Crochet Missy’s Book Bag – Free Beginners Pattern

In between working on my granny wheel square blanket, I decided to start another project (I know I’m not the only one who does this!). This project is a fun and bright book bag/library bag/handbag, what ever you want to call it!

I am very happy with it, but it does still need a little bit of extra detail added before I will be completely satisfied. However, I still wanted to share 🙂

As most experienced crocheters (is that even a word? suggestions needed here. Maybe hookers? doesn’t really have the right ring to it.) would be able to tell, it is really simple to make. For this reason, I decided to make a free crochet pattern for any beginners that pass by this site who are looking for a fun and easy single crochet project.

So here is the pattern I created for this bag. If anyone actually makes one PLEASE link some photos so that I can check them out. It would be great to see some. Also if anyone has any questions please let me know.

Crochet Missy’s Bright and Colourful Book Bag

Hook size 3.0 mm

8 ply yarn. In this case (as usual) I used 100% pure cotton yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

Finished size is just a bit bigger then an A4 size of paper. About an inch wider at the sides.

I think I use US crochet terms.

SC – Single Crochet

Ch – Chain

1. Ch 51
2. Sc into BACK stitch, 2nd from hook then all the way across (in back stitch). I do this in the back stitch to keep the first row neat.
3. Ch1 and turn.
4. Sc into the 1st stitch on the 1st chain. You do this because from now on you will be working in a circle.
5. Sc all around 2 times. This will mean that you have 3 rows of the one colour (on my bag it is the blue). I do add a couple of extra stitches on each corner just to make this first row.
6. From that point on all you need to do is join a new colour and do two rows of each.
7. This bag does 30 x Double rows of colour (Or 30 stripes).

That is all there is for the main part of the bag. Be careful not to add or decrease stitches when changing colours. Do any colour patterns you like.

Handle

1. Ch 70
2. Ch1 into back of the 2nd stich from the hook
3. Sc in the back of all the stitches until the end.
4. Yarn off and *change colour
5. Ch1and sc until the end, ch 1 then turn. Sc until the end. Yarn off.*
6. Repeat the steps between ** 2 more times (until you have 2 rows of 4 colours, or four double stripes).
7. The last thing to do is just to stitch the straps onto the bag.

You could just leave it there but for my bag I did two handles, exactly the same, then stitched them together. I decided to do this to make the strap stronger.

Good luck and please let me know if any of you attempt it.

To improve the bag, I am going to line it. Not only will this add extra support to the bag, but it will also stop things poking through the yarn, like the corners of books (or my car keys when I have been taking it out and about!).

However, my sewing skills are pretty poor and I refuse to rethread the sewing machine, so hand sewing will have to do. Practice makes perfect right?

I will post some pics once it is lined. Maybe just update this post when it is completed. So, to be continued……

Wait, I am a little bored and stir crazy so I feel the need to keep rambling. I have plans to make another one of these when I order my new range of yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills. So, completely different colours and this time with thicker stripes. I am thinking 6 rows thick. Nice big fat stripes!

Also, I will improve my colour changes. For some reason, I didn’t use my usual colour change method (I think I got lazy) and by the time I realized, I figured I should just continue. So don’t look too closely on the side!

UPDATE: I have now added the lining, bad sewing but overall happy with the result.