Over-The-Shoulder Crochet Bag
This crochet shoulder bag can be used for carrying books, yarn, or as an everyday tote bag to hold your cell phone, wallet and other items. It is also the perfect size to use as a market bag for groceries and other items. You have the option to make the bag in one piece, or make the handles separately and attach them on the sides as desired.
Another option is to make one long strap that you can wear across the body allowing both hands to be free. That way you can go about your duty and not have to worry about it falling off. This is great if you have kids!
How it’s Crocheted
This bag is worked in one piece from the bottom up to the top, including the handles. It is worked in rounds throughout.
The Bottom: The bottom is started off with a long chain. You single crochet along one side of the chain, then turn to work on the opposite of the chains to make the start for a rectangle. If you’ve never done this before, here is a tutorial to help: Working on Opposite Side of Chain
Once you have the first round done, you simply continue to work in a rectangle making an increase at each corner in each round. You can adjust the size of the bag by doing more or less rounds here.
The Body: The stitch pattern for the body is simply a shell stitch worked into and in between loops. It’s a nice lace that will work as a beach bag or as an everyday bag if you add a liner to it.
It is a multiple of 8 in case you want to adjust the size of your bag.
The Handles: The handles are also super easy to crochet and are worked right into the bag so there is no fastening off and sewing. It’s the easiest way to add handles to any bag.
To begin your handles, lay the bag flat so that the stitches are even. Your seam may spiral in all different directions, but that’s okay. Where your seam is at this point, does not matter.
Then all you do is mark off how far you want to crochet into the bag before leaving an opening in the handles. The image below is an example of where to place your markers. The stitches in the middle, in between the markers on each side, are left unworked for the handles.
The length of the handles are easy to adjust simply by doing more or less chains in the first round for the handles. See a more detailed tutorial here along with a formula that you can use for size bag: How to Make Crochet Bag Handles
The Yarn
The bag pictured is made in a worsted weight cotton and crocheted up in 5 mm hook size. Cotton yarn is much sturdier and will generally longer than acrylic yarns. But, if you choose to line your bag, then any acrylic yarn should work well too.
Lining Your Bag
Lining your bag is optional, but doing so will make it that much stronger!
You can line the bag by following this bag lining tutorial. The tutorial should work with any sized bag. It also shows how to insert a zipper, which you can definitely do on this bag as well.
Other Tote Bag Patterns
- Moss Stitch Beginner Crochet Bag
- Single Crochet Bag
- Crochet Bag Pattern – Lacy Textures
- Blossom Crochet Beach Bag Pattern
- Bouncy Bubbly Tote
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Over-The-Shoulder Crochet Bag
Skill Level
Materials
- Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Worsted Weight, #4; 100% Cotton; 400g/14oz; 650 meters/710yds) Color: Robin Egg, 1 ball
- Crochet Hook: H 5.00mm
- Other: Measuring Tape, Scissors, Yarn Needle.
Measurements
- Gauge (Taken on bottom of bag): 10 sc sts = 3".
- Finished Size (Laid Flat): 17.5" wide by 15.5" high not counting the handles.
Abbreviations
- Ch/Chs = Chain/Chains
- Dc = Double Crochet
- FO = Fasten Off
- Hdc = Half Double Crochet
- Hk = Hook
- Rep = Repeat
- Rnd/Rnds = Round/Rounds
- Sc = Single Crochet
- Sc2tog = Single Crochet 2 Together
- Sk = Skip
- Sl St = Slip Stitch
- Sp/Sps = Space/Spaces
- St/Sts = Stitch/Stitches
Notes
- This pattern provides you with two options for the handles.
- With the first option, you can make the bag in one piece, handles and all.
- And with the second option, you have the choice of making one or two straps and to attach them as desired.
- Either way, it is advised to add a bag lining along with an optional zipper.
Instructions
- Rnd 1: Loosely ch 28, sc in 2nd ch from hook and into next 25 chs, 3 sc in last ch. Working on opposite side of starting chs, sc in free lps of next 25 chs, 2 sc in last ch; join with sl st in first sc. [56 sts]
- Rnd 2: Ch 1, 3 sc in same st as join, * sc in next 25 sts, 3 sc in next st, sc in next st*, 3 sc in next st; rep from * to * once; join with sl st in first sc. [64 sts]
- Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, * 3 sc in next st, sc in next 27 sts, 3 sc in next st*, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to * once, then sc in last 2 sts; join with sl st in first sc. [72 sts]
- Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into next st, * 3 sc in next st, sc in next 29 sts, 3 sc in next st*, sc in next 5 sts; rep from * to * once, then sc in last 3 sts; join with sl st in first sc. [80 sts]
- Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into next 2 sts, * 3 sc in next st, sc in next 31 sts, 3 sc in next st*, sc in next 7 sts; rep from * to * once, then sc in last 4 sts; join with sl st in first sc. [88 sts]
- Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into next 3 sts, * 3 sc in next st, sc in next 33 sts, 3 sc in next st*, sc in next 9 sts; rep from * to * once, then sc in last 5 sts; join with sl st in first sc. [96 sts]
- Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into next 4 sts, * 3 sc in next st, sc in next 35 sts, 3 sc in next st*, sc in next 11 sts; rep from * to * once, then sc in last 6 sts; join with sl st in first sc. [104 sts]
- Rnd 8: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into next 5 sts, * 3 sc in next st, sc in next 37 sts, 3 sc in next st*, sc in next 13 sts; rep from * to * once, then sc in last 7 sts; join with sl st in first sc. [112 sts]
- Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into each st around; join with sl st in first sc. [112 sts]
- Rnd 10: Ch 1, (sc, ch 2) in same st as join, * sk next 2 sts, (sc, ch 3) in next st, (sc, ch 2) in next st; rep from * around to last 3 sts; sk next 2 sts, sc in last st, join with hdc in first sc (hdc counts as first ch-3 sp for next Rnd). [28 ch-3 sps and 28 ch-2 sps]
- Rnd 11: Ch 1, (sc, ch 3, sc) in first sp, * sk ch-2 sp, 6 dc in next ch-3 sp, sk ch-2 sp,** (sc, ch 3, sc) in next ch-3 sp; rep from * around ending last rep at **; join with sl st in first sc. [14 ch-3 sps and 14 groups of dc sts]
- Rnd 12: Sl st into ch-3 sp, ch 1, (sc, ch 3, sc, ch 2) in same sp, * skip next 3 sts, (sc, ch 3) in next st, (sc, ch 2) in next st, sk next 3 sts**, (sc, ch 3, sc, ch 2) in next ch-3 sp; rep from * around ending last rep at **; join with sl st to first sc. [28 ch-3 sps and 28 ch-2 sps]
- Rnd 13: Sl st into ch-3 sp, ch 1, (sc, ch 3, sc) in same sp, * sk ch-2 sp, 6 dc in next ch-3 sp, sk ch-2 sp,** (sc, ch 3, sc) in next ch-3 sp; rep from * around ending last rep at **; join with sl st in first sc. [14 ch-3 sps and 14 groups of dc]
- Ends 14-33: Repeat rnds 12 & 13.
- Rnd 34: Sl st into ch-3 sp, ch 1, 2 sc in same sp, * sc2tog, sc into next 4 dc, sc2tog**, 2 sc in ch-3 sp; rep from * around ending last rep at **, join with sl st in first sc. [112 sts]
- Rnd 35: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into each st around; join with sl st in first sc. [112 sts]
- Do not fasten off if you choose Option 1 for the handles.
- If you'd like to make straps and attach them to the sides as in Option 2, then do about 3 repeats of Rnd 35 before fastening off.
Handles – Option 1 – Making a Bag Strap
- Row 1: Ch 11, sc in second ch from hk and into each ch across.[10 sts] Turn.
- Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across. [10 sts] Turn.
- Rows 3-50: Rep Row 2 until you have reached a desired length for the strap. Make one or two and attach to your new bag as desired. For the bag below I made one long strap and attached it as shown. This way I could fling it over my head and wear it as a cross-body bag.
Option 2 – Continue to Work in One Piece
- Lay the bag flat to place your markers for the handles. Count over 18 sts on the sides of the bag and place stitch marker in 19th stitch. This leaves 20 sts marked off in the middle. Do the same on the other side. Stitch markers should align on each side of the bag. Do not crochet into the 20 stitches in the middle.
- Rnd 36: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into each st up to marked st, * loosely ch 60 (or any number depending on how long or short you want the handles), sk the 20 sts marked off in the middle*, sc in next 36 sts; rep from * to * once; then sc in remaining sts; join with sl st in first sc. [72 sts and 120 chs]
- Rnd 37: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into each st and ch around; join with sl st in first sc. [192 sts]
- Rnds 38-42: Ch 1, sc in same st as join and into each st around; join with sl st in first sc. [192 sts] Fasten Off.
- The video below shows how to work the handles in one piece.
Video
Cool bug thanks for letting me know how to make it. It will be Merry Christmas to my friends.