Lemon Crochet Purse

Whip up a summery citrus purse in a weekend or less!

This project uses linen and cardboard reinforcements to maintain the shape of the purse and avoid stretching. It optionally includes a zipper to keep your belongings secure. This project is ideal for beginner to intermediate crocheters, and the lining is ideal for intermediate to advanced sewers. It's also a great scrap buster; this project was free for me using leftover scraps and notions. If buying all new materials, this project will cost about $15.

You will need:

• 5.0 mm crochet hook
• Weight 4 (medium yarns) in a main color and contrast color (Pictured: Loops & Threads Impeccable Acrylic in yellow and white)
• Optional: 1/2 yard of cotton lining fabric
• Optional: Zipper
• Optional: Light cardboard

Use your contrast color to make a magic circle. If you've never crocheted a magic circle before, check out AutumnalJackalope's lovely instructable.

Crochet 8 single crochets inside your magic circle, then slip stitch to connect the circle and pull the tail taut. This will be the visible center of your lemon, so adjust the size and tension to your liking.

Attach your main colored yarn using a knot or method of your choice. Chain 1, then crochet 2 single crochets in each stitch; this increase will be denoted by inc in the pattern. Continue working your circle from row 3 and beyond in the pattern below.

Glossary: sc = single crochet; ss = slip stitch; ch = chain; inc = increase

Row 1 (complete, contrast color): sc 8 in magic circle, ss.

Row 2 (complete, main color): ch 1, inc in each sc of previous row, ss.

Row 3: ch 1, (inc, 1 sc) to end, ss.

Row 4: ch 1, (inc, 2 sc) to end, ss.

Row 5: ch 1, (inc, 3 sc) to end, ss.

Row 6: ch 1, (inc, 4 sc) to end, ss.

Row 7: ch 1, (inc, 5 sc) to end, ss.

Row 8: ch 1, (inc, 6 sc) to end, ss.

Row 9: ch 1, (inc, 7 sc) to end, ss.

Row 10: ch 1, (inc, 8 sc) to end, ss.

Row 11: ch 1, (inc, 9 sc) to end, ss.

Row 12: switch to contrast color; ch 1, (inc, 10 sc) to end, ss.

Row 13: switch to main color; ch 1, (inc, 11 sc) to end, ss.

Bind off and weave in ends. Repeat pattern for a total of 2 citrus slices.

Using your contrast yarn, tie a thick knot and place it behind your lemon wedge. Use your crochet hook to pull the yarn through to the front where the contrast color rind meets the main color wedge, leaving the knot on the back of the wedge.

Continue chaining across the surface of your lemon. This is known as surface stitch. Repeat a total of three times to evenly divide your lemon into wedges.

We'll create 3 more pieces for the purse: a bottom side piece, a top side piece with a slit down the middle to accommodate a zipper, and a strap. All of these pieces will be long rectangles worked in double crochet.

To create the bottom piece:

Chain 5. Work double crochet rows until the piece measures 11". Fasten off yarn and weave in ends.

To create the top piece:

Chain 5. Work two rows of double crochet.

On third row, dc two stitches, then work two-stitch short rows until the piece measures 11".

Starting back at the beginning of the piece, skip the first two full rows, then pick up two stitches and work short rows until the piece measures 11". You now have a strip with a slit in the middle (see photos).

To create the strap:

Chain 5. Work double crochet rows until the piece measures 47". Fasten off yarn and weave in ends.

If you'd like to reinforce the strap to prevent it from stretching, cut a piece of lining fabric twice the width of your strap and equally as long as the strap.

Fold the strip of fabric in half lengthwise and sew along one edge using a matching thread color. Turn the tube inside out to hide the raw edge. At this point you can optionally press the tube so it lays perfectly flat.

Sew the lining strap to the crocheted strap using your citrus color (or the citrus color in the bobbin and the lining color on top).

If you'd like to add sturdiness to your purse, trace your lemon wedges onto both cardboard and fabric and cut two pieces each. Cut two additional fabric rectangles the same size and shape as the top and bottom side pieces of the purse. If you'd like to add a zipper, do so at this point by sewing the lining to the zipper, right sides together (see photos), then top stitching the crocheted top piece to the zipper. If you've never sewn a zippered pouch before, Tia2000 has a great Instructable that covers the basics in greater detail.

You can optionally add pockets to your purse lining by placing an additional fabric rectangle on the bottom of one circular fabric piece. Sew down the pockets using vertical seams.

With right sides together, sew all pieces of the lining together: two circular sides, one bottom piece, and one top/zippered piece.

Using a chain stitch and your citrus yarn color, stitch the sides of the purse together. Once the first circular piece is attached to the side, insert the lining. Then attach the second circular place to secure the lining inside of the bag.

If you're using cardboard reinforcements, add them between the lining and the crocheted pieces at this point.

If you'd like to add a cute zipper pull, you can use embroidered felt to create a sturdy yet flexible leaf.

Fit an embroidery hoop with green felt and sketch a leaf shape with a disappearing fabric marker or a pencil. Stitch over the outline and add some veins with embroidery thread. Tie off your thread behind your work.

Create two identical leaves and cut them out with about a 1/16" border around the stitched outline. Whipstitch the leaves together, wrong side to wrong side.

Using a double thickness of embroidery thread, stitch from the top of your leaf and through the zipper hole, repeating 5-6 times to reinforce.