The Pearls of the Sea Raffia Tote uses an easy join-as-you-go method to connect circular motifs into gentle diagonal stripes. Inspired by ocean treasures and sun-washed shores, this lightweight bag features pearl beads in soft shades of blue and green, adding a delicate, seaside touch. Crocheted in raffia for a sturdy, natural texture, it’s a fun and functional project—perfect for beach days, market trips, or adding a bit of coastal charm to your everyday style.
Time: Weekend Project
Skill Level: Intermediate
Finished Size: 13.5 inches H x 13.5 inches W, excluding handles
Gauge: Approximately 20 sts and 16 rows = 4” [10 cm] in Sc after blocking
Materials
Yarn: Papermart 1/4-inch wide matte raffia (100% rayon; 100 yards per spool): #4434857 oatmeal, 5 rolls
Hook: US size C/2/2.75 mm
Notions:
8mm glass pearl beads: #L8166CL electric blue, 30; #L8167CL teal blue, 28; #L7979CL white, 28; #L8306CL green, 28; #L8168CL light blue, 16; and #L8308CL mint green, 14 from www.firemountaingems.com
WCF001 wool felt #0537 blue bayou, 1/2 yd from www.nationalnonwovens.com
St markers, scissors and measuring tape, tapestry needle, hand steamer and blocking supplies, hand sewing needle, turquoise and beige thread, dental floss threader
Special Stitches
Slide bead (sb): Slide bead up close to base of hook, length lp on hook to height of bead, yarn under hook and pull lp up through lp on hook.
Beg cluster stitch (beg CL): With lp on hook, [yo, insert hook in indicated lp of sb, yo, pull up lp, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook] 2 times, yo, pull through all 3 lps on hook.
Cluster stitch (CL): [Yo, insert hook in indicated lp of sb, yo, pull up lp, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook] 3 times, yo, pull through all 4 lps on hook.
End cluster st (end CL): [Yo, insert hook in indicated place, yo, pull up lp, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook] twice, sk next 2 chs above bead, insert hook in next ch, yo, pull lp up through all lps on hook.
Double crochet join (dc join): With lp on hook, yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, pull up lp, [yo, pull through 2 lps on hook] twice.
Slip stitch join (sl st join): With lp on hook, insert hook in indicated st, yo, pull lp up through lp on hook.
Pattern Notes
Upper chain loop: When making cluster sts do not stitch over yarn going through bead, insert hook in upper chain loop of slide bead on row 1 for upper flower halves and in rem unworked chain loop of slide bead on row 2 for lower flower halves.
Pattern
Beginning Beaded Flower Unit
Upper Row (Upper flower half): Beg at upper half, use dental floss threader to thread 18 beads beg with color at left side edge and following bead color placement chart from left to right, leaving an 8” beg yarn tail, make a slip knot and place on hook, ch 3, [sb (see Special Stitches), ch 6] 18 times, sb, ch 3, beg CL (see Special Stitches) in upper ch lp (see Pattern Notes) of first sb, ch 3, [CL (see Special Stitches) in same ch lp, ch 3] twice, place a st marker in ch-3 sp bet last 2 CL made, end CL, (see Special Stitches) in same place (upper half of flower made), insert hook under same ch where last end cl was made, yo, pull lp up through lp on hook to create a sl st, sk next 3 chs, *beg CL in upper lp of next sb, ch 3, [CL in same place, ch 3] twice, place a st marker in ch-3 sp bet last 2 CL made, end CL in same place, insert hook under same ch where last end cl was made, yo, pull lp through lp on hook to create a sl st, sk next 3 chs,* rep from * to * across to within last bead, beg CL in upper lp of last sb, ch 3, [CL in same place, ch 3] twice, place a st marker in ch-3 sp bet last 2 CL made, end CL in same place inserting hook in last ch to complete end CL. (18 upper flower halves)
Lower Row (Lower flower half): Working along opposite side of Upper Row, ch 3, [CL in rem unworked lp of first sb, ch 3] twice, inserting hook in center of next sl st bet upper flowers, yo, pull lp up through lp on hook to complete as a sl st (lower half of flower made), *ch 3, [CL in rem unworked lp of next sb, ch 3] twice, inserting hook in center of next sl st, yo, pull lp up through lp on hook to complete as a sl st, ** rep from * to ** across, ending with last sl st in top of beg cl of Row 1. Fasten off. (18 lower flower halves)
Next Beaded Flower Unit
Upper Row: Thread beads following bead placement chart for next row, rep Upper Row of First Beaded Flower Unit.
Joining Lower Row: Working along opposite side of last row, ch 3, CL in unworked lp of first sb, ch 1, holding work directly above row 1 of previous Beaded Flower Unit, sl st in marked ch-3 sp to join to prev Beaded Flower Unit, ch 1, CL in same place where last CL was made, ch 3, inserting hook in center of next sl st, yo, pull lp up through lp on hook to complete as a sl st, *ch 3, CL in unworked lp of next sb, ch 1, sl st in next marked ch-3 sp of prev Beaded Flower Unit, ch 1, CL in same place where last cl was made, ch 3, inserting hook in center of next sl st, yo, pull lp up through lp on hook to complete as a sl st,* rep from * to * across, ending last sl st in top of beg CL of Upper Row. Fasten off.
3rd-8th Beaded Flower Units
[Rep Upper Row & Joining Lower Row as for 2nd flower unit] 6 times following color chart for bead colors of each row.
Place a st marker in first flower motif of 8th beaded flower unit to mark top right-side edge of tote.
Block (optionally with hand steamer) rectangle to 13 inches H x 27 inches L and allow to dry.
Assembly
- Fold rectangle in half width-wise with RS together, use tapestry needle and ending yarn tails to sew ends of first and last flower motif of each beaded flower unit together to create side seam and form a tube. Turn tube RS out.
Top Border
Rnd 1: With RS of tote top right side edge facing, working only in ch-3 spaces of upper row of 8th beaded flower unit, dc join (see Special Stitches) in first ch-3 sp just above side seam of first flower, ch 1, 2 sc in next ch-3 sp of same flower, ch 1, dc in next ch-3 sp of same flower, [ch 2, dc in ch-3 sp of next flower, ch 1, 2 sc in next ch-3 sp of same flower, ch 1, dc in next ch-3 sp of same flower] around, join in top of beg dc. (72 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in first st, [sc in next ch-1 sp, sc in next 2 sts, sc in next ch-1 sp, sc in next st, 2 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in next st] around, join in beg sc, place a st marker in beg sc. Fasten off. (144 sts)
Bottom Border
Rows 1-2: With RS of tote bottom edge facing, working only in ch-3 sps of joining lower row of first beaded flower unit, rep rows 1 & 2 of Top Border.
Facing
Rnd 1: Ch 144, join to form a ring, ch 3, dc in each ch around, join to top of beg ch-3. (144 dc)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in each st around, join in top of beg ch-3. Fasten off.
Handle
Make 2.
Row 1: Ch 141, working in back bar (see Illustration), sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (140 sc)
Row 2: Working in back lp of sts, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.
Row 3: Working in front lp of sts, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.
Row 4: Rep row 2, do not turn at end of row,
Edging: Working across short end, *ch 1, work 5 sc evenly spaced* to opposite side of foundation ch, working under both lps of foundation chs, ch 1, sl st in each st across to opposite short end, rep from * to * once across short end, working in sts of row 4, sl st in each st across. Fasten off. (280 sl sts, 10 sc)
Block each handle to 1-inch W x 29-inches L and allow to thoroughly dry.
Lining
Use scissors and ruler to cut a 13.5-inch H x 27-inch L rectangle from felt.
Fold one short end of felt over opposite short end overlapping by 3/4-inch to form a tube, use hand sewing needle and turquoise thread to whipstitch cut edge to felt. Whipstitch cut end on opposite side of felt to secure and create a lapped seam.
Finishing
With Tote top edge RS facing, insert lining inside tote having lining top edge even with 3rd bar of row 2 sts of Top Border, use needle and beige thread to whipstitch lining top edge to 3rd bar of sts on WS of Tote.
With Tote bottom edge RS facing, whipstitch lining in same manner to 3rd bar of sts of row 2 of Bottom Border on WS of Tote.
With Tote top edge RS facing, place short ends of one Handle to WS of tote 3/4-inch below top edge and approximately 3-inches in from side edges, use needle and beige thread to whipstitch ends to lining. Rep to sew rem handle to opposite side of tote.
Place top of row 2 of Facing even with row 2 of Tote Border having WS together, working through both layers of Tote Border and Facing and through Handles where needed, sl st join (see Pattern Notes) in marked Border st, sl st in each st around, join in beg sl st. Fasten off. (144 sl sts)
Fold row 2 of Tote bottom border WS together, working through both layers, sl st in each st across. Fasten off. (72 sl sts)