Crochet Pattern: Red Alert Pocket

By Claire Ortega-Reyes – 20 Comments
No matter how wildly different they are from each other, women from every corner of the globe are bonded by that monthly event in their lives: the period.

What girl is unaware of the ups and downs this event brings? The most embarrassing part is when your napkin spills out of your purse at the most unexpected moment, thereby announcing to the rest of the world your current situation.

Fear no more, crocheting gals! Make this quick and easy pocket for your sandwich(es), for a more discreet storage option. This pocket is made using two squares with just five rounds each. Are you a maxi type of gal? Just increase the number of rows on both squares to make it larger. If done large enough, you can even use it for an actual sandwich, haha.

Skill Level: crochet skill level easy

Finished size: 4” wide x 4″ tall

Materials:
Less than one ball of size 10 thread
Size 0 (2.3) mm crochet hook
Needle
crochet yarn size 0

Gauge: 14 tr stitches x 5 tr rows = 2″

Need help understanding the abbreviations and symbols? Check out the crochet abbreviation chart!

Crochet Pattern: Red Alert Pocket

First Square

Round 1: make a magic adjustable ring, ch 3 (counts as tr here and throughout), 3 tr in ring, (ch 3, 4 tr) in ring three times, ch 1, hdc on top of first tr (ch 1 and hdc count as a ch-3 space), turn: 16 tr

Round 2: ch 3, tr in next ch-3 space, [tr in next 4 tr, (2 tr, ch 3, 2 tr) in next ch-3 space] three times, 2 tr in next ch-3 space, ch 1, hdc on top of first tr, turn: 32 tr

Round 3: ch 3, tr in next ch-3 space, [tr in next 8 tr, (2 tr, ch 3, 2 tr) in next ch-3 space] three times, 2 tr in next ch-3 space, ch 1, hdc on top of first tr, turn: 48 tr

Round 4: ch 3, tr in next ch-3 space, [tr in next 12 tr, (2 tr, ch 3, 2 tr) in next ch-3 space] three times, 2 tr in next ch-3 space, ch 1, hdc on top of first tr, turn: 64 tr

Round 5: ch 3, tr in next ch-3 space, [tr in next 16 tr, (2 tr, ch 3, 2 tr) in ch-3 space] three times, 2 tr in next ch-3 space, ch 3, sl st on top of first tr, finish off: 80 tr

Second Square

Rounds 1-5: make as first square, but do not finish off, turn

Round 6: ch 3, tr in next 19 tr, (3 tr in next ch-3 space, tr in next 20 tr) two times, finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing the two parts together: 86 tr

Finishing

Thread the long tail left off from the second square into your needle. Sew the second square to the first square, carefully matching the stitches from three sides of the first square to round 6 of the second square. Weave in all ends and enjoy!

I hope that was helpful! Just leave a comment below if you have any questions.

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20 Comments

  1. sarah says:

    Haven’t done a pad case, but I make a super simple tampax case out of sugar and cream yarn. At my last craft show, they were a huge seller once people knew what they were for!! I gave one to a friend of mine after her toddler daughter decided to start running around the youth center at church with a tampon ( from the diaper bag/mom’s purse) clutched in her hand. Most people think they are an eyeglass case 😉

  2. Allison says:

    I love it! And that is a good idea! Thanks for sharing.

  3. letrecivette says:

    Ohh..I love it! Great idea thanks!
    Monica

  4. Cami says:

    Why not? Great idea. 🙂

  5. heather says:

    Great idea! I use both kinds. Need the tampon pattern too!

  6. sarah says:

    @heather– shoot me an e-mail at [email protected] and I will write out the pattern for you. I usually kind of do it by sight.

  7. Valorie Davis says:

    Last year the ladies of our church make sanitary napkins (absorbent cloth) and bags for ladies in 3rd world countries. The napkins were made of layers of flannel with heavier cotton fabric quilted inside. I think 6 pads were placed in a drawstring bag. The women can rinse the pads out and reuse them.
    My grandma said that when she was growing up women would save rags to be used (and reused).
    On days I’m feeling sorry for myself – I have to remind myself of the ‘good old days’.

  8. wendy says:

    Not a question, but I thought you might like to hear an embarrassing “sanitary wear” related story. I don’t use the pads, but I have tampons in my bag. One day I was looking for something in my bag and pulled out my diary, flinging a tampon across the room where it hit my boss of the time in the face. Yes, it was a male boss.

  9. sarah says:

    @wendy– I would have wanted to die!

    I just hate when the wrappers get all ripped up…or your purse spills and everything is on the floor…or you accidentally pull out a tampon instead of a pen to write a check ( and the cashier is always a 17 year old kid).

  10. Shellie Dunn says:

    My Dad’s siamese cat used to love to dig out the sanitary napkins (unused) from under the bathroom sink and run around with them in her mouth — usually when we had guests. lol

  11. Kate says:

    This is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing this pattern; seems so quick and easy 🙂

  12. Ann says:

    This would also be great for those who don’t need sanitary products anymore but do need the Poise/Depends pads. Just follow the directions and add a couple of rows. The great thing is that as the need to go from the smaller pads to the more absorbant ones, you can adjust the pattern as needed. Thanks for a great idea!

  13. Lori says:

    This is a wonderful idea! I have already made three and gave one to my neighbor. I used
    worsted weight yarn, a size F crochet hook and some crochet block patterns from “200 Crochet Blocks for Blankets, Throws, and Afghans” by Jan Eaton. I checked this book out from the library.

    I’ll be making more. I’ll try making a tampon case, too. I don’t use tampons, but I’m sure I’ll find someone who does.

    Thanks for sharing the pattern.

    Blessings to you!

  14. heather says:

    Just finished making this and I love it! Thank you for the pattern. It is very lacy and pretty.

  15. Nadia says:

    I love this 🙂 I get so embarassed when I have to pull out a pad out of my bookbag at school so this is perfect!

  16. Metta says:

    Shellie, I can’t believe it! I thought I was the only one who had a Siamese cat like that! Once, long ago, I bought the huge size packages of pads, and kept them on the floor of the linen closet. One day I came home from work, opened the door, and the door kinda stuck on something. I pushed and pushed and when it finally opened, I realized it was stuck on a wad of fluffy stuff…and there were disemboweled pads all over the living room! I guess the door to the closet hadn’t completely latched that morning when I had put my day’s supply in my purse! There we also at least 10 or so intact pads in the closet that had been pulled out of the package, but had not yet been disemboweled. I was SO glad no-one was with me that day when I opened the door! Wonder if this is just a Siamese trait? I’ve always had cats, but none of the others has ever pulled this before or since!

  17. Cate says:

    Be glad they were un-used. I had a dog that like the used kind, and that’s all I’m gonna say. 🙁

  18. Karen says:

    I’m definately making one (or 3) for my daughter who will be starting high school this coming fall. I can color coordinate them to match her purses. Wonderful idea, thank you.

  19. Somehow I ended up here after clicking on a link from a more recent post with another purse. I am middle age and find the post very funny. Maybe because I wasn’t expecting this. Its a great cute and novel idea for those need this.

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