Crocheted Project Bag
Learn to crochet by whipping up a beginner-friendly crocheted project bag! I designed this bag after finding some unloved cotton yarn in my stash and deciding to make something with it that was simple but very usable. If you’re new to crochet don’t worry, the project only requires a few easy stitches. Once it’s finished, you can use your new crocheted project bag to store the other small crafts you’re working on!
Watch the video tutorial for a walk-through of how to make your own Crocheted Project Bag!
Finished Dimensions
Approximately 22” / 56cm in width (diameter) and 14.5” / 37cm in length when laid flat, from center of crocheted project bag base to folded edge of drawstring channels.
Yarn
DK weight / 8ply cotton yarn.
Approximate yardages
COLOUR BLOCKED VERSION
Colour A: 199yds / 182m / 75g
Colour B: 305yds / 279m / 115g
STRIPED VERSION
Colour A: 199yds / 182m / 75g
Colour B: 199yds / 182m / 75g
Colour C: 106yds / 97m / 40g
Colour Blocked sample was crocheted with 4 Seasons Flinders Cotton 8ply (100% cotton, 126yds / 115m per 50g) in colourways Old Gold (brown – Colour A) and Pale Pink (pink – Colour B).
Striped sample was crocheted with Bendigo Woollen Mills Cotton 8ply (100% cotton, 530yds / 485m per 200g) in colourways Glacier (grey – Colour A), Parchment (cream – Colour B) and French Navy (blue – Colour C).
You can make this bag in other types or weights of yarn too if you’d like to experiment – just note that the size and yardage requirements of your project may be affected!
Hook
US size E / 4 / 3.5mm, OR size to obtain gauge.
Notions
– At least 2 removable stitch markers (see 3rd note below)
– Scissors
– Tapestry needle
– Rope / ribbon for drawstring. Cotton rope or twill tape are great choices. Samples each used approximately 68” / 170cm of macramé cord (approximately 0.25” / 3.5mm in diameter).
*Please don’t wear or carry the bag by the drawstrings for lengths of time or with any heavy weight in it – you don’t want the drawstrings digging into your skin or shoulders! Always keep drawstrings away from young children and pets who could become entangled in them as drawstrings can pose a strangulation hazard.*
Gauge
25.75 stitches x 23.25 rounds = 4”/ 10cm square in back leg-only single crochet fabric, worked in the round and relaxed after blocking.
Notes
1) This pattern uses US crochet terminology.
2) The bag base and body are worked from the bottom up in a spiral, therefore you do not need to join your rounds. The drawstring channels are worked flat at the top of the bag, then are folded over and whip stitched in place to house the drawstrings.
3) Use the removable stitch markers to mark your beginning of round point and count the number of rounds / rows you’ve worked wherever they’ll help throughout the pattern.
Abbreviations
ch: chain
hdc: half double crochet (yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, draw hook to front of work, yarn over, draw this yarn over through furthest 3 loops on the hook)
rnd / rnds: round / rounds
RS: right side
sc: single crochet (insert hook, yarn over, draw hook to front of work, yarn over, draw this yarn over through furthest 2 loops on the hook)
sl st: slip stitch (insert hook, yarn over, draw hook to front of work and bring yarn over through the furthest loop on the hook)
st / sts: stitch / stitches
( ): repeat instructions within brackets the specified number of times
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Crocheted Project Bag
Directions
BASE
Use Colour A.
Make a magic ring. Ch 1.
Rnd 1: 8 sc into magic ring, then pull tail of yarn tight to close the center hole. Do not count first ch as a st.
Note: Throughout the base and body of the bag, crochet only into the back leg of each st!
Rnd 2: Skip first ch, sc twice in each st. 16 sts
Rnd 3: (Sc in next st, sc twice in next st) 8 times. 24 sts
Rnd 4: Sc in next st, sc twice in next st, (sc in next 2 sts, sc twice in next st) 7 times, sc in next st. 32 sts
Rnd 5: (Sc in next 3 sts, sc twice in next st) 8 times. 40 sts
Rnd 6: Sc in next 2 sts, sc twice in next st, (sc in next 4 sts, sc twice in next st) 7 times, sc in next 2 sts. 48 sts
Rnd 7: (Sc in next 5 sts, sc twice in next st) 8 times. 56 sts
Rnd 8: Sc in next 3 sts, sc twice in next st, (sc in next 6 sts, sc twice in next st) 7 times, sc in next 3 sts. 64 sts
Rnd 9: (Sc in next 7 sts, sc twice in next st) 8 times. 72 sts
Rnd 10: Sc in next 4 sts, sc twice in next st, (sc in next 8 sts, sc twice in next st) 7 times, sc in next 4 sts. 80 sts
Rnd 11: (Sc in next 9 sts, sc twice in next st) 8 times. 88 sts
Rnd 12: Sc in next 5 sts, sc twice in next st, (sc in next 10 sts, sc twice in next st) 7 times, sc in next 5 sts. 96 sts
Rnd 13: (Sc in next 11 sts, sc twice in next st) 8 times. 104 sts
Rnd 14: Sc in next 6 sts, sc twice in next st, (sc in next 12 sts, sc twice in next st) 7 times, sc in next 6 sts. 112 sts
Rnd 15: (Sc in next 13 sts, sc twice in next st) 8 times. 120 sts
Rnd 16: Sc in next 7 sts, sc twice in next st, (sc in next 14 sts, sc twice in next st) 7 times, sc in next 7 sts. 128 sts
Rnd 17: (Sc in next 15 sts, sc twice in next st) 8 times. 136 sts
Rnd 18: Sc in next 8 sts, sc twice in next st, (sc in next 16 sts, sc twice in next st) 7 times, sc in next 8 sts. 144 sts
BODY
Sc in each st for 24 rnds.
COLOUR BLOCKED VERSION
Change to Colour B. (See video tutorial for how we like to do this with a minimized jog between the stripes)
Sc in each st for 36 rnds.
STRIPED VERSION
Change to Colour B. (See video tutorial for how we like to do this with a minimized jog between the stripes)
Sc in each st for 6 rnds.
Change to Colour C.
Sc in each st for 6 rnds.
Repeat last 2 stripes of colour twice more.
ALL VERSIONS
Finish off bag body with a sl st in final color. Break yarn and draw through final loop on hook to secure.
DRAWSTRING CHANNELS
Throughout the drawstring channels, your “ch 2” turning chain counts as a st.
FIRST CHANNEL
With RS of bag body still facing, skip the first 36 sts of the rnd (this will move your colour change position to the back of the bag). Prepare to rejoin Colour B.
Row 1 (RS): Insert hook in back leg of next st, ch 2. Hdc in back leg of next 71 sts. Turn work.
Note: From hereon in, you will be crocheting in both legs of each st!
Rows 2–10: Ch 2, hdc in next 71 sts. Turn work.
Break yarn, leaving a tail of approximately 28” / 70cm, and draw through final loop on hook to secure. Fold final edge of drawstring channel towards the inside of the bag. Whip stitch the final edge of the drawstring channel to the first worked row of hdc stitches, ensuring your stitching doesn’t appear on the outside of the bag.
SECOND CHANNEL
Locate the bag body st where you worked the final hdc in your first row of the first drawstring channel. Prepare to rejoin Colour B.
Work Rows 1–10 and sewing instructions of second drawstring channel as for the first.
Weave in any remaining loose ends of yarn. Remove any remaining markers.
DRAWSTRINGS
Cut 2 pieces of rope or ribbon, each approximately 34” / 85cm in length.
Tie a knot in 1 end of each piece of rope / ribbon. Optional: attach a lockable stitch marker to each knot too. Orientate bag so that the base is pointing towards you and the RS of the fabric is facing out.
Leaving a small length poking out, thread the first rope / ribbon up through the left opening of one of the drawstring channels, then down through the left opening of the other drawstring channel, using the knot and marker to help you wiggle the rope / ribbon through. Undo your knot and remove marker if used, then knot both ends of the rope / ribbon together to make 1 large loop that’s travelling through both drawstring channels.
Beginning at the opposite side of the bag to where the knotted ends of the first drawstring are located, thread the second rope / ribbon up through the right opening of one of the drawstring channels, then down through the right opening of the other drawstring channel. Again, use the knot and marker to help you wiggle the rope / ribbon through.
Remove marker if used and undo your knot, then knot both ends of the rope / ribbon together to make 1 large loop that’s travelling through both drawstring channels. You should now have 2 loops of rope / ribbon forming your drawstrings, knotted together at opposite sides of the bag.
Share your projects with us on social media using #TheSweaterCollective, and enjoy your completed crocheted project bag!
