Calico Crochet Bag Pattern Story

I made a crochet bag a couple of years ago, I love it and use it all the time. I decided to create another bag but something simpler that a beginner would be able to make. I wanted this design to use the same layout as the first one which makes a strong rigid and reliable bag that doesn’t stretch.

This latest design is quick and easy to make and you have the choice of making the basic pattern which looks really classy or adding on the surface crochet to lift the bag to an extra level, something that makes it really special. Even with the surface crochet this crochet bag is not as complicated as it looks!

Use your bag for your craft projects and it would look really stylish as a holdall or beach bag. Cotton yarn is lovely to use for summer patterns and using a cotton rich yarn makes for a good rigid bag. Adding a lining is not my favourite thing to do but is so worth it to stop your bag stretching and also protects your bag from damage by the contents you add.

I used a pale sage green as this is one of my favourite colours but the crochet bag would also look good in pink with a cream trim or a darker colour with a contrasting colour for the surface trim. You could also try this pattern in Sirdar Beachcomber which is a cotton rich yarn with slubs and comes in a range of blended colours. This finished bag would make the perfect beach bag, pick one of the colours from the blend for a contrasting lining.

Debbie Bliss Juliet

Debbie Bliss Summer Tweed is sold as DK (light worsted) but it feels more like a 4 ply to me. It comes in a lovely range of beautifully blended colours from violet, daisy, poppy, rose, begonia, marigold, honeysuckle and petal. I used honeysuckle. The yarn has slubs which makes for a more interesting finish and gives and extra level of interest.

Made up of 52% cotton 48% acrylic Debbie bliss summer tweed is brilliant for shawls, scarves and lightweight summer knits. Wash at 30C 50 g balls. Yardage is 120m/131yds and Debblie Bliss summer tweed comes in 50g balls.

It would make a lovely cover up or summer jacket. I made a summer shawl with motifs, which I designed for summer weddings. This lovely quality yarn would make a gorgeous holdall style bag particularly blended with a plain double knit yarn (light worsted).

I used a hook size 3.25mm (U.S. 3) and my motif is 9cm (4”) by 9cm (4”). Pay up to £4.50 and buy from Black Sheep Wools or Deramores.