Collegiate Stripe Cylinder Purse Free Crochet Pattern

Collegiate Stripe Cylinder Purse: A Free Beginner Crochet Pattern

If you have never held a crochet hook before, this is the perfect first project to fall in love with. The Collegiate Stripe Cylinder Purse is a small, structured tube bag worked in bold burgundy and gold horizontal stripes, finished with a flat circular base and a simple gold wrist loop for a varsity-inspired, preppy look. It is worked almost entirely in one easy stitch, so you can focus on learning the basics while watching cheerful stripes appear before your eyes. The finished purse is about 3 inches across and 4 inches tall, with a dense, slightly ribbed fabric that feels sturdy and smooth in your hand. By the end, you will have a darling little bag you can actually use, and a whole new skill you can be proud of.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: DK weight (category 3) yarn in two colors. Color A (burgundy): approximately 90 yards. Color B (gold): approximately 45 yards. Cotton or cotton-blend DK works beautifully because it holds the bag's shape.
• Crochet hook: Size G/6, which is 4.0 mm.
• Stitch marker: at least one, to mark the first stitch of each round.
• Tapestry needle (also called a yarn needle): a large, blunt-tipped needle with an eye big enough for yarn, used for sewing and weaving in ends.
• Scissors for cutting yarn.
• Finished size: 3 inches diameter base, 4 inches tall body, 6.5 inches total height including the wrist loop.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch - chain. Make a loop of yarn on your hook, then pull the working yarn through that loop. Each one looks like a tiny "V."
• sc - single crochet. Insert your hook into the stitch, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), then pull the yarn through both loops. This is the shortest, tightest basic stitch.
• hdc - half double crochet. Yarn over (wrap yarn around hook), insert hook into the stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), then pull yarn through all 3 loops at once. It is slightly taller than a single crochet.
• sl st - slip stitch. Insert hook into the stitch, then pull the yarn through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. It makes a flat, nearly invisible joining stitch.
• st(s) - stitch(es). One completed loop or "V" in your fabric.
• rnd - round. One complete circle of stitches worked around the tube.
• BLO - back loop only. Every stitch has two loops at its top (a front loop and a back loop). Working "in the back loop only" means you insert your hook under just the back loop, leaving the front loop free. This creates a crisp fold line.
• magic ring - an adjustable loop of yarn you crochet into, then pull closed so there is no hole in the center. If you prefer, you can chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring instead.
• 2 sc in next st - work two single crochet stitches into the same stitch. This is called an "increase" and makes the circle grow.
• Yarn over - wrap the working yarn around your hook from back to front.
• Fasten off - cut the yarn leaving a tail, then pull the tail all the way through the last loop to lock it.

Gauge

Gauge: 5 half double crochet and 4 rounds = 1 inch.

Gauge simply means how big your stitches turn out. It matters because if your stitches are too loose, your purse will be bigger than 3 inches across and the base may not sit flat; if they are too tight, the purse will be smaller and stiff. To check, crochet a small practice square of about 15 half double crochet stitches and 8 rounds, then lay a ruler across the middle and count how many stitches fit in 1 inch. If you have more than 5 stitches per inch, try a larger hook; if you have fewer than 5, try a smaller hook. Do not worry about being perfect; just get close.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use a stitch marker. Because this purse is worked in continuous rounds (a spiral with no join), place a marker in the first stitch of each round so you always know where a new round begins.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Keep an even, relaxed tension. Tight stitches make the base curl and the hook hard to insert.
• Carry the unused color up the inside. When you change colors, do not cut the yarn. Leave it hanging inside the purse and pick it up again at the next stripe. This keeps the inside tidy and saves yarn.
• Count your stitches at the end of each round. The base rounds grow by 6 stitches each time, and the body stays at 48 stitches. Counting now saves fixing later.
• Change color on the last stitch of the round. Work the final half double crochet of the round until only the last step remains, then pull the new color through to finish it. This gives a clean stripe edge.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Note: The purse is worked in continuous rounds without joining unless otherwise stated. Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round. Carry the unused color up the inside of the purse; do not cut it between stripes.

Base (worked in Color A, burgundy)

Rnd 1: Make a magic ring. Work 6 sc into the ring. Pull the ring closed. (6 sc)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st] around. (18 sc)

Rnd 4: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 2 sts] around. (24 sc)

Rnd 5: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 3 sts] around. (30 sc)

Rnd 6: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 4 sts] around. (36 sc)

Rnd 7: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 5 sts] around. (42 sc)

Rnd 8: [2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 6 sts] around. (48 sc)

The base should now measure approximately 3 inches in diameter. Do not fasten off.

Body (worked in hdc in continuous rounds)

Rnd 9: Working in the back loops only (BLO) of Rnd 8, hdc in each st around. (48 hdc) This creates a crisp fold line between the base and the side wall.

Rnds 10-12: Hdc in each st around. (48 hdc per round)

Change to Color B (gold).

Rnds 13-16: Hdc in each st around. (48 hdc per round)

Change to Color A (burgundy).

Rnds 17-20: Hdc in each st around. (48 hdc per round)

Change to Color B (gold).

Rnds 21-24: Hdc in each st around. (48 hdc per round)

Change to Color A (burgundy).

Rnds 25-28: Hdc in each st around. (48 hdc per round)

The body should measure approximately 4 inches from the base fold line. Do not fasten off.

Top Edging (Color A, burgundy)

Rnd 29: Sc in each st around. (48 sc)

Rnd 30: Sl st in each st around. (48 sl st)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Wrist Loop (worked in Color B, gold)

Row 1: Leaving a 6-inch tail, ch 14. Sc in the second ch from hook and in each ch across. (13 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (13 sc)

Fasten off, leaving a 6-inch tail.

Assembly and Finishing

1. Fold the wrist loop in half widthwise so the two short ends meet, forming a double-thickness strap approximately 2.5 inches long.
2. Position the loop on the inside of the top edge of the purse, centered on one side, with the ends overlapping the top edging by about 0.5 inch.
3. Sew the loop ends securely to the inside of the purse using the yarn tails and a tapestry needle. Pass the needle through the top edging and the first round of the body, sewing back and forth several times for strength. Tie a small knot on the inside and trim.
4. Weave in all remaining ends. Thread each tail onto the tapestry needle and run it through the inside of several stitches, changing direction once so it cannot work loose. Trim close to the fabric.
5. Block the purse. Lightly steam the purse (hold a steam iron a few inches above the fabric, never touching it) or mist it with water and gently shape the circular base flat with your fingers. Let it dry fully. This smooths the stripes and sets the base shape.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap burgundy and gold for any two school or team colors. Keep one color as the base and edging and the other for the stripes and wrist loop.
• Adjust the size: To make a wider purse, add more base rounds (each round adds 6 stitches), then work the body in hdc without increasing. To make it taller, add extra hdc rounds before the top edging.
• Substitute yarn: Any DK weight (category 3) yarn works. Avoid fuzzy or slippery yarns for your first try, as they make counting stitches harder.
• Add a lining or button: For a sturdier bag, sew a small fabric lining inside, or add a button and a short crochet loop closure at the top for extra security.