Sugar Skull Purses

Sugar Skull Purses Crochet Pattern by Lisa Ferrel

Project Overview

Sugar Skull Purses is a downloadable crochet pattern designed by Lisa Ferrel for creating decorative waist bags featuring iconic skull motifs. This intermediate-level project combines functional bag construction with decorative embellishment techniques, making it suitable for crocheters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle shaping and assembly work.

What Is Being Made

The primary project is a waist bag designed to be worn around the waist or hips. The bag features a structured body constructed from single crochet fabric, a decorative white skull appliqué on the front, and bright color accents for skull details. The finished bag includes a functional 4-inch zipper closure and attaches to a utility strap with a quick-release buckle for secure, hands-free carrying.

Crochet Techniques Used

• Foundation chain and single crochet: The base of the purse body is created using a foundation chain of 51 stitches with single crochet worked in rows to build a rectangular fabric panel
• Increases and decreases: Shaping techniques including single crochet increases and decreases are used to form the contoured skull shape with dimensional features
• Color work: Multiple yarn colors are incorporated, including black for the main bag body, white for the skull, and bright accent colors for decorative details
• Appliqué assembly: The skull piece is worked separately and attached to the finished bag body
• Zipper insertion: The pattern includes instructions for attaching a zipper closure to the top of the bag
• Hardware attachment: The utility strap with quick-release buckle is secured to the finished bag structure

Stitches Used

• Chain stitch (ch): Used for foundation chains and turning chains throughout the pattern
• Single crochet (sc): The primary stitch used for the entire project, creating a dense, durable fabric suitable for a functional bag
• Single crochet decrease (dec): Used to reduce stitch counts and create shaping in the skull feature
• Single crochet increase (inc): Used to add stitches and create dimensional shaping in the skull design

Materials and Specifications

The pattern is worked using I Love This Cotton yarn, a practical choice for bags due to its durability and structure. The yarn weight options include aran, sport, and worsted weights, allowing crocheters to choose based on desired finished size and fabric density. A Size H crochet hook is specified for the project.

The gauge is set at 16 stitches and 18 rows over 4 inches, which is important for achieving the correct finished dimensions of the waist bag. Maintaining this gauge ensures the bag will fit properly and that the zipper and hardware will align correctly.

Additional materials include a 4-inch zipper (with instructions provided for shortening if needed), a utility strap with quick-release buckle, and a yarn needle for weaving in ends and assembling pieces. The pattern calls for approximately 1.5 ounces of black yarn for the main bag body, 1 ounce of white yarn for the skull, and a few yards of bright colors for decorative skull embellishments.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate, making it appropriate for crocheters who have mastered basic stitches and are comfortable working with shaping techniques, color changes, and assembling multiple components into a finished project. The combination of straightforward single crochet fabric with increases, decreases, and multi-piece assembly provides a good progression in skill development.