Sooooo......I made a thing, and I want to share the pattern with you! May I present . . .
*dramatic drumroll*
THE FRINGE WITH BENEFITS CLUTCH!!!!!
*cue audience cheers*
Ain't she cute?
I came up with the idea to make this clutch because I've seen so many cute envelope clutches everywhere, but I didn't want a leather one. Many of the envelope clutches that I saw were also on the plainer side, and I like a little bit of statement with my bags. So in true #makersgonnamake fashion, I made my own! I crocheted this bag using simple stitches and very little material in one evening while watching TV, and this is definitely beginner-friendly! Even better, this clutch is a sturdy girl, and can withstand a lot (believe me on this, my puppy tried chewing on it).
Keep reading below to find out what I used and how I made this clutch! Also, feel free to contact me with any questions or ways to improve the pattern since this is my first ride in the pattern-writing rodeo.
What You Need
Yarn: Wool and the Gang Jersey Be Good x 2 (I used one roll each of Abbey Road Black and Pop Noir); you could also substitute any similar t-shirt yarn
Needle: Size Q-19 15mm crochet hook
Large yarn needle for sewing in the ends
Scissors
A book (to make the fringe, I'll explain later)
A good TV show or movie, with appropriate libations and snacks on the side
Measurements: 12" length (across the bottom), 10.5" height (from bottom to top of opening; 5.25"height of flap (from top of flap to bottom of flap) (*Note: Natural variations in the Jersey Be Good, or other fabric yarn, will result in some variations in the measurements a bit, and your clutch may not be a "perfect" square at the end. Of course, you can adjust and crochet more rows for your ideal measurements.)
Let's Begin!
*Note: I use US terms for the stitches*
The Body
Foundation row: You start out by chaining 20.
Row 1: Single crochet allllll the way back to the beginning of your chain (20 stitches total), beginning with your last chain stitch. Now, instead of turning your work, continue single crocheting along the bottom of your work until you reach the other end (40 stitches total).
Rows 2-9: Continue to single crochet around your work, ensuring that you always have 40 stitches total all the way around. Rinse and Repeat. (You'll begin to notice that your work curves upward to the opening - this is good! *thumbs up*
Row 10 (button row): Single crochet 9 stitches. Treble crochet three times in the 10th stitch, single crochet the rest of the row.
Rows 11-20: Repeat as in Rows 2-9. You should now have a pouch that measures 20 x 20 rows - a perfect square!
The Flap
*This is where I changed colors from Abbey Road Black to Pop Noir*
Row 21: Single crochet together your first two stitches. Single crochet until there are two stitches left on the row. Single crochet together your last two stitches. (18 stitches total).
Rows 22-30: Repeat Row 21. (These rows should measure 16 stitches, 14 stitches, 12 stitches, 10 stitches, 8 stitches, 6 stitches, 4 stitches, 2 stitches, and 1 stitch long as you progress).
Row 31 (closure loop row): Chain 6, knot the 6th chain to the last single crochet stitch. Sew in all your ends!
Final step (you're almost done!): Adding the fringe
Now, I could say that the fringe is optional with this clutch, but then I'd have to rename it! In other words - just add this fringe, please.
So, I could try to write out instructions on how I made my fringe, or I could show you. Since I forgot to video and/or take photos while I did it (I know, I know) this is a really helpful video that shows you how to make fringe. #newbloggerrookiemistake
To determine how long to cut your yarn pieces to make the fringe, you want to double your desired length, because you fold the pieces in half to attach them to the flap. Personally, I took a medium sized book (measuring 5.3 x 0.5 x 8 inches) and wrapped the yarn around the long side of the book. I then cut the ends of the yarn to get my individual pieces (each piece was about 8 inches long). You can also just measure out your yarn to your desired length and cut pieces individually if you have more time (and patience than I).
For really fluffy fringe, I added each piece of fringe individually along both edges of the flap. Along the edges of your flap, you'll notice 5 spaces on each side that are a bit larger than on the rest of the flap edges. I tied 4 pieces of fringe into each space on both sides of the flap as well as 2 pieces on each side of the loop closure (you'll need 48 pieces of fringe to do the whole flap exactly like mine).
Once you've added your desired amount of fringe, you can trim the fringe to be exactly uniform, or leave it a little uneven as I did. Both ways look great!
And voilà! You are now the proud owner of the Fringe with Benefits Clutch! Or maybe you'll give it away like a generous person (I was greedy with this project, so I kept mine hehehe!). Go forth into the world feeling like Tina Turner as you rock your Fringe with Benefits Clutch!
Look at those legs! OMG!
As always, I hope that you enjoy this post and my very first pattern! Please come back to read my future posts! In the meantime, check out my Instagram (@knitandcroshay) to stay updated on the latest. If you make this clutch, I'd love to see it - please share on Instagram using the hashtag #fringewithbenefitsclutch and tag me! If you don't have IG, I love emails too ;)
Copyright © Knit and CroShay. Terms of Use: You may not distribute, share, or sell this pattern in any format. You have permission to sell completed items made with this pattern, but not the pattern itself. Please give credit to Knit and CroShay as the designer. Provide others with the link to my pattern if sharing. If you have any questions or need any help with the pattern, you can email Knit and CroShay at knitandcroshay@gmail.com.