Manchester Handbag – Crochet Pattern Review – Moogly Blog

I am sharing a crochet pattern review of the Manchester Handbag designed by Tamara of Moogly Blog using some of my stash yarn in some fun, bright colors!

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This review has been a draft since December 1st of 2015! YIKES! And I thought it was still missing pictures, but when I just opened it, I see them! Oh boy.

Back then: I love the beautiful patterns from Tamara of Moogly Blog. One of them I found was the Manchester Handbag. I remember when it was first published, and I drooled over it then, but I had other things going on so it just went into my bookmarks (when that was a thing), and there it stayed until today when I rediscovered it.

I used some I Love This Yarn from my stash for this project, but any worsted weight yarn will do, or any weight yarn with respective hook for other size bags.

Materials I Used:

• 180 Yards of Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn in Peacock, Ivory and Hot Rose
• I9/5.5mm Crochet Hook
• #18 Tapestry Needle
• Manchester Handbag, Free Crochet Pattern from Moogly Blog

Material Notes:

While I used I Love This Yarn, I really like Red Heart Super Saver or Lily Sugar n Cream for handbags.

You can make this a stiffer bag by cutting plastic canvas the width of the bag, and placing on the inside of the bag, then sewing in a liner (I think felt is the easiest to work with).

Time Spent:

I was able to finish this handbag in about two hours and 15 minutes.

Measurements:

My purse measures 8.75″ wide by 8″ tall (measuring from top of solid part of bag, not handles).

My Gauge (Gauge is not essential):

14 DC by 8 Rows = 4″

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Pattern Notes:

One of the pattern notes from Tamara is the option to carry your yarn throughout the piece. I ended up carrying the yarn through the first three rounds after the bottom of the bag. Once I reached this point, I put down my crochet hook and looked at the piece. It felt kind of tight – from the tension of the yarn being carrying around. I decided to try one row with the yarn cut but after I finished that round, it came out looser and more flimsy. My final decision was to continue to carry my yarn around so it would provide stability within the bag and help keep it’s shape. In the end, I actually liked how it turned out carrying the yarn throughout.

There are several ways you can work the top of the bag – 1) as is open and with the handles; 2) add a zipper and strap; 3) add a flap with a button closure or button loop and button; 4) short strap, long strap or wrist strap.

I worked my first one as written, but if I were to work another, I would work the top without the hand holes, add a flap/closure of some kind, and a strap so it would hang.

Overall, I fell in love with this purse! And I would like to make some more.

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