Victorian Princess The Victorian Princess purse is delicate work made with fine thread, but it is a small project than can be completed in a short time without any worries of strain on the hands from intense crocheting for hours and hours. As regal and refined as the royal reticule of a Victorian princess, this purse, embellished with lustrous bead and button trims, is a stunning accent for today's high-fashion formal wear.

As regal and refined as the royal reticule of a Victorian princess, this dainty thread purse, embellished with lustrous bead and button trims, is a stunning accent for today’s high-fashion formal wear.

Design by Brenda Stratton

Skill Level

Intermediate

Finished Size

4 x 5 inches

Materials

Aunt Lydia's Classic crochet cotton size 10: 2 balls wood violet #495

Size D/3/3.25mm crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge

Size 5/1.90mm steel crochet hook

1/4 yd 1/4-inch-wide lavender ribbon

1/2 yd lavender bead trim

Size 3/0 snap fastener

Straight pins

Craft glue

Matching sewing thread

Sewing needle

5/8-inch lavender shank button

1 1/4-inch silver filigree craft backing

Tapestry needle

Gauge

4 rows = 1 inch; 6 sts = 1 inch

Check gauge to save time.

Pattern Notes

Weave in loose ends as work progresses.

Join rnds with a sl st unless otherwise stated.

Beg ch-2 counts as a hdc except when working hdc dec.

Pattern Stitches

Hdc dec: Yo, [insert hook in next st, yo, draw up a lp] twice, yo, draw through all 4 lps on hook.

Shell: 7 dc in indicated st.

Front

Row 1: Beg at bottom with 2 strands of wood violet held tog and size D hook, ch 22, sc in 2nd ch from hook, [dc in next ch, sc in next ch] rep across, turn. (21 sts)

Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc), sc in next st, [dc in next st, sc in next st] rep across, ending with hdc in last st, turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first st, [dc in next st, sc in next st] rep across, turn.

Rep Rows 2 and 3 until piece measures 5 inches.

Row 4 (RS): Ch 1, sc in each st across, fasten off.

Back

Row 1: Rep Row 1 of front. (21 sts)

Rep Rows 2 and 3 of front until piece measures 6 inches. Do not work Row 4.

Flap

Row 1: Ch 2, hdc dec over next 2 sts, sc in each dc, dc in each sc across to last 2 sts, hdc dec over last 2 sts, turn. (19 sts)

Rep Row 1 until 3 sts rem.

Row 2: Ch 2, yo, draw up a lp in each of next 2 sts, yo, draw through all lps on hook, fasten off.

Edging

Note: Pin both pieces tog with RS of front facing.

Rnd 1: With hook size 5, attach 1 strand of wood violet in lower right corner and working through both thicknesses, ch 1, sc evenly to top of front, continue working through back piece only around flap, sc evenly sp to point of flap, 3 sc in point, sc evenly down opposite side of flap and to top edge of opposite side of front, working through both thicknesses, sc evenly down side of front to bottom edge, do not fasten off.

Rnd 2: Sl st to front lp of foundation ch, working in front lps of front only, ch 1, sc in first st, [sk 1 st, shell in next st, sk 1 st, sc in next st] rep across front, turn and work across opposite side of foundation ch of back to beg st of front, sl st to join in beg sc, leaving a length of cotton, fasten off. Cut a piece of bead trim 5 inches long and place inside bottom opening of purse. Thread rem strand onto tapestry needle and sew opening closed with strand through BL of foundation ch. Lightly tack the bottom centers of the shell sts tog.

Flap Trim

With size 5 steel hook, attach 1 strand of crochet cotton with a sl st at top left edge of purse in next st above where front piece ends, sc in each of next 4 sc, sk 1 sc, *shell in next sc, sk next sc, sc in next sc, shell in next sc, sk next sc, rep from * until 11 shells are completed, adjusting as necessary to allow 6th shell to fall at center point of flap, ending with sc in each of next 4 sc, sl st in last sc, fasten off. (11 shells)

Cut bead trim to fit underside of flap, sew in place, mitering at point.

Handle

With hook size D and 2 strands of wood violet held tog, ch 3, dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 2, dc between last ch-3 and dc worked, [ch 2, dc bet last ch-2 and dc worked] rep until handle measures 20 inches long, fasten off.

Taking care not to twist handle, tack each end of handle at side seam on inside of purse.

Cut rem of beaded trim apart as needed to obtain 10 matching beads. Sew 9 beads evenly sp across handle.

Jeweled Front Trim

Remove shank from lavender button and glue to silver backing and let dry. Glue rem bead left from those removed for handle to center of button and let dry.

Finishing

Sew snap to flap and corresponding position on front of bag.

Tie ribbon into a bow and tack to front of flap slightly above snap.

Sew jeweled front trim in place over bow.