March 29, 2006 Volume 3, No. 5

Mini Purse Necklace
By Sandy Abbate

This sweet little purse, with its cheerful heart flowers and rainbow colors, will delight any little girl. It's super-simple and fun to make!

Skill Level
Beginner

Finished Size
4 1/4 inches square

Materials

• Coats & Clark Red Heart Super Saver worsted weight yarn: Small amounts of hot red #390, amethyst #356, paddy green #368 and mexicana #950
• Size H/8 crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge
• 5/8-inch heart buttons: 1 each royal blue, yellow, purple and orange
• Sewing needle and matching threads
• Yarn needle

Gauge
4 sc rows and 4 sc 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.

Back
Row 1 (WS): With hot red, ch 17, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each rem ch across, turn. (16 sc).
Row 2 (RS): Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.
Rows 3-16: Rep Row 2. At the end of Row 16, fasten off.
Place a marker in first and last st of Row 16.

Flap
Row 1 (RS): Working in back lps for this row only, attach amethyst in 2nd st of Row 16, ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each of next 13 sts, turn. (14 sc)
Rows 2 & 3: Ch 1, sc dec over next 2 sc, sc in each sc across to last 2 sc, sc dec over next 2 sc, turn. (10 sc)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each of next 4 sc, ch 2, sk 2 sc (buttonhole), sc in next 4 sc, turn.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc dec over next 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc over ch-2 sp, sc in next 2 sc, sc dec over next 2 sc, fasten off. (8 sc)

Front
Rows 1-16: Rep Rows 1-16 of back.
Place a marker in first and last sc of Row 16.
Use photo as a guide.

With sewing needle and matching threads, sew yellow button centered on Row 9 of front and royal blue and purple on Row 7 at each side of yellow at a slight outward angle. With yarn needle and length of paddy green, sew stems with straight sts and leaves with lazy-daisy sts at the base of each button.

Assembly
With WS facing, place front and back tog; working through both thicknesses, attach mexicana in side edge of Row 16, ch 1, sc in same st as beg ch, sc evenly sp around purse to marker, sl st in st with marker, ch 100 (for strap), sl st in st with 2nd marker at opposite edge, join in beg sc, fasten off.

Flap Trim
With RS of flap facing, attach mexicana in same st on back where marker was placed, ch 1, sc in same st, sc evenly sp around flap,
sc in same st on back where marker was placed, fasten off.