New Year, Old-Fashioned Patterns

It's the new year and I have a lot of crochet pattern ideas swirling around in my head, along with a few projects I've started on lately. Plus I taught myself to hand-knit enough to make a square and I got a knitting machine for Christmas! There are so many possibilities! I'm really into totes, handbags, purses, and general 'carrying-things-around' items right now. I also LOVE vintage patterns and have gotten a ton of vintage crochet/knitting books on ebay, and I found my new favorite sites for free vintage patterns:

http://www.gutenberg.org/ and https://archive.org/

I found a simple pattern for a 1916 'Grouch Bag' in the Artamo Crochet Book No.1 (found here on page 36: https://archive.org/details/artamocrochetboo00bent ). I did a trial run, since this was my first vintage pattern, with cheap, kelly green worsted weight yarn. I lined it with coordinating cotton fabric and sewed an antique gold button on it. My plan is to make another one using mercerized cotton thread as the pattern was originally written. It's supposed to be a much smaller, wallet-like bag for carrying around extra money and such. Here's a pic of my trial run (which is more like a medium sized clutch purse):

 

My other project is a handbag from a 1945 pattern that I found here (which is also available in a larger book on the websites given above): http://freevintagecrochet.com/purses/2721-purse-pattern.html 

I like this site because if you know what kind of project you're looking for, it gives individual pages/patterns, and you can print them off or email them to yourself.

Here's the purse. I had a lot of fun making it and putting it together. I followed directions exactly as written: 

Couldn't help myself

Made w/ 4 strands size 10 crochet thread held together and F hook

Lined w/ crinoline and fun red fabric

Chevron Tote Crochet Pattern

I created this pattern one summer for toting things to the pool. I worked hard on it to get it just the way I wanted it. I considered selling the pattern, but then this was one of my first bag patterns and I didn't take the time to professionally write it according to standards. I wasn't confident it was flawless either. I've since edited it a bit to make it a little more clear.  I love these colors and I'm a big fan of chevrons. My daughter has taken over this tote and carries around all manner of things. It's holding up well. I may make another. I hope you enjoy! Click 'read more' below to expand post and see instructions.