. (36 sc)

Round 7: *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 5 sc, repeat from * around. (42 sc)

Round 8: Sc in 3 st, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 6 sts, repeat from * around. End with 2 sc in next st, sc in last 3 sts. (48 sc)

Round 9: *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 7 sc, repeat from * around. (54 sc)

Round 10: Sc in 4 st, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 8 sts, repeat from * around. End with 2 sc in next st, sc in last 4 sts. (60 sc)

Round 11: *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 9 sc, repeat from * around. (66 sc)

Round 12: Sc in 5 st, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 10 sts, repeat from * around. End with 2 sc in next st, sc in last 5 sts (72 sc)

Round 13: *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 11 sc, repeat from * around. (78 sc)

Round 14: Sc in 6 st, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 12 sts, repeat from * around. End with 2 sc in next st, sc in last 6 sts (84 sc)

Round 15: *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 13 sc, repeat from * around. (90 sc)

Round 16: Sc in 7 st, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 14 sts, repeat from * around. End with 2 sc in next st, sc in last 7 sts (96 sc)
For the smaller bag skip the next 2 rounds and contine with pattern starting at round 19.

Round 17: *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 15 sc, repeat from * around. (102 sc)

Round 18: Sc in 8 st, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 16 sts, repeat from * around. End with 2 sc in next st, sc in last 8 sts. (108 sc)

Rounds 19-24: Sc in each sc around. (96, 108 sc)
From here on you will be joining rounds. Slipstitch in next st.

Round 25: Ch 2 (do not count as first dc), lg pc in same st as join, dc in next st. *Lg pc in next st, dc in next st, repeat from * around. Join with a slipstitch in the top of first lg pc. (48, 54 lg pc)

Rounds 26-28: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in the first sc. (96, 108 sc)

Round 29: Ch 2, cl in same st as join, ch 1, skip 1 st. *Cl next st, ch 1, skip 1 st. Repeat from * around. Join with a slipstitch in the top of first cluster. (48, 54 cl)

Rounds 30-32: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in the first sc. (96, 108 sc)

Round 33: Ch 1, sc in same st as join.. *Ch 4 and sc in next sc. Repeat from * around. Ch 3, join with a slipstitch in first sc. (96, 108 sc)

Rounds 34-37: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in the first sc. (96, 108 sc)
Poke the ch 4 loops of round 33 through to the right side.

Round 38: Ch 2, cl in same st as join, ch 1, skip 1 st. *Cl next st, ch 1, skip 1 st. Repeat from * around. Join with a slipstitch in the top of first cluster. (48, 54 cl)

Rounds 39-41: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in the first sc. (96, 108 sc)

Round 42: Ch 2 (do not count as first dc) sm pc in same st as join, dc in next st. *Sm pc in next st, dc in next st, repeat from * around. Join with a slipstitch in the top of first sm pc. (48, 54 sm pc)

Rounds 43-46: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in the first sc. (96, 108 sc)

Round 47: Ch 1, sc in same st as join.. *Ch 4 and sc in next sc. Repeat from * around. Ch 3, join with a slipstitch in first sc. (96, 108 sc)

Rounds 48-51: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in the first sc. (96, 108 sc)
HANDLES:
Larger Tote Round 1: Ch 1, sc in join and next 28 sts, ch 70, skip 24 sts , being care not to twist the ch, sc in 30 sts, ch 70, skip 24 sts, being careful not to twist the ch, sc in remaining 2 sts. Join with slipstitch in first sc. (200 sts, but who’s counting?)

Smaller Tote Round 1: Ch 1, sc in join and next 22 sts, ch 70 (40), skip 22 sts , being care not to twist the ch, sc in 26 sts, ch 70 (40), skip 22 sts, being careful not to twist the ch, sc in remaining 3 sts. Join with slipstitch in first sc. (192 sts)

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc and each ch around. Join with slipstitch in first sc. (192, 200 sts)

Rounds 3-6: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with slipstitch in first sc. (192, 200 sts)

Round 7: Slipstitch in each sc and each ch around. Join with slipstitch in first slipstitch. (192, 200 sts)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Working on the opposite side of the ch 70 and the skipped 24 stitches, slipstitch in each st of handles.

Fasten off and weave in ends.