My happy bag–crocheted purse pattern

What do you do with a bag full of granny squares? Should you buy more yarn and crochet a blanket? A poncho? A scarf? A baby blanket? What to do….

Make a happy bag!

The inspiration for this project came while searching the term “granny squares” on Pinterest.

I dug into my bag of completed granny squares and started arranging….once I found a design I liked I set to work. Here are the basic instructions if you want to make your own “happy bag”

The Happy Bag Crocheted Purse Pattern – made by marni

This bag is made using 9 crocheted granny squares with ends all woven in and cut. My granny squares are made with worsted weight yarn from my stash. There are a lot of great tutorials out there for making the basic granny square. Below is the way I do it, which I notice is slightly different from others.

Marni’s Granny Square (make 9)
Using worsted weight yarn, such as Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice, and a size H crochet hook.

• Ch 4 and then form a ring with 1 sl st in first ch.
• ROUND 1: (Color A) ch 3, 2 dc in ring, * ch 1, 3 dc *, repeat from *-* a total of 3 times and finish with ch 1 and 1 sl st in 3rd ch from beg of round. Turn piece.
• ROUND 2: (Color B) ch 3, 2 dc in first ch-loop, ch 1, 3 dc in the same ch-loop (= first corner), * 3 dc in the next ch-loop, ch 1, 3 dc in the same ch-loop *, repeat from *-* a total of 3 times, finish with ch 1 and 1 sl st in 3rd ch from beg of round. Turn piece. Change color if desired.
• ROUND 3: (Color C) Continue in rounds with two groups of 3 dc’s with ch 1 in each corner, and along sides 3 dc in every space.
• ROUND 4-5: (White) Repeat round 3.

Layout your squares

Here are the squares laid out prior to joining them. Notice the bottom squares and side squares are folded.

Assembling the bag
Using a darning needle and white yarn from my stash I got to work stitching the granny squares together. I decided to try a technique I hadn’t done before. I think it’s called “ladder style” I followed the directions from doyoumindifiknit.com.

After the squares were assembled I wove in all the loose ends and cut the tails. So now all that was needed was a strap. I thought of making two straps but didn’t have enough yarn after the first one was done so I improvised. One strap would have to do.

Here’s how I made the strap:

I crocheted a chain as long as I wanted the strap to be: around 29 inches.

ROUND 1: sc into the second loop from the hook to end. Keeping the work facing the same way ch 1 and continue sc in each stitch along the other side of the beginning chain loops to end.

ROUND 2-4: Continue sc around and when you get to the ends sc in the end stitches. I just kept going until I had the right width for my strap. On the last round I sc twice in the corners to make it more of a rounded square.

Cut a long tail to use to sew the strap to the outside of the bag.  I positioned it right on top of the side seams on either side.

Add a cute button or a crocheted flower or any other type of decoration you like.

SMILE!