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SAKURA

‘SAKURA' Pattern is © 2020 by

Ramalakshmi Pasumarthy-
VerveCrochetArt. If you have
purchased this pattern from a
merchant other than
Ramalakshmi Pasumarthy on
Ravelry or Etsy, it is an
unauthorized copy. Please support
the designers by purchasing
legally. Do not make a video
tutorial, conduct a CAL, copy or
distribute any part of this pattern.
You are welcome to make items for
sale or for personal use, with due
credit to the designer.

This project is inspired by the beautiful Cherry Blossoms known as ‘SAKURA’ in JAPANESE. The Japanese Knot
Bag is a practical solution for crafters, as it allows for hands free, comfort.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

Bendigo Woolen Mills – 4 ply cotton thread (50gms – 165 yards). Total yardage required: 120 gms – 400 yards OR
PREFERRED THREAD - Check gauge (19 DC sts – 7 cm).

1. Main Color (MC): 320 yards

2. Contrast Color [CC (a)]: 30- yards
3. Contrast Color [CC (b)]: 50 yards
4. Crochet Hook: 2.5 mm
5. Stitch Markers: 6 nos.
6. Tapestry Needle to weave in ends.

STITCHES AND TERMS:

1. Ch/ch: chain 2. yo: yarn over

3. st: stitch 4. Sts/sts: stitches
5. SLST: slip stitch 6. HDC: Half Double Crochet
7. SC: Single Crochet 8. RM: Remove Marker
9. SC2tog: Single Crochet 2 stitches tog (decrease) 10. PM: Place marker
11. BOR: Beginning of Round 12.

SAKURA – 2020 DESIGN BY RAMALAKSHMI VERVECROCHETART

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WORKING FROM BOTTOM UP, IN CONTINUOUS ROUNDS.

ROUND 1:
• Using MC, ch 45, SC in the 3rd ch from the hook and mark it as 1st SC. NOTE: the 3 corner sts will be
made in the skipped 2nd turning ch, at the end of the round.
• SC in the next 41 ch, (mark the last SC made as the 42 nd SC). (42 SC).
• 3 SC in the last ch (NOTE: the increases will be made in these 3 corner sts). Turn your work to start
working back in the bottom of the 42 SC.
• SC in the bottom of each of the 42 SC (mark the 1st and 42nd SC).
• 3 SC in the skipped 2nd ch at the beginning of the round. (NOTE: the increases will be made in these
3 corner sts). Total (90 SC).

❖ NOTE: End of each round, SLST into the 1 st SC, ch-1 and work the 1st SC in the same st.
REMOVE MARKER, WORK SC AND REPLACE THE MARKER FOR EACH OF THE 4 MARKED
SC, FOR EVERY ROUND.

ROUND 2:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, 2 SC in each of the next 3 SC*. Turn the work around and repeat * *. Total (96 SC).

ROUND 3:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, (2 SC in next SC, SC in next SC) 3 times*. Turn the work around and repeat * *.
Total (102 SC).

ROUND 4:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, (SC in next SC, 2 SC in next SC, SC in next SC) 3 times*. Turn the work around and
repeat * *. Total (108 SC).

ROUND 5:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, (2 SC in next SC, SC in next 3 SC) 3 times*. Turn the work around and repeat * *.
Total (114 SC).

ROUND 6:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, (SC in next 2 SC, 2 SC in next SC, SC in next 2 SC) 3 times*. Turn the work around and
repeat * *. Total (120 SC).

ROUND 7:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, (2 SC in next SC, SC in next 5 SC) 3 times*. Turn the work around and repeat * *.
Total (126 SC).

ROUND 8:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, (SC in next 3 SC, 2 SC in next SC, SC in next 3 SC) 3 times*. Turn the work around and
repeat * *. Total (132 SC).

ROUND 9:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, (2 SC in next SC, SC in next 7 SC) 3 times*. Turn the work around and repeat * *.
Total (138 SC)

SAKURA – 2020 DESIGN BY RAMALAKSHMI VERVECROCHETART

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ROUND 10:

*SC in each of the 42 SC, (SC in next 4 SC, 2 SC in next SC, SC in next 4 SC) 3 times*. Turn the work around and
repeat * *. SLST into the 1st SC with CC (a). Total (144 SC).

ROUND 11:

❖ NOTE: Retain the 1st marker to denote BOR.

Ch-1, SC in the same st, SC in each of the remaining 143 SC. Drop the loop, insert hook from behind the 1st SC,
pick up the dropped loop and pull through. Total (144 SC)

ROUND 12:

❖ NOTE: Camel stitch: work into the 3rd loop of the SC, found behind the 2 loops of the st.
Video support: CAMEL STITCH

Ch 1 (does not count as a st/sp), HDC in the 3rd loop of the same st, HDC in the 3rd loop of next 5 SC, (HDC in next
SC, ch-1, HDC in next SC), *HDC in the 3rd loop of next 6 SC, (HDC in next SC, ch-1, HDC in next SC)* around.
Total 144 HDC – (108 HDC in the 3rd loop, 36 HDC/18 pairs of HDC, 18 ch-1 sp). Drop the loop, insert hook from
behind the 1st HDC, pick up the dropped loop and pull through.

❖ NOTE: Mark the 2 HDC sts with the ch-1 in between. The SAKURA /cherry blossoms will be worked
using these sts with the ch-1 sp, in round 14. The 108 HDC worked in the 3rd loop and the 36 HDC, will be
referred to as sts in the next round.

ROUND 13:

Ch-1, SC in the 3rd loop of the same st, SC in the 3rd loop of the next 6 sts, skip ch-1 sp, SC in the 3rd loop of the
next 8 sts, skip ch-1 sp* around, SC in the 3rd loop of the last st. Join with a SLST with MC. Total (144 SC in 3rd
loop).

ROUND 14:

❖ NOTE: 18 SAKURA (cherry blossoms) will be worked in the 18 pairs of HDC with the ch-1 sp in
between, of round 12. SAKURA will be worked with CC (b).

Working the SAKURA: *Attach CC (b) in the ch-1 sp between the marked HDC sts. Ch-1(does not count as st/sp),
SC in the same place, working anti-clockwise, 2 SC around the post of the 2nd marked HDC, 2 SC around the post of
the 1st marked HDC, SLST into the back loop of the 1st SC – mark/note this SLST, ch-1, (SC, 3 HDC, SC) in the
same back loop, [SLST into the BLO of next SC, ch-1 (SC, 3 HDC, SC) in the same back loop] 4 times. Drop the
loop, insert hook from behind the marked SLST, pick up the dropped loop and pull through, ch-1 to secure, cut the
thread. Insert hook from the wrong-side and pull the beginning, and, end stragglers and knot them together to
secure*. Repeat * * for the remaining 17 SAKURAS, using the remaining 17 pairs of HDC with the ch-1 in
between.

ROUND 15:

MOSS STITCH to be worked in the round. Always PM at the beginning of the round.

a. Ch-1 (does not count as st/sp) SC in the same st, ch-1, *(skip next SC, SC in next SC, ch-1)* around.
SLST into the 1st SC. Total (72 SC, 72 ch-1 spaces).

SAKURA – 2020 DESIGN BY RAMALAKSHMI VERVECROCHETART

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b. *Drop the loop, insert hook from behind the ch-1 space, into the BACK LOOP OF THE CHAIN (ensure
hook is in front of the working thread), pick up the dropped loop and pull through, ch-1 (does not count as
st/sp), SC in the same ch-1 space, PM, (ch-1, skip next SC, (SC in next ch-1 sp) around (NOTE: do not
make the final ch-1). Join with a SLST into the FRONT LOOP of the 1st SC*. (72 SC, 71 ch-1 sp) Repeat
* * 36 times, (working the final SC of each round, between the last and first stitch of the previous round
and SLST into the FRONT LOOP of the 1st SC).
c. *Drop the loop, insert hook from behind the ch-1 space (ensure hook is in front of the working thread), pick
up the dropped loop and pull through, ch-1(does not count as st/sp), SC in the same ch-1 space, PM, ch-1,
(skip next SC, SC in next ch-1 sp, ch-1) around. SLST into the 1st SC. Total (72 SC, 72 ch-1 sp).

ROUND 16:

Ch-1, SC in the same st, SC in the next ch-1 sp, (SC in next SC, SC in next ch-1 sp) 4 times. SC2tog using next SC
and next ch-1 sp, *(SC in next SC, SC in next ch-1 sp) 5 times. SC2tog using next SC and next ch-1 sp * around.
Do not SLST to join. Total (132 SC).

ROUND 17:

❖ NOTE: RM, work the 1st SC and replace marker to mark the BOR.

*SC in 9 SC, SC2tog using next 2 SC* around. Total (120 SC).

ROUND 18:

SC in each of the 120 sts, around. Total (120 SC).

ROUND 19:

*SC in 8 SC, SC2tog using next 2 SC* around. Total (108 SC).

ROUND 20:

*SC in 7 SC, SC2tog using next 2 SC* around. Join with a SLST into the 1st SC. Total (96 SC).

ROUND 21:

SC in each of the 96 sts, around. Ch-1 to secure and cut the thread. Total (96 SC).

ROW 22:

❖ NOTE: Lay the bag flat, find the right-side corner and place 2 stitch markers in 2 stitches. Count 46
stitches and place 2 stitch markers in the next 2 stitches. (4 sts on 4 markers, 2 in each corner, 46 SC for
the front and 46 SC for the back between the stitch markers). Front and back will be worked separately
using the 46 stitches.
➢ Beginning SC2tog – ch-1, insert hook in the same st and pull up a loop, insert hook in next st and pull up a
loop, yo and pull through all loops on the hook.

*Attach thread in 1st SC (SC after the marker), beginning SC2tog, SC across the next 42 SC, SC2tog using the last 2
sts, ch-1, turn. (2 SC2tog, 42 SC).
SC in the SC2tog, SC in next 42 SC, SC in next SC2tog, ch-1, turn. (44 SC).
SC2tog, SC across the next 40 SC, SC2tog using the last 2 SC, ch-1, turn. (2 SC2tog, 40 SC).
SC in the SC2tog, SC in next 40 SC, SC in next SC2tog, ch-1, turn. (42 SC). PM in the 16th stitch*.

STEP 1: SC in next 13 SC, SC2tog using next 2 SC, ch-1, turn (13 SC, 1 SC2tog)
STEP 2: SC in the SC2tog, SC across remaining 13 SC, ch-1, turn (14 SC).
STEP 3: SC in 12 SC, SC2tog using next 2 sts, ch-1, turn (12 SC, 1 SC2tog)

SAKURA – 2020 DESIGN BY RAMALAKSHMI VERVECROCHETART

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STEP 4: SC in the SC2tog, SC in 12 SC, ch-1, turn (13 SC)
STEP 5: SC in each of the 13 SC, ch-1, turn (13 SC)
Repeat STEP 5 till work measures 3.5 inches from this row. Cut the thread.
skip 12 stitches from marker placed in the 16th st (including the st on the marker, and attach thread).
STEP 6: Beginning SC2tog, SC in next 13 SC, ch-1, turn (1 SC2tog, 13 SC)
STEP 7: SC in 13 SC, SC in SC2tog, ch-1, turn (14 SC)
STEP 8: Beginning SC2tog, SC in next 12 SC, ch-1, turn (1 SC2tog, 12 SC)
STEP 9: SC in 12 SC, SC in SC2tog, ch-1, turn (13 SC)
STEP 10: SC in each of the 13 SC, ch-1, turn (13 SC)
Repeat STEP 10 till work measures 10” from this row.

. TURN THE BAG and Repeat * *

Repeat STEPS 1 – 4. Cut the thread leaving 8” tail.

skip 12 stitches from marker (including the st on the marker and attach thread).
Repeat STEPS 6 – 9. Cut the thread leaving 8” tail.

Turn the bag inside out and using a tapestry needle, join the 2 handle strips to the corresponding, matching
13 SC on the opposite side.

FINISHING:

STEP 1: Remove the 2 stitch markers on the right-side corner of the bag, attach thread, beginning SC2tog
using these 2 SC, work SC in the edge st of each row till the 1st SC2tog. Join with a SLST. Cut the thread
and weave in the ends.
STEP 2: Repeat STEP 1 for the other corner.
STEP 3: RM, attach thread in the marked 16th stitch of round 22, ch-1, beginning SC, SC in next 11 SC, SC
in each of the edge sts around till you reach the marker on the other side, RM, SC in the next 12 SC, SC in
each of the edge sts around till you reach the beginning SC. SLST into the beginning SC. Cut the thread
and weave in the ends.

SIZE OF THE FINISHED BAG

SAKURA – 2020 DESIGN BY RAMALAKSHMI VERVECROCHETART