Half-Shell Bag

Although I love the Vera Bradley bag that my sister gave me for Christmas a year ago, I wanted something a little smaller to carry every now and again. I looked at my usual stores: TJ Maxx and Target, and found several contenders, but none seemed just right and I couldn’t justify paying $14 when I didn’t really need a new bag. So, instead I worked this up. The idea came from a pattern for a bag on Knitty.com. I had planned to make it, but decided it would be quicker to crochet instead. I used the half-shell pattern, and then added a border in single-stitch and handles, and lined the bag with some excess fabric. I also made pockets in the lining for my cell phone and sunglasses, which always seem to get lost in the bottom of a bag. I took only a few hours and cost nothing, since I used left over yarn and fabric. Here are the instructions for the half-shell (courtesy of NE, a couple of years ago =)
Crochet chain in multiple of four
*Single crochet in fourth chain from hook
Chain three, and dc three times in same hole as first single crochet
Repeat from * across
Turn and repeat