How to Make a Crochet Bag

Crocheted bags are easy to make and very useful. You can make them in any size you like. You can use different color yarns to change the look, and add some embellishments. You can use many different stitches to change the look and feel of your bag. Different types of yarn will also change the look and feel. For handles, you could crochet them or purchase wooden handles. You could even attach a zipper if you would like.

Terms you may need:
YO = yarn over
SC = single crochet
SS = slip stitch
DC = double crochet
HD = half double crochet
TC = treble crochet

Choose a needle size like J for your first one. It will work up fast and the practice will help you. Practice making your stitches the same size. If you are brand new to crochet, you may want to take a look at a how to video online, where they can show you step by step to make the basic stitches.

Tie a slipknot at the beginning of the yarn.
Attach that to your hook.

Chain 40 stitches (for a very small bag)
To make a chain stitch, Insert needle through last stitch, yarn over, and pull through.
To add on to your chain, turn and work back using a single crochet. To make a single crochet, insert your hook into the last stitch, yarn over and pull through stitch, then yarn over and pull through both. This will give you one single crochet. Continue across the chains back to the first stitch. When you reach the beginning again, chain one, turn, and single crochet all the way across again. Continue until you have the desired size.

For a small bag, continue with the single crochets until your piece is the length you would like. The way I figure this measurement is to double the measurement of the finished size and add enough rows to make a nice flap, or a small amount of rows that you could stitch under to make a pocket for a drawstring.

If four rows equals 1 inches, and you want your bag to be 10 inches, you would crochet 90 rows. 40 rows would be your front, 40 rows would be your back and the 10 rows would be your flap.

When you have completed 90 rows, fold in half, leaving the back side about 4 inches longer for your flap. Sew up both sides with slipstitch or needle and thread. End where the bag meets the flap.

Add a button or snap for a closure, or purchase wooden handles or other handles of your choice.

To make this bag without a flap, fold in half and seam together up both sides.

If you decide to make two straps out of the same yarn, sew about 4 to 6 rows the length of the strap you want. You can make a long one for over the shoulder, or two short ones for handles. For the long strap, attach one end of the strap to each side of the bag. For short handles, attach both ends of the handle to the inside front of the bag, and both ends of the other handle to the back inside the bag.

There are so many ways to make bags. If you make this small one, first for practice there is no limit to the possibilities. There is a vast assortment of free patterns online and at the library.

For a large useful bag, Chain to measure 14 inches. Single Crochet back to the beginning. Chain 2 and turn. Double Crochet the next row across. To make a double crochet, yarn over hook, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over and pull through last two loops. Continue the rest of the rows until it measures 42 inches. Finish off by cutting yarn and pulling through last loop until tight. Crochet in the end of the yarn into your completed work.

For the flap, fold up approximately 14 inches to the 28 inch position, stitch up both sides. The remaining 14 inches will be your large flap. Attach handles if you like. You can also add a button closure. Attach buttons, beads, lace, artificial flowers or anything else you might like.

Let your imagination run wild. Have fun with it.