In this instruction we will crochet a large bag with 4 squares. The bag can be crocheted in as many colors as you like, but in this instruction it will be shown with 3 different colors. You need 3-4 rolls of EKO Braided rope 3mm and an 8mm crochet hook. The total weight of the large bag is approx. 1.5 kg (weight depends on whether you do more or fewer laps than shown in the instructions).
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We will start with the 4 granny squares. The squares will be approx. 25 x 25 cm, depending on how hard you crochet.

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LARGE FLOWER SQUARE

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The innermost ring – the magical ring

Start with color 1. Hold the yarn in your left hand. Twist the yarn around your fingers (left hand) three times. Use your crochet hook to go under the first two loops and hook the third with your crochet hook. Pick up the yarn again and pull under the two finger loops, hook the yarn onto the hook and pull through. Now the loop on the hook holds the double "inner ring" together and you can continue below.
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Round 1: Crochet two single loops (these replace the first double crochet). Then crochet 11 double crochets in the innermost ring. A double crochet is crocheted by taking the yarn over the hook and going down with the hook in the innermost ring, pick up yarn and pull through (you now have three loops on the hook), pick up yarn and pull through two loops (you have two loops left on the hook ), pick up the yarn one last time and pull through the last two loops. You have now crocheted a double crochet.

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Crochet a total of 11 double crochets plus a chain with two loops at the beginning. Finish by passing down the second loop from the loops you made at the beginning. Pick up yarn and pull through both loops immediately. Leave about 10 cm of yarn end and cut and fasten (you can also fasten all ends to the end if you prefer).

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Round 2: Start with the second color. Start by making a loop around the crochet hook. One way you can do this is to wrap the yarn around your index and middle finger, then pull the yarn up so that the loop locks when you tighten. Go down into the stitch between the first and second post and pick up the yarn and pull through the loop.

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Now you crochet two loops. Now you must go into the same stitch again and crochet a double crochet BUT you must not make the last pull through. You take the yarn over the hook and go down with the hook in the stitch, pick up yarn and pull through (you now have three loops on the hook), pick up yarn and pull through two loops (you have two loops left on the hook). Now you do the same once more and you then have three loops on the crochet hook. Pick up yarn and pull through all the loops. Crochet a loop.

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a. Go down in the next stitch and do the same thing but you don't have to crochet three loose loops but you crochet three 'half' double crochets instead of three loops + two half double crochets. Do this 11 times (don't forget a loose loop in between). Finish by going down into the second loop of the first chain, pick up yarn and pull through. When you are done, you should have 12 leaves.
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Leave 10 cm of yarn end and cut.

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Round 3: Start with color 3. Make a loop around the crochet hook and go down between the first two leaves from last round and pick up yarn and pull through. Crochet three loose loops. Then crochet two double crochets in the same hole and then two loose loops. Crochet three double crochets and two loose loops between each 'leaf' (in each hole). Finish by going down into the third loop of the first chain, picking up yarn and pulling through. Leave 10 cm yarn end and cut.

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Round 4: Now we will crochet the round that makes the box square. Change the color if you want.

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a. Hole 1: Make a loop around the hook and start in a 'hole' and crochet 3 loops. Then crochet two double crochets in the same hole. Do not crochet a loop between the posts.

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b. Hole 2: Crochet three double crochets.

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c. Hole 3: Now you will crochet treble crochet. Bring the yarn over the hook twice (you have three loops) and go down and pick up the yarn and pull through. Pick up the yarn again and pull through 2 loops. Pick up yarn and pull through two loops and pick up yarn one last time and pull through the last two loops. Do the same thing two more times. Then crochet two loops and then three treble crochet in the same hole. This is the first corner.
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Repeat holes 1-3 a total of three more times so you have four sides. Finish by going through the first stitch on the round, picking up yarn, and pulling everything through immediately. Cut off.

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Now we will crochet the last two rounds. If you want to make the squares smaller, you can skip one or both of these rounds. You use whatever colors you wish.

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Round 5: Make a loop around the crochet hook and now crochet regular single crochets in each stitch and in the corners you crochet three single crochets in the holes. A single crochets is crocheted by going down into the stitch, picking up yarn and pulling through, picking up yarn and pulling through both loops. Finish by going through the first stitch and pull through. Cut off.

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Round 6: The last round is the same as the previous round, but in the corner you crochet three single crochets in the corner stitch. Leave 10 cm of yarn end and cut.
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Attach all yarn ends. Tie the remaining tail in a knot around the last loop (or with another yarn end) on the inside of the box to prevent it from unraveling. Hide the tail by attaching it through some nearby loops.

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CROCHET THE SQUARES TOGETHER

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Crochet the squares together according to the yellow line, remember to have the fine sides front/inward and crochet on the inside/wrong side of them. Hold them together with the fine side facing each other (so you are crocheting on the back of them), make a loop on the hook and go down into the joint. Crochet slip stitches in the front stitch loop in the front square and the back stitch loop in the back square. A slip stitch is crocheted by going down with the crochet hook in both squares (in the stitch loops indicated above), picking up yarn and pulling through all the stitches directly. When you're done, attach the yarn. Do the same twice with the other squares so that all the squares are stuck in a row.

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Now you crochet the two parts together so that all the squares instead form a ring. Use the same technique as above. Attach the yarn. Now we will crochet around the bottom of this part. Have the squares with the nice side out. Make a loop around the hook and drop into a stitch. Crochet single stitches around the entire bottom. Attach the yarn.

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Here it is important to count the number of stitches on the bag so you know how many stitches are needed when we are going to crochet the bottom. Here it is important that the number of stitches on the squares crocheted together is the same as on the bottom. Count how many stitches you have here.

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ATTENTION ! if you crocheted the squares loosely, also crochet the single crochets loosely, otherwise it may feel like the bottom is smaller than the top.
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BOTTOM

Round 1: Make a loop around the crochet hook. Crochet as many loose loops as you want the length of the bag to have. Calculate how many loops you need by taking the number of stitches you have at the bottom of the squares minus 10.

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In the example in the video, I have 75 stitches (75-10=65). Then you take that number divided by two (65/2=32.5=32). Make as many loops as the number you arrived at.
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ATTENTION ! if you crocheted the squares loosely, also crochet the fixed stitches loosely, otherwise it may feel like the bottom is smaller than the top.

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Round 2: Start in the second stitch (skipping the first) and work double crochets in all stitches up to the second last stitch (always two fewer loops than the chain). In the last stitch you crochet four stitches. Now crochet on the other side of the chain until you have one stitch left (always three fewer stitches than the chain). In the last stitch, you crochet four stitches. Mark the last stitch with a yarn end.
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Round 3: Work the same number of stitches as you did at the beginning of round 2 on the bottom. In the four corner stitches, you crochet two stitches in each stitch. Then crochet the same number of single crochets on the other side (the number of loops minus three). In the last four stitches of the round, crochet two stitches in each stitch.
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Count the number of stitches on the bottom and compare if there are the same number as on the squares. If not, we use the next round to increase the number of stitches so it matches or decreases. Check the video if you are unsure.

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--> If you need one more stitch, make an increase (two stitches in the same stitch) in the next stitch and then crochet single stitches until you are ready to attach the squares to the bottom.

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--> If you need more than one extra stitch, make the increases in the corners, as many as you need. Between them, you just crochet regular single crochet. Crochet single stitches until you are ready to attach the squares to the bottom.

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--> If you need to decrease the number of stitches, decrease in the corners. Make a decrease by going down a stitch and picking up yarn, going down the next stitch and picking up yarn. Get yarn one last time and pull everything through. Between them, you just crochet regular single crochet. Crochet single stitches until you are ready to attach the squares to the bottom. Change the color as you wish. The video shows how to change the color. You do this by making the last pass through the stitch in the first color with the new color.

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ATTACH THE SQUARES TO THE BAG.

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When you are satisfied with the height of the side, we will attach the bottom with the squares. Turn the bottom and squares so that the wrong side is out. Make a loop around the hook and go down in a corner. Crochet slip stitch in every stitch, don't crochet too tightly! Cut and attach. Turn the bag so the nice side is out. If you prefer, you can sew the parts together, sometimes this can give a nicer finish.
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CONTINUED ON THE SIDES

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Now you go down with the crochet hook on the side of the bag and crochet a stitch in each stitch. Remember to have the same number of stitches as you had on the lower part of the page. Crochet as many rounds as you wish until the height of the bag is as you wish.
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HANDLE
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When you are satisfied with the height, we will crochet the handle. Start by laying the bag down flat and mark where you want the handles to start and end, do the same on both sides. A tip is to count the number of stitches between the markings to know that they sit approximately evenly. Mark with yarn ends. When you have marked, crochet stitches until you reach the first marking, and then crochet loose loops as far as you want the handle (35 loops are crocheted in the video). Count the loops so you know how many to crochet on the other side. When you have crocheted loops, go down where you made your second mark and continue and do the same things on the next side.

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Now crochet about 2-4 rounds of regular stitches around the bag and the handles, until you are satisfied with the size of the handles.
Cut and attach.

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Now you are done with your bag! :)

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