Poolside Bucket Bag

 I went to my mom's annual family reunion back in June, and I had the urge to make a new bucket bag for the trip. Of course, I decided this the night before we left, so I did most of it on the drive down to Florida. Because of my spur-of-the-moment inspiration, I finished it up poolside, which gave it it's name. If only the yarn was blue!

I wrote down each step with the intention of getting it tested and published by the end of June, then Life happened. I started a part-time job, started another semester of grad school, and just overall procrastination, so it just got finished. Well, at least it's happening!

So here it is: The Poolside Bucket Bag. With a drawstring handle, this bag has a bottom made with a solid granny square and a body made up of v-stitches, all of which is worked in the round. 

Difficulty: Advanced Beginner

Materials: 

DK weight/ #3 weight yarn, approximately 550 yards

•     I used this yarn

4.5 mm crochet hook

Scissors

Tapestry needle

Abbreviations:

MR: Magic Ring

Ch: Chain

Dc: Double crochet

Sk: Skip

Sl st: Slip Stitch

Ch sp(s): Chain space(s)

Rpt: Repeat

FO: Finish off

Fsc: Foundation single crochet

Special Stitches

V-stitch: Dc, ch 1, dc, all in the same stitch

Notes

You never work a stitch in the beginning chain 2 of any round

Initial ch 2 of first 8 rounds counts as a dc

In rounds following a beginning chain 3 or chain 4, the first stitch is worked in those chain spaces.

In Round 25, the ch 1 in the v-stitch is included in the instructions for the round

Pattern

For the Bag:

Round 1: MR, ch 2, 2dc, ch 2, *3dc, ch2* 3 times, sl st to beginning ch 2 (12 sts)

Round 2: Ch 2, *dc each st, [2dc, ch 2, 2dc, in ch sp]*, rpt * to * to end, sl st ch 2 (28 st)

Round 3: Rpt Round 2 (44 st)

Round 4: Rpt Round 2 (60 st)

Round 5: Rpt Round 2 (76 st)

Round 6: Rpt Round 2 (92 st)

Round 7: Rpt Round 2 (108 st)

Round 8: Rpt Round 2 (124 st)

Round 9: Ch 2, *v-stitch, sk* repeat to ch 2 sp. 2 v-stitch in ch 2 sp. Beginning with the 2nd stitch after the ch 2 sp, rpt around. Sl st beginning ch 2

Round 10: Ch 3, v-stitch second dc of previous v-stitch. Sl stitch beginning ch

Round 11: Rpt Round 10

Round 12: Repeat Round 10

Round 13: Ch 2, v-stitch the first v-stitch from the previous Round, *ch 2, sk next v-stitch, v-stitch the following v-stitch*, rpt * to *. Skip the last v-stitch, ch 2, sl st starting ch

Round 14: Ch 4, *v-stitch ch 2 sps, ch 2*, rpt * to *, ending with v-stitch, sl st 2nd ch of beginning ch 4

Round 15: Ch 2, *v-stitch ch 2 sps, ch 2*, rpt * to *, ending with ch 2, sl st to beginning ch

Rounds 16 & 17: Rpt Rounds 14 & 15

Round 18: Ch 3, *v-stitch ch 2 sps, ch 1*, rpt * to *, ending on v-stitch, sl st to 2nd chain of beginning ch 3

Round 19: Ch 2, *v-stitch the ch 1 sps, ch 1*, rpt * to *, ending on ch 1, sl st to beginning ch

Rounds 20-24: Rpt Round 19, working in the Ch 1 sps

Round 25: Ch 2, *dc each ch 1, ch 1*, rpt * to * ending on ch 1, sl st to beginning chain

Round 26: Ch 3, *dc ch 1 sps, ch 1*, rpt * to *, ending on dc, sl st to beginning ch

Rounds 27 & 28: Rpt Rounds 25 & 26

Round 29: Ch 2, dc each stitch (68 sts)

Rounds 30 & 31: Rpt Round 29

Round 32: Ch 2, *dc 7, ch 1, sk 1*, rpt * to * last 4 sts, dc 4, sl st to beginning ch

Round 33: Ch 2, dc each st and ch sp, sl st to beginning ch (68 sts)

Round 34: Ch 2, dc around (68 sts)

FO, and weave in the ends

For the strap:

Row 1: Fsc 133

Row 2: Ch 1, sc across

FO, weave in the ends, and pull the strap through the holes created by Round 32. Either tie the ends together to carry it or sew the two ends together.

Don't forget to tag me in your makes on Instagram @crochetingsavvy and let me know what you think!