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Spring Dreams Handbag FREE Crochet Pattern

Hello friends!

For the first time ever, I am offering one of my handbag patterns Forever Free here on the Straight Hooked blog!


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A little bit of backstory for you-

I designed my very first handbag pattern in the spring of 2021. I have been carrying my Floral Flair Handbag every day since. I have spilled coffee on it, dropped it in the mud, left it laying out where Ruby Sue Shih Poo could get inside and rummage around, and also it regularly weighs 20 lbs because apparently I like to carry anvils with me.

I knew when I was creating the Floral Flair Handbag that the straps would stretch out if they were made from yarn alone, so I made a lining for the straps but I crocheted the straps to the bag and they have stretched out quite a bit over the last 4 years.

However, after 4 solid years of abuse, my first handbag design is still in tact. Believe it or not, even as old and dirty as she is now, my handbag still gets compliments every day!

In October of 2023 (yes, well over a year ago) I decided that it was time to design myself a new handbag. I made all of the squares over one weekend but I did not have a sewing machine so I had to set them aside for a while until such time that I had one.

In April of 2024, someone loved my Floral Flair Handbag so much that they wanted to order a bag for themself. Now I had a justifiable reason to buy a sewing machine!

I made the Circles and Squares Handbag as a commission project and also published the pattern, then proceeded to sew my new Patchwork Crossbody Handbag.

Once it was finished the weekend before Mother’s Day, I showed it to my husband who immediately claimed it for his mom.

Then my sister in law found out that I make handbags and custom ordered the Lace Moon Handbag.

The yarn I used for the Patchwork Crossbody Handbag was the last scraps of my favorite (and now apparently discontinued) yarn- Ferris Wheel by Lion Brand. So now I have to come up with a whole new color scheme and concept for my handbag.

While creating the Circles and Squares and Lace Moon handbags, I found and fell deeply in love with Mainstays Cotton yarn that I found at Walmart. I decided that since my Floral Flair Handbag is brightly colored (and often clashes with my outfit) I would make my new bag in black, white and grey.

I tried many many different ideas. At first I wanted to make floral hexagons and join them to make a bowl shape. Turns out I was crocheting a soccer ball.

I tried a new stitch combination I had never heard of. Turns out that stitch, no matter how loose you work it, has some tight tension and really shouldn’t be done in the round.

I tried making a concentric spiral. It made me dizzy to work on.

I started to think that I would never get the right inspiration to make me a new purse and I was going to be carrying my Floral Flair Handbag until the end of time.

Finally, the right inspiration struck and I got all of the yarny parts done over a weekend! This past weekend I thought I would spend an hour, two max on the sewing…. I severely underestimated the time. When I made my first handbag, I neglected to include some important things like a pocket deep enough to hold my phone. For this purse, knowing that it could be another 4 years before I make me a new one, I wanted to be very meticulous about the “comfort parts” of my bag. I included a hidden zipper pocket as well as an open pouch to hold my phone and a clip for my keys. I also was stopping to note down my measurements for the pattern instructions, but the sewing process from getting fabric prep to completed bag took me about 10 hours. I ended up only getting 2 pictures of the sewing action and I have included them in the pattern.

One of the most challenging parts of pattern writing is naming my designs. After a bitter cold weekend before, we had a really nice day last Friday that felt almost like spring. And the next day when I finished my new purse in its black, white and grey theme with lime green accents, it was snowing. Spring Dreams seemed like the most fitting name ever! (Plus I was able to capture the feeling of “spring dreams” with my snowy photos!)

The full pattern is available to view here on the Straight Hooked blog as a Forever Free pattern.

What’s a Forever Free pattern?

Forever Free patterns are full-length crochet patterns that are available to view here on the Straight Hooked blog. I am able to provide these patterns at no cost to you by allowing ads to appear on your screen. I generate a very small amount of revenue for each ad (I’m talking fractions of a cent), but the more my guests see, stay and navigate around my site, the more those few cents per visitor add up. Of course I would make a much better wage if folks purchased the PDF, but I would rather share this design with you for very little money than for you not to have the opportunity to try this pattern.

If you prefer an ad-free version, you may purchase the PDF below.

Both the free and paid versions include links to stitch tutorial videos on my Rumble channel.

This pattern is available Forever Free as part of the Gift to Myself CAL hosted by Underground Crafter.

Spring Dreams Handbag FREE Crochet Pattern

Materials:

800 yards worsted weight yarn in 4 colors. I used Mainstays 100% Cotton Yarn in the following colorways:

Color A- Arctic White

Color B- Soft Silver

Color C- Rich Black

Color D- Lime Green

5mm crochet hook

Stitch Markers

Finishing Needle

1 yard fabric (2 yards if you are double lining)

Sewing Machine

Thread

Scissors

Ruler 

Rotary Cutter and Mat

Abbreviations:

ch- chain

slst- slip stitch

stsc- stacked single crochet (can ch3 as a substitute)

dc- double crochet

hdc3tog- half double crochet 3 together

puff- puff stitch (hdc4tog in same st)

sc- single crochet

blo- back loops only

dc2tog- double crochet 2 together

yo- yarn over

Gauge:

8 dc x 5 rows = 2” square

Finished Size:

15″ long x 5″ deep X 10″ tall

Notes:

This pattern is written in US terminology.

See stitch tutorial videos on my Rumble channel.

Chains within a round count as a stitch. 

Chains at the beginning of a round do not count as a stitch.

If you prefer an ad-free experience, click here to purchase the PDF

Pattern Instructions:

Squares: (Make 6 in Color A, 6 in Color B and 7 in Color C)

Rnd1. ch4, slst to 1st ch, stsc, dc 11 inside ch4 ring, slst to stsc (12)

Rnd2. ch2, hdc3tog in same st (counts as puff), ch1, puff, ch1, puff, ch5, *puff, ch1, puff, ch1, puff, ch5* repeat *to* 2 more times, slst to top of hdc3tog (40)

Rnd3. slst to next ch1 sp, ch2, hdc3tog in same st (counts as puff), ch1, sk puff below, puff in next ch1 sp, *ch2, 5dc in ch5 sp, ch2, sk puff, puff in next ch1 sp, ch1, sk puff, puff in next ch1 sp*, repeat from *to*, ch2, 5dc in ch5 sp, ch2, slst to top of hdc3tog (48)

Rnd4. slst to next ch1 sp, ch2, hdc3tog in same st (counts as puff), *ch3, sk puff and ch2, dc, ch1, dc, ch1, (dc, ch1, dc, ch1, dc, ch1), dc, ch1, dc, ch3, sk ch2 and puff, puff in ch1 sp*, repeat from *to*, ch3, sk puff and ch2, dc, ch1, dc, ch1, (dc, ch1, dc, ch1, dc, ch1), dc, ch1, dc, ch3, slst to hdc3tog (80)

Rnd5. ch1, sc around, placing 1 sc in each dc, puff and ch1 sp and 3sc in each corner dc, slst to first st, finish off and weave in ends (88)

Strap:

R1. Color A ch 8, stsc in 1st ch from hook, dc 2, change to Color B, dc 2, change to Color C, dc 3, turn (8)

R2. Color C stsc, dc 2, change to Color B, dc 2, change to Color A, dc 3, turn (8)

R3. Color A stsc, dc 2, change to Color B, dc 2, change to Color C, dc 3, turn (8)

R4-R51. Repeat R2 and R3. finish off after completing R51.

Strap Border:

Using Color D, sc around, placing 3sc in each corner and 2sc around the 1st and last sts of each row. Finish off and weave in ends, set aside. 

Shell Assembly:

Arrange squares so you will have 3 Color C squares on the bottom, 2 Color C squares on each side, and 3 Color A and 3 Color B front and back. Join squares with Color D using the dc2tog joining method and weave in all ends. 

Once your squares are joined, using Color D, dc along top edge. Set aside.

Sewing:

Cut fabric as follows:

Bottom and sides- 5.5” wide x 37” long- cut 1 (cut 2 if double lining)

Front and back- 11” wide x 16” long- cut 2 (cut 4 if double lining)

Strap- 5” wide x 25” long- cut 1

Pin front and back panels to bottom and side panel, finished side of the fabric facing in. For best results, find the center of the length for each panel and begin pinning from the center to the edges. 

Sew side panel to front and back panels. If double lining, repeat this step.

Single lining: 

Turn lining so the finished side of the fabric is facing out. Place lining inside your crochet shell and determine where to place your fold for the top seam. Remove lining, fold and pin top seam inward, sew seam. 

Double lining:

Turn inner lining so finished side of fabric is facing out. Tuck outer lining into inner lining so unfinished sides are meeting. Sew along top edge of front and bottom panels. Do not sew side panels together. 

Turn panels inside out by pulling through one of the open sides. Smooth fabric so the inner liner rests inside the other liner. The finished side of the fabric should be visible on both the inner and outer liners now. 

Strap:

Fold fabric lengthwise on each side to meet in the center. Use your crocheted strap as a guide. You will want your fabric strap to be about ⅛” from the edge of the crocheted strap on both sides. Iron or sew evenly down the full length of the fabric strip. 

Locate the center of both the fabric and crocheted straps. Pin from center to edge on both sides, with finished sides of crochet and fabric straps facing out. There will be a length of fabric left on either edge. Do not stretch crocheted strap as you are pinning. Sew along all 4 sides of crocheted strap, making sure to keep your seam at the base of the border round.

For best results, always sew crochet to fabric with the fabric on the bottom so the feeder foot does not snag your yarn. 

Final assembly:

Place lining inside crochet bag and make sure seams at the edges are meeting in the center of your joins. Pin front and back panels of lining to outer shell, pin strap to sides, ensuring that the crocheted pieces are about 1/16” from each other and the stitches are centered. 

If you are double lining: place fabric tail of strap between inner and outer liner. 

If you are single lining: fold tail in half to create a seam over the frayed edge and pin inside lining.

Sew along top edge of purse, making sure to keep your stitches at the base of the border round. 

Trim all loose thread, join Color D and sc along edges. When you get to the straps, bring the crochet strap to the body by using slst blo to join. Resume sc once you pass the strap. Finish off and weave in ends. 

Love your new Spring Dreams Handbag? Want to make another one before 4 years go by? Check out these other Straight Hooked exclusive handbag crochet patterns:

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I have another big project on my hook that I will be sharing with you later in 2025, plus more ideas in my head, so be sure to come back soon.

Until next time,

Happy Hooking!

~Malena

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Kira

    While reading the backstory for your handbag I noticed you were under the impression that Ferris Wheel by Lion Brand was discontinued. I was on their website just yesterday looking for yarn for a blanket Im going to be making for Christmas and came across its product page. It doesn’t say anything about being discontinued there, unless you mean the specific colorway you had purchased at Walmart. Here’s the link to it: https://www.lionbrand.com/products/ferris-wheel-yarn

    1. Hi Kira, thank you a) for reading my whole blog post and b) for telling me that my favorite yarn has only disappeared from the Walmart and not from the Earth! I will have to remember that next time I allow myself to purchase more yarn 🙂

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