Free Crochet Pattern for The Cute Jute Circle Purse

***You can find the PDF version of this pattern in my shop by clicking HERE. Great for easy printing!***

The jute is baaaaackkkkk! And today it's in the form of a cute little circle purse. For some reason I like to put my hands through torture by working with jute, but every time it is 100% worth it because the results are so rustic and unique! I think you GOTTA make this summer staple :)

I'm sure you've seen all the cool straw-like circle bags circulating the internet recently-- they're really in style this summer! And it makes me happy because they look so cute with any outfit. Especially paired with a swimsuit, shorts and your favorite sunnies. :) If you're anything like me, this is the perfect bag because you can just toss the essentials in, like your wallet and keys (and of course a snack for your toddler haha), and you're set.

Since this pattern calls for such thick jute, it makes for a very easy, weekend project. And I chose the 5mm jute because I wanted a really structured bag (even though it still has some "move" to it). I chose to spray it with heavy starch to add a little extra stiffness to it-- I talk about this in the pattern below.

It's worked up in two circles, plus a bottom-- it also features a button-closure on the top that is simple and cute! The cross body handle was actually recycled from an older purse, but you could totally find some unique straps at a thrift store-- or even crochet your own! Craft stores also sell lots of options.

Since jute can be such a pain to work with, I thought I'd leave a few tips below on how to make working with it a bit easier...

A few tips for working with jute:

-try holding the yarn a different way for more comfort. For some reason, it's easier for the jute to glide through my hand when it's wrapped around my pointer finger as opposed to my pinky-- which is how I usually hold it. I'd just suggest trying different ways of holding it to see what feels best to you. I held it very loosely because it was too much on my hands to have a tight grip.

-I've had some people say they've used gloves while working with it. It's worth a shot if your skin is sensitive!

-take breaks. I usually have to take breaks to give my hands a rest after working with jute for awhile. 

-jute can be messy-- leaving little particles of the fibers when you work with it. Just be aware of that, in case you work with it in a place you'd rather not get messy.

Overall: yes, jute is hard to work with-- but the way it looks all worked up is so cool to me. I feel like it's worth it! But that's just my opinion :) Now for the jute purse pattern...

(PDF version HERE)

What you'll need:

-5 mm thick jute (This is a very thick jute-- I used this 900 ft roll of Natural Jute from Hobby Lobby [link here], use a 40% off coupon!)
-15mm crochet hook
-button for top closure (I would suggest using a "shank" type button)
-purse handles (I just used some I already had off an old purse-- they had clip-on clasps that I just attached to the sides. You could sew some on or even crochet your own! Also consider thrifting an older purse and taking off the handles.)
-needle and thread
-heavy starch (I used "Faultless" brand)

Dimensions:

Circle circumference is about 11.5 inches

Abbreviations:

ch=chain, st(s)= stitch(es), sc=single crochet, BLO=back loop only, FLO=front loop only, sl=slip, 2sc= work two single crochet in one stitch

Notes:

-jute can be really rough on the hands, and hard to work with. Since this project is so small, I found it was worth the little bit of struggle!

-chains at beginning of rounds/rows do not count as stitches

-first st of each round is worked into the same sc you joined to in the previous row with a sl st

-you will crochet the purse in two pieces-- two circles, and one of them will have the purse bottom. The circles have two sides that look different, I thought they both looked cute, but decided to face the "rougher" side out!

-I wove in all my ends with a crochet hook since the jute was so thick, just a tip!

Pattern:

-First Circle-

Round 1) Make magic circle, ch 1, work 10 sc into circle, join to back loop of first sc with sl st (10 total sts)

Round 2) ch 1, work 2 sc into BLO of each st around, join to back loop of first sc with sl st (20 total sts)

Round 3) ch 1, sc into BLO of each st around, join to back loop of first sc with sl st (20 total sts)

Round 4) ch 1, (2sc, sc) into BLO of each st around, join to back loop of first sc with sl st (30 total sts)

Round 5) ch 1, sc into BLO of each st around, join to back loop of first sc with sl st (30 total sts)

Round 6)  ch 1, (2sc, sc, sc) into BLO of each st around, join to back loop of first sc with sl st (40 total sts) 

-finish off

-Second Circle-

Rounds 1-6) repeat instructions from first circle

-do not finish off, you will now start working the purse bottom, you're working it attached to this second circle

-Purse Bottom-

7) ch 1, sc into BLO of 28 sts (you could easily customize this number to how far up you'd like the purse bottom to come) (28 total sts, and for the remainder of purse bottom)

8) ch 1, turn, sc into FLO of 28 sts just worked in previous step

9) ch 1, turn, sc into BLO of 28 sts just worked in previous step

-finish off and leave a very long end to sew the two pieces together.

**At this point, I decided to starch my two pieces. I did so by lying them flat on the cement outside and sprayed both sides generously and then let them dry outside (still on a flat surface). This really helped stiffen them up so the bag would be more structured. Keep spraying and letting them dry until they are to your desired stiffness. You will also need to decide which side you would like to be the outside of your purse, and adjust your purse bottom accordingly. I decided to go "bumpy" side out, as opposed to the side with the rings on it (below photo shows the two different sides).

Above is a photo of the two circles complete-- the one on the right has the purse bottom attached. After you've starched them to your liking you are ready to sew them together.

Since this jute is so darn thick, I chose to "sew" them with a crochet hook. Using the extra long tail from your circle, whip stitch the edge of the first circle to the open edge of the purse bottom. 

Continue all the way along the purse bottom until you reach the other side, and then finish off and weave in your ends.

Now you're ready for the button closure of the purse. I used these cool wood beads I saw at Walmart-- I wanted something simple and rustic looking.

Sew on your button onto the very top middle of your purse with needle and thread. I put mine about 3/4 inch from the top. 

Next for the closure, cut a piece of jute that is 6 inches long, depending on how big your button is and where you place it, you may need to adjust the length. This will go on the INSIDE of the other circle, and will loop around your button to secure the top of your purse.

Fold the little piece of jute in half to create a loop. Like previously mentioned you are placing it on the inside of the other circle, at the top middle. Adjust it until it fits snugly around your button and to your liking.

Then you will sew the two ends to the purse, wrapping around them (see photo above). For this part I decided to use a thin jute string because I didn't want string to show on the opposite side. Continue sewing until your loopy-piece is extra secure. You could super glue ends to prevent fraying if you wanted to!

After your closure pieces are sewn on, all you need to do is attach your handles and your cute jute purse is complete :)

Do please share with me over on Insta if you make one of these for yourself! I think it'd be perfect for your summer vacay :)

As always, happy hookin' friends,
Meg

Free Crochet Pattern for a Crocheted & Woven Wall Hanging

Soooo I've officially got a new favorite pattern. It's a crochet-meets-weaving home decor piece that makes an awesome statement! I've always been enamored by all the lovely woven wall hangings I've seen online, and thought I'd give it a try someday. But then it dawned on me I could put my own crochet twist on it and make it a super unique piece--I'm so pleased with how it came out!

My favorite part about this project is that it is super customizable. Any fiber or material could be used.. literally ANYTHING. You could use up stuff you've got around the house-- which is what I mostly did. Ribbon, fabric, strings, jute, yarn, roving.. the possibilities are endless. And not to mention the color combinations! I loved the opportunity to get creative with the weaving.

Above is a closeup of some of the woven details. I used this lacy burlap ribbon that made the coolest effect on the piece. And for this project I used basic weaving techniques that I walk you through below with plenty of photos. It's surprisingly simple!

What you'll need:

-worsted weight (4) yarn for the crocheted portion (I would suggest a "rougher" yarn, I made two-- one with Yarn Bee Rustic Romantic in Sugared Oats (linked here), and one with Caron Simply Soft in "Bone". I didn't like the results from the Simply Soft one, just because it's too soft and isn't as sturdy for the weaving.)
-size i hook (5.5mm) 
-yarn needle
-stick or wooden rod to hang the piece on (I used an old wooden spindle!)
-extra materials to weave into the crocheted piece. I used roving from Hobby Lobby called Showstopper in color Cedar (linked here), and also a fluffy roving type yarn called Astounding in color White (linked here), burlap ribbon, other yarns and strings I found lying around my house. You could use anything that strikes your fancy-- ribbon, fabric, raffia. 

Abbreviations:

ch=chain, st(s)=stitch(es), sc=single crochet, dc=double crochet, bo=bobble stitch, hdc=half double crochet, sk=skip, sp=space

Measurements:

finished crocheted piece measures 11.5" tall by 12" wide

Notes:

-chains at the beginning of the rows do not count as stitches unless otherwise specified in the pattern

-all stitches are worked into the previous row's stitches, not the spaces

-the pattern could be customized very easily to make a unique piece. You could switch around rows to your liking for the weaving to look different. If you wanted to make the piece smaller or bigger you would just need to chain an even-numbered multiple of three, plus 3 for turning chain.

-below is a description of how to work bobble stitch-- (or view this video for assistance) **please note that for this pattern I call for a 3-stitch bobble, meaning you work 3 partial dc's in one stitch**:

bo: yo, insert hook into designated stitch, draw loop back through, yo, draw through first two loops on your hook, [yo, insert hook into the same stitch, draw loop back through, yo, draw through first two loops on your hook], repeat [ ] one more time, you will end up with four loops on your hook, yo, and pull through all four loops to complete the bobble stitch

Pattern:

Row 1) ch 45, dc into 4th ch from hook and across (42 total sts, and for the rest of the pattern)

Row 2) ch 2, [bo, sc] across row

Row 3) ch 1, sc across row

Row 4) ch 3 (the 3rd chain counts as a "ch 1"), sk first st, hdc in next st, [ch 1, sk st, hdc in next st] across row 

Row 5) ch 3, dc across row (the last dc will be worked into the 3rd ch from the beginning of the previous row)

Row 6) ch 4 (4th chain counts as a "ch 1"), sk first st, dc, dc, [ch 1, sk st, dc, dc] across row

Row 7) ch 3, dc across row (the last dc will be worked into the 4th ch from the beginning of previous row)

Row 8) ch 3, dc across row

Row 9) ch 3, sk first st, dc, working behind dc just worked: dc into skipped st, [sk next st, dc, working behind dc just worked: dc into skipped st] across row (you are creating little crossed dc x's in this row)

Row 10) ch 3, dc across row

Row 11) ch 5 (last two chains counts as a "ch 2"), sk first two sts, dc, [ch 2, sk two sts, dc] across row

Row 12) repeat Row 11, working dc's into the sts, not the spaces.

Rows 13 & 14) ch 3, dc across row

Row 15) ch 4 (4th chain counts as "ch 1"), sk first st, dc, [ch 1, sk st, dc] across row

Row 16) ch 2, [bo, sc] across row

Row 17) ch 3, dc across row

Row 18) ch 3 (the 3rd chain counts as a "ch 1"), sk first st, hdc in next st, [ch 1, sk st, hdc in next st] across row 

Row 19) ch 3, dc across row (the last dc will be worked into the 3rd ch from the beginning of the previous row)

Rows 20 & 21) ch 3, dc across row

At this point, you will sc around the perimeter of the piece..

-Ch 1, and work sc's around the entire outside, adding an extra sc in the corners so it will lay flat, then join to first sc when you make it all the way around. 

Repeat the above instructions and go around the piece one more time with your sc's

Finish off, weave in ends

Now you're ready for the fun, creative part-- the weaving!

First let's start with the big roving middle part-- the braid-looking weave. This weaving technique is called the "Soumak Weave", it makes such a standout and beautiful detail. I cut a piece of my roving about 8-9 feet long for this weave, and taped the end to make it easier to insert into the spaces as well as keep it from fraying and making a mess! 

**It's very important to note that you should be careful to not weave too tightly and watch your tension with all the weaves because it will bring in the sides of your crocheted piece and make it look wonky. Just keep that in mind and check it as you weave!

**For this tutorial, I made a second crocheted piece to take pictures of the "how to" and I realized afterwards that I made this braided part a looser weave than with my first one-- the finished one you see in the pictures at the top of this post. To make a tighter weave that has more "braids", all you'll need to do is insert your roving one space back.

For the roving portion, you'll use the big slots in the middle of the crocheted piece.

Pull your roving through into the second space from the under-side (shown above) leaving about a 5-6 inch tail to be woven into the back. 

Then using your long side of the roving- go over the outside of the crocheted piece and back under. Then pull the roving up through the first space.

Next you'll skip a space put your roving into it, then pull through the skipped space, like in the photo above. Remember if you'd like more "braids" then you can put your roving into the next space (don't skip one) and pull through the space to the right of it.

Pull it through all the way, and adjust to your liking. Remember not to pull too tightly so the weaving doesn't become too tight.

You will repeat that across the row until you run out of spaces. To turn and go back, and to create the bottom part of the "braid", then you'll go over the side of the crocheted piece and up into the second space, shown in the photo above.

Once that's pulled through, then you'll go over the side of the crocheted piece once more and up into the first space like shown in the photo above.

Then you'll repeat that same process you did along the top across.

In the photo above, you can see the "braids" all complete! You can weave the ends into the back side, working in and out of the stitches.

I used this soumak weaving technique for a lot of my materials, even the burlap ribbon-- except I didn't go back a second time. If you don't go back a second time, it creates a cool twisted weave that looks great too!

Next, I'll show you how to do the plain weaving technique. I used this weave quite a bit too, it's the most basic form of weaving and creates a simple and pretty look.

Depending on what material you're using, either tape the end or use a needle and all you'll be doing is going in and out of the stitches like shown above. It's kinda like you're doing a running stitch in sewing. You could do this anywhere on the crocheted piece, for the thicker materials I used the rows that had the open spaces. I also wove into plain dc rows with some white yarn.

Once you get to the other side with your weaving, going in and out of the stitches, you'll go around the side of the crocheted piece and go back the other direction (if you choose to do so, one time looks great too!). When you go the opposite direction you will be inserting your yarn in the opposite way of the way you just came. You can see it in the photo above, you will go "under" where previously you went "over".

For this particular yarn I chose to go back one last time, going around the outside of the crocheted piece one more time and weaving back to the other side. For this bottom weave, you will also work the yarn opposite of the weave above it, shown in the photo above. Basically working the weave like you did the very first go across.

Next up is how to add on some tassels!

Prepare a grouping of however many strands your heart desires, double the length of how long you want the tassels to be and fold them in half. Then you'll insert the folded part into the space you'd like the tassel to be, not pulling all the way through (it helped me to use a crochet hook). Then grab the ends of the tassel and pull them through the folded loop.

Pull down the ends and adjust the knot to your liking to finish the tassels. You could add tassels anywhere! I added them all along the bottom also. They make a fun and textured addition to the weaving.

That's basically the few weaving techniques I used for this piece. I'm sure there are way more out there, and you could find how to do them on Youtube probably! I think the biggest thing for me was varying the different kind of materials I had to make the piece unique and fit in my decor. 

And you don't have to be limited to the areas that have spaces, work your weaves anywhere and everywhere! 

When you're done, weave in all the ends onto the back side.

To connect the piece onto your rod or stick, grab a loooong piece of yarn or string and your yarn needle. You'll insert the needle and yarn into the top of your weaving, and up over the rod and through the back side of the weaving. I chose to go about every other stitch all the way across. Be sure to make the passes even so the weaving will hang straight. It could be however loose or tight you'd like.

Once the piece is connected you can connect a piece of jute or string on top of the rod by knotting it on each side-- this is for hanging it to the wall.

Then all you need to do is hang your kick-butt wall hanging up in your home! If you make your very own rendition of this piece, I would LOVE to see it... tag me over on Instagram. I hope you have fun with this pattern- flex those creative muscles with unique weaves! Enjoy!

Meg