Crochet bucket bag

Start at the base of the bag using crochet hook size 8 mm and 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 2.

Round (rd) 1: Make a magic ring, work 3 chain stitches (ch) (counts as 1 triple crochet (tr) and repeats in each round), 7 tr, join the ring with 1 slip stitch (ss) in the 3rd ch (repeat at the end of each round) = 8 tr. Rd 2: Work 3 ch, 1 tr in the same stitch (st) as ss, 2 tr in each tr in the rd, end with 1 ss in the 3rd ch = 16 tr. Rd 3: Change to 1 strand of Col 3 and 1 strand of Col 4 (you can either weave in ends as you work or at the end), work 3 ch, 1 tr in the same st as ss, 2 tr in each tr in the rd, end with 1 ss in the 3rd ch = 32 tr. Rd 4: Change to 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 2, work 3 ch, 1 tr in the same st as ss, *1 tr in next tr, 2 tr in next tr*, repeat from * to * to last tr, 1 tr in last tr, end with 1 ss in the 3rd ch = 48 tr. Rd 5: Change to 1 strand of Col 3 and 1 strand of Col 4, work 3 ch, 1 tr in the same st as ss, *1 tr in the next 2 tr, 2 tr in the next tr*, repeat from * to * until the last 2 tr, 1 tr in each of the 2 tr, 1 ss in the 3rd ch = 64 tr. Rd 6: Change to 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 2, work 3 ch, 1 tr in the same st as ss, *1 tr in the next 9 tr, 2 tr in the next tr*, repeat from * to * 5 times, 13 tr, 1 ss in the 3rd ch = 70 tr.

Crochet the sides of the bag in the rd. Alternate between 1 rd of the shell pattern and 1 rd of double crochet (dc) as follows: Rd 7: Change to 1 strand of Col 3 and 1 strand of Col 4 and work 70 dc in the rd, ending with 1 ch in the 1st dc. Rd 8: *Skip 3 dc, 7 tr in the next dc, skip the next 3 dc, 1 dc in the next 7 dc*, repeat from * to * 5 times to end of rd. Rd 9: Change to 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 2 and work 70 dc in the rd, work 1 ch in the first dc. Rd 10: *Work 1 dc into the next 7 dc, skip 3 dc, 7 tr in the next dc, skip 3 dc*, repeat from * to* 5 times to end of rd. Repeat rds 7-10 7 times in all until the bag measures approx. 32 cm from the start of the shell pattern.

With 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 2, work 4 ch, skip the next st, *1 tr, 1 ch, skip the next st*, repeat from * to * to end of round, join with 1 ch in the first ch.

Row (r) 1: Using 1 strand of Col 1 and 1 strand of Col 2, make the strap as follows: In the last rd of the shell pattern, work 1 dc, then work ch until the strap has a suitable length, e.g. 78 cm. To attach the strap to the opposite side of the bag, work 1 dc. Rs 2 and 3: Work 1 dc into each ch. R 4: Work 1 ss into each dc. At the beginning and end, attach the strap to the edge of the bag with 1 dc. Weave in ends. Finishing: Thread a leather cord in and out of the drawstring casing and pull the ends through a metal stopper. Cut the leather cord to the appropriate length and tie a knot.