(American Standard) Wildflower Shoulder Bag CAL – Part 1 of 3

Welcome to Part 1 of the Wildflower Shoulder Bag CAL! I’ve been working on this for quite a while and am really pumped to finally get started. Over the next 3 weeks, we’re going to be making a gorgeous crochet purse together. If this is the first time you’ve heard of the CAL, be sure to check out this post that lists all of your needed materials. Even if you’re a little late to the party, you can still join in!

Please click here for a complete listing of all translations and their links.

And, don’t forget to join the Wildflower Shoulder Bag CAL Facebook Group to share your progress, get tips from others, and maybe answer a question or two yourself. We’re in it together, and that’s what makes it fun!

The schedule for the CAL is as follows:

June 25: Start Here! Intro Post and Materials List
July 2: Part 1, Flower Squares (this post)
July 9: Part 2, Body of the Bag
July 16: Part 3, Base, Embellishments and Strap

Each pattern post will include clear instructions, helpful photos, and a great tutorial video. When you’re done with each week’s assignment, head over to the Facebook Group to share your progress. And don’t forget to enter yourself in the giveaway, down below the pattern. There will be new opportunities to add entries each week, so pay attention!
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Ad-Free PDF

If you would like to purchase an inexpensive, ad-free, concise PDF version (American Standard Version only), you can find it on Ravelry or Etsy!

View on Ravelry –|– View on Etsy
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So grab your chosen hook and yarn, and let’s get started! (Scroll down for the pattern and tutorial video!)

TUTORIAL VIDEO

Visual learner? Here’s a helpful video. I actually make the entire square on camera, since I know this will be the first time that many of you have made a square motif before. If you’re only going to use the video as a reference, here’s a helpful breakdown:

0:39 Round 1
3:48 1st Round of Petals
7:46 Round 2
10:28 2nd Round of Petals
13:03 Rounds 3-7

Video not showing up? Try refreshing the page, and if that doesn’t work, click here.

WILDFLOWER SHOULDER BAG PART 1: WILDFLOWER SQUARE MOTIFS

Hook: H (5.00mm) OR whichever hook you’ve chosen for this project
Yarn: Cotton-Ease (more than 1 skein) OR whichever yarn you’ve chosen for this project
Difficulty: Easy
Gauge: Not really important. Make sure you are using a hook that gives you a tighter stitch rather than a looser one.
You’ll also need: Yarn needle and scissors

Notes:
(1) You’ll need 6 of these squares.
(2) Beginning chains do not count as stitches.
(3) Note that some of the instructions call for FLO (Front Loop Only) and BLO (Back Loop Only). This is crucial for building the center flower.
(4) You will not turn at any point.
(5) A lot of people’s squares are looking like pinwheels (curved corners). If your square is curving, you probably need to better understand the anatomy of a stitch. Take a look at this helpful resource from Look At What I Made: Corners and the Elusive Hidden Stitch.

To begin:
Make a Magic Circle; CH2.

Round 1: 12DC in magic circle. Join to first DC with a SL ST. (12)

1st Round of Petals (FLO): CH2. In same St, 2DC, CH2, SL ST. This is your first petal. (SL ST to next St. In same St, CH2, 2DC, CH2, SL ST to same St) around. SL ST to base of 1^st CH2. (12 petals)

Round 2 (BLO – You’re now going to work around Round 1 again, this time working in the loop that you ignored during the first round of petals): SL ST to 1^st back loop of Round 1. CH2. 2DC in same ST. 2 DC in each ST around. Join with a SL ST to first DC. (24)

These screenshots from the tutorial video show the circle of back loops you’ll be using (1st photo) and the completed round from the back (2nd photo):

2nd Round of Petals (FLO): CH2. DC in same ST. In next ST, DC, CH2, SL ST. (SL ST to next St, CH2, DC in same ST. In next ST, DC, CH2, SL ST) around. SL ST to base of 1^st CH2. (12 petals)

This is the completion of the flower center. We now move on to turning it into a square.

Round 3: SL ST to 1st back loop of Round 2. CH2. In same ST, 2DC, CH2, 2DC. HDC in each of the next 2 STS. SC in next. HDC in each of the next 2 STS. (In next ST, 2DC, CH2, 2DC. HDC in each of the next 2 STS. SC in next. HDC in each of the next 2 STS.) Repeat ( ) 2 more times. Join to first DC with a SL ST.

Round 4: CH1. HDC evenly around the square, putting (2HDC, CH2, HDC*) in each corner chain space. Join to first HDC with a SL ST. (You’ll end up with 12 HDC stitches per side.) *Don’t miss that ONE HDC in the chain space. It’s not a typo  🙂

Round 5: CH1. HDC evenly around the square, putting (2HDC, CH2, HDC) in each corner chain space. Join to first HDC with a SL ST. (You’ll end up with 15 HDC stitches per side.)

Round 6: CH1. HDC evenly around the square, putting (2HDC, CH2, HDC) in each corner chain space. Join to first HDC with a SL ST. (You’ll end up with 18 HDC stitches per side.)

Round 7: CH1. SC evenly around the square, putting (SC, CH2, SC) in each corner chain space. Join to first SC with a SL ST. (You’ll end up with 20 SC stitches per side.)

Fasten off and weave in ends. (You can attach your buttons at this point, if you’ve chosen to embellish your flower centers.)