Firstly, I found a lovely and simple pattern for coin pouches here at Inner Child Crochet. I made mine in Tatamy Tweed because I had some on hand, and using up your scrap yarn is always a good idea! Gotta make room for more yarns!
I stuck my ruler into it and next to it so you can see approximately how large they are when finished according to the pattern specs. I can fit a good amount of change into mine. Or D&D dice.
Second, I have finished the Solstice Tote which I mentioned in this post. The pattern is from the November/December 2012 issue of Crochet Today Magazine. It is an intermediate level pattern and I have to agree with that assessment. The bag base and handle are quite easy, however attaching the ruffles is a bit tricksy, and I went so far as to email the magazine and ask for further clarification.
Yarn I Used:
Red Heart Super Saver Solids - Yellow (any #4 worsted weight will do. The majority of the bag base will be covered however, so you don't need to use your best fibers for this part. This is also used to make the strap, so if you want to use luxury yarn for this part since everyone will see it, that makes sense.
Yarn Bee Chrystalis mesh yarn - Pipevine Swallowtail - the pattern calls specifically for Red Heart's Boutique Sashay mesh yarn, though. I already had my Yarn Bee on hand so I used that. I ended up having about 9 yards of it left over when I was finished.
I can't reproduce the pattern here because it would violate their copyright, so I will only be able to post the notes I made while making the project. If you want a copy of this pattern, please go do Crochet Today's website here to request a back issue of the magazine or to see if it is available for download through them.
The bag base is a basic sc worked in rounds for about 4 rounds, then basic dc worked in rounds until it reaches approx 8x8 inches.
Ruffle/mesh yarn is then worked in every third stitch with a sc around the base and upwards, except for the last (top) 2 rows of dc.
This bottom picture is fairly accurate in showing how I put the ruffles on. It was awkward to hold the project like I would normally hold it, so I laid it down and held the crochet hook in the knife hold rather than the pencil hold I normally use. That way I had more control over the mesh yarn and could hold the bag still while I worked on it.
After the first round of ruffles, you sort of zig zag up the bag a few rows and then do another round. After making the first round of ruffles, when you arrive back at the center where you started, you chain a few, then skip the next row and sc in one dc. Then you chain a few and go to the very next row above that and make a new round of ruffles.
In this way you still get very full ruffling, and when you're wearing the bag you can't really see where those skipped rows are.
Have a shiny day, everyone :-)
