For the past week I’ve been whipping up these houndstooth handbags to give as Christmas gifts. I LOVE the pattern, which is by Jennifer Pionk of A Crocheted Simplicity. It’s available to buy on Etsy and on Ravelry. Check out her website for more cute patterns.
I made it in three different colour combinations: tea rose (peach) and white, navy and white, and turquoise blue and white. I used the optional bow embellishment on the tea rose version, and may add a flower to the other two. They look chic without an embellishment.
The tea rose version is made following the pattern exactly, including the separate crocheted belt and bow, which are sewn on afterwards. The houndstooth stitch pattern is a simple two-row repeat. The key to getting the houndstooth checks to pop is to turn your work at the end of each round. Otherwise, it will just look like stripes. It also has a sturdy base made of linked dc which I have not tried before. The other two have slight modifications based on my personal preferences. Instead of a separate belt, I made the contrast stripe part of the bag top, and used single crochet instead of linked dc. The linked dc is easy to do and looks very nice, it’s just that I prefer the single crochet. Also, I’m not a fan of sewing. That’s just me!
The navy bag is made with acrylic yarn, not cotton, and I’m pleased with the results. It’s substantial and looks more suitable for winter because of it’s woolly texture. The turquoise bag is cotton, with a Tunisian simple stitch base. I chose Tunisian for this one because I have trouble counting the rows in linked dc – they blend together too much for my eyes. Tunisian rows are easy to count and easy to crochet into all sides. Christmas is only 3 weeks away, and I have a need for speed right now!
Here are photos of the different bag bases: the linked dc, and the Tunisian. Both make a dense fabric suitable for a bag. (Edit…2018…the other photos have somehow been lost from my media files. Not sure what happened there.)
My daughters want to use their handbags as lunch bags. Although the pattern doesn’t call for one, a lining would help keep the bags clean. I agree that a lining isn’t really necessary, but it would also help the handbags look more finished.
Overall, I give this pattern two thumbs up and will be making many more houndstooth handbags! Next up is one in Mod Green and White, using Lily Sugar’n Cream cotton, then a Holly Berry Red with white using Red Heart With Love.
The Wool Witches of Castlegar 