Christmas Gift Bag

Designed by Julie A Bolduc

This drawstring bag can be used at Christmas time to give any odd shaped gift or even stuff that you would put into a gift basket! Fill it with all sorts of goodies for that special someone. The base has an old CD in it to give it a flat bottom.

Materials Needed
3oz Worsted weight acrylic yarn, Red Heart Super Saver Holly & Ivy
3oz Worsted weight acrylic yarn, Red Heart Super Saver, Burgundy
1 old CD or DVD
Size H/8 or 5mm aluminum crochet hook
Yarn needle for weaving in ends.

Yarn Thickness: 4mm
Gauge: 4dc=1"
Finished Size:At least 8" x 11" when lightly stuffed with plastic bags
Skill Level: Intermediate

Special Stitch Used. Dcdec. Double Crochet Decrease. Yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, twice, yo pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Instructions
Inside Bottom
RND 1: With Holly and Ivy, Ch4. Join w/slst to first ch to form ring. Ch2, 16dc in ring. Join w/slst to first dc. (16dc)

RND 2: Ch2. 2dc in same st as slst and in each st around. Join w/slst to first dc. (32dc)

RND 3: Ch2. 2dc in same st as slst. Dc in next st. *2dc in next st. Dc in next st. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to first dc. (48dc)

RND 4: Ch2. 2dc in same st as slst. Dc in each of the next 2 sts. *2dc in next st. Dc in each of the next 2sts. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to first dc. Fasten off, weave all ends into back of work and set aside for now. (64sts)

Outside Bottom RND 1-4: Repeat as for Inside bottom but do not fasten off. Get your CD ready.

RND 5: Join inside piece to the outside piece with the wrong sides facing each other and work through both layers at the same time. Ch1, sc in each st around but slip the cd into the center before closing up. Add one more Sc before joining to make 65 sts around.

RND 6: Ch1, sc in same st as slst. (Sk next st. 2d, ch1, 2dc in next st. Sk next st. Sc in next st.) *Sc in next st. Rep bet () once. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to first sc.

(The Ch2. Dc in next dc. in the beginning of next round and at the beginning each of the next 16 rounds is acting as a "Dcdec" at the beginning of the round.)

RND 7: Ch2. Dc in next dc. Sk next dc. (2dc, ch1, 2dc in next ch1 sp. Sk next dc. 1Dcdec.) *1Dcdec. Rep bet () once. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to first dc.

RND 8-14: Ch2. Dc in next dc. (Sk next st. 2dc, ch1, 2dc in next ch1 sp. Sk next dc. 1Dcdec.) *1dcdec. Rep bet () once. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to first dc. Fasten off Holly and Ivy and join Burgundy in same st as slst.

RND 15-23: Rep RND 8.

RND 24: Ch2. Hdc in next st. (Sc in next dc. Sc in next ch1 sp. Sc in next dc. Hdc in each of the next 2 sts.) *Hdc in each of the next 2 sts. Rep bet () once. Rep from * around. Join w/slst to top of ch2.

RND 26: Ch1. Sc in each st around. Join w/slst to ch1.

RND 27: This is the Casing for the drawstrings. Ch3. Dc in each sc around. Join w/slst to top of ch3.

RND 28: Ch1. Sc in each dc around. Join w/slst to ch1. Fasten off. Weave ends into back of work.

Drawstrings
Make 2 chains, 100 chains long. Weave them Through RND 26 in opposite ways to form the drawstring. Tie the ends together with a Surgeons knot and weave ends in.

Design written on Sunday, December 08, 2013. Copyright ©2013 By Julie A. Bolduc f125005