The perfect spring summer project, a crochet bag pattern using the alpine stitch! I love it in this mustard yellow, obviously, but would love to see this in other summery colours.
This bag can be a long or short shoulder / cross body bag with a flat base as the long strap can be made adjustable, or customised to your own preferred length.
You can get the ad free PDF download over on Ravelry or Etsy below.
Bags make great summer crochet patterns, working up quick and making use of cotton and other fibres to make a change from the warm woollies.
Crochet Bag Pattern
This crochet bag pattern is most well suited to an intermediate crochet skill level, as there are a few stitches that can be fiddly or may be unfamiliar. I definitely wouldn’t say a beginner couldn’t do a great job though!
Cotton is perfect for this, I used the DK Cotton Blend from Hobbycraft but other types would be perfectly fine. You can change the weight, just being mindful that you will end up with a larger or smaller finished bag as a result.
Materials
- <1 100g skein of worsted weight cotton yarn
- 4.0, 5.0mm hooks (5.5 also recommended but not essential). I use and love these rose gold ones!
- Scissors and needle for finishing. These stork scissors are my fave.
- A zip (or alternative closing), approx 10″ if you follow my pattern
- Optional inner lining or solid base (stitches are quite tight so not required)
Stitches used (US terms):
- Half Double Crochet
- Alpine Stitch
-
- Includes SC, DC and FPDC
- Tutorial can be found here
- Stitches in the 3rd loop
- Double Crochet 2 Together
Abbreviations and conversions
| US | UK |
| Half Double Crochet (HDC) | Half Treble Crochet (HTR) |
| Single Crochet (SC) | Double Crochet (DC) |
| Double Crochet (DC) | Treble Crochet (TR) |
| Front Post Double Crochet (FPDC) | Front Post Treble Crochet (FPTR) |
| Double Crochet 2 Together (DC2TOG) | Treble Crochet 2 Together (TR2TOG) |
| Slip Stitch (SS) | |
|
Chain (CH) |
Stitch count will be 94 for each row unless otherwise specified in brackets.
Crochet Bag Pattern
Row 1 – With your 4.0mm hook, CH36. Work 1 HDC in the 2nd CH from hook and to the end of the row (35).
Row 2 – CH1, 1 HDC in each stitch (35).
Rows 3 to 12 – Repeat row 2.
Row 13 – Change to 5.0mm hook. CH1, work 1 SC in the next 35 (one length of the rectangle base).Turn down the side and work 1 SC in each row for the next 12 (the short side of the base). Continue the rest of the row in this way (94).
Row 14 – CH2, 1 DC in each .
Row 15 – CH1, 1 SC ineach.
Row 16 – Work a row of Alpine Stitch – CH2, starting with DC, alternate 1 DC in the next SC and 1 FPDC in the next DC of the row below.
Row 17 – CH1, 1 SC in each.
Row 18 – Alpine Stitch (as per row 16)
Row 19 – CH2, 1 DC in each.
Row 20 – SC in the 3rd loop of each stitch around.
Row 21 – CH2, 1 DC in each.
Row 22 – SC in the 3rd loop of each stitch around.
Row 23 – CH2, 1 DC in each.
Row 24 – CH2, 1 DC in each.
Row 25 – Alpine stitch.
Row 26 – CH1, SC in each.
Row 27 – Alpine stitch.
Row 28 – CH1, SC in each.
Row 29 – Alpine stitch.
Row 30 – Change to 4.0mm hook. Work 1 DC in the next 35 (down the long side). DC2TOG over next 12 (down the short side). Repeat for the remaining 2 sides.
Finishthe body of the bag here.
Using the 5.5mm hook if possible, crochet a cord in your preferred style for the strap. A tutorial for the one I used can be found here.
You can make this to your preferred length, or join the strap as in the pictures below to provide an adjustable length strap.
You can choose to pinch in the short edges and stitch them to keep the finished bag in a squared shape, or leave them unfolded for a more relaxed shape.
