Handbag Project - Crochet Squares

I like to have a small project on the go. I carry them around in my handbag and make good use of any waiting time by either crocheting or hand stitching blocks for a patchwork quilt. In many ways the crochet square is perfect as it has minimal equipment and can easily be packed into a small cosmetic purse or plastic bag. The project that I am going to share is a simple square. Complete one square at a time and eventually you will have enough squares to make a small throw or pram cover. As I complete each square I remove it from my handbag and store them at home until I have enough squares for whatever project I am making. This pattern looks very effective worked in one colour, although, each row could easily be in a different colour. The squares are then sewn together or can be crocheted together. Once the squares are sewn together a crochet border edge can be worked to give the quilt a better finish. The squares can be made in any size depending by increasing or reducing the number of rows you crochet. Once you have mastered the pattern you will be able to work out how to make the squares bigger. For a beginner watch a tutorial on how to crochet or ask someone who knows how to crochet to teach you. I would recommend 8 ply wool and a 4 mm crochet hook to begin with. Thicker wool needs a larger hook finer wool such as 4 ply will need a smaller hook.

All you need for a handbag project;
knitting wool, crochet hook, small pair of scissors and a small bag or purse to keep your project in. A copy of the pattern until you can do it automatically is also a good idea.

This is a large throw. It has 64 squares. The squares have more rows than the instructions in the pattern. I was lucky to have been given a very large cone of wool which I wound into smaller balls for my handbag.

Detail of a section of the above throw.

This is a small coverlet for a pram. It has 16 squares sewn together. The squares are smaller than the ones in the throw above and are made with eight rows as given in the pattern. It was made to use up the last of the wool.

My current handbag project, unblocked and not pressed. It is made with a fine rust linen thread and will be a very lightweight summer throw. I have finished 24 of the 36 squares needed. Once it is complete I may decide to make more squares and make it a larger. I have plenty of the linen thread so will not have to worry about running out.

Kerrie’s Favourite Square

Crochet 5 chain, join with slip stitch to form circle

Row 1

Crochet 3 chain, then work a further 11 treble around the circle and join the 11^th treble to the top of the 3 chain (this represents 12 treble in a circle)

Row 2

Crochet 3 chain, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, 1 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, 1 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, 1 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, join with slip stitch.

Row 3

Crochet 3 chain,1 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 3 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 3 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 3 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next space, join with slip stitch.

Row 4

Crochet 3 chain, 1 treble in each of the next 2 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 5 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 5 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 5 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 2 spaces, join with slip stitch.

Row 5

Crochet 3 chain, 1 treble in each of the next 3 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 7 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 7 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 7 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 3 spaces, join with slip stitch.

Row 6

Crochet 3 chain, 1 treble in each of the next 4 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 9 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 9 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 9 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 4 spaces, join with slip stitch.

Row 7

Crochet 3 chain, 1 treble in each of the next 5 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 11 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 11 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 11 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next  5 spaces, join with slip stitch.

Row 8

Crochet  3 chain, 1 treble in each of the next 6 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 13 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 13 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 13 spaces, 2 treble in the next space, 2 treble in the next space, then 1 treble in each of the next 6 spaces, join with slip stitch.