Children’s Rainbow Purse | Free Tunisian Crochet Pattern

Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Yarn (Worsted Weight Cotton)
Hook: Tunisian – 5.0 mm (N)

Additional Supplies: yarn needle, scissors, metal snaps (or velcro), embroidery thread to sew on the buttons and snaps, 2 cm buttons (3)

Finished Dimensions: 5″ wide and 11″ long before ‘assembly’

Purse Size: 5″ wide and 4.5″ tall

Abbreviations: R – row, Beg – begin, ch – chain, chs – chains, tes – Tunisian Extended Stitch, , st – stitch, sts – stitches

Tunisian Stitches Used:

tes – Tunisian Extended Stitch – Skip the first vertical bar. *Insert your hook between the front and back vertical bars of the next st. Yarn over the hook and pull up 1 loop. Yarn over and pull through 1 loop on your hook.* Repeat from * to * across for the number of stitches indicated. To close the row, yarn over the hook and pull through 1 loop on your hook. **Yarn over the hook and pull through 2 of the loops on your hook**. Repeat from ** to ** across to the last loop.

Close – (return pass) -Yarn over the hook and pull through the first loop on your hook (this is the ch-1 st). *Yarn over the hook and pull through 2 of the loops on your hook.* Repeat from * to * across until you have 1 loop remaining on your hook.

Notes:

• This project is worked without turning. The RS is always facing you.
• Work under both the vertical bar and the extra loop of the final stitch of your rows (beginning in R1). The extra loop is the ch-1 st made at the beginning of the closing of the previous row.
• For the foundation row, work under the back horizontal bar of your chain row.

Ch 19 with your 5.0 mm (N) Tunisian Crochet Hook.

Foundation Row: Beg in the 2nd ch from the hook and pull up 1 loop in each of the next 18 chs. Close. (19)

R1: (RS): Skip the first vertical bar. Work tes in each of the next 18 sts. Close. (19)

R2-R24: Repeat R1 (19)

Binding Off: Skip the first vertical bar. *Insert your hook between the front and back vertical bars of the next st, yarn over and pull up 1 loop, yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook*. Repeat from * to * across. Do not finish off. Chain an additional 90 stitches. Finish off leaving a long tail to attach the strap to the purse.

Note: If you wish to have a longer, or shorter ‘strap’ for your child’s purse you can easily increase or decrease the number of chain stitches.

Assembly:

Step 1: With the right side of your fabric facing upwards and the end row at the bottom (with the strap to the right) as below:

Step 2: Fold the bottom up 4 inches. See below:

Step 3: Whip stitch the two side seams closed. I tried to match up the yarn colour as best I could when cutting extra yarn to sew up the sides. Need help? See this tutorial: Whip Stitch Seams

Step 4: Flip the purse right sides out. See below:

Step 5: Sew the other end of the strap to the side of the purse as below:

Step 6: Sew snaps or velcro to the purse as a closure.

Here is a view of the back of the purse:

Embellish as desired. Darla wanted 3 different coloured buttons sewn on.