Tapestry crochet bag with an anchor

Here is a free crochet pattern for a tapestry crochet bag with an anchor. This drawstring bag is quite easy and fast to make, so grab your hook! 🙂

The pattern includes a list of materials, abbreviations, notes, written pattern, color chart and detailed step-by-step photo instructions. This quick crochet project uses the tapestry crochet technique. Even if you haven’t tried this technique before, the photo tutorial will guide you along the way, and you will easily complete the project. If you would like to learn more about this technique, you can take a look at my tutorial here.

You can find my other free crochet patterns for bags and pouches here and more free crochet projects here.

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Materials

Yarn: I use Järbo 8/4 100% Cotton “Mercerized & Gassed” 50 g (blue and white). However, any thin cotton yarn will work.
Hook: I use a 2.0 mm hook. If you are using a different yarn, choose the hook size that is recommended on your yarn label.

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
msc: modified single crochet
msc inc: modified single crochet increase
prev: previous
st: stitch
rep * *: repeat from * to *

Notes

The size of my bag is 5.5 x 11.5 cm. You will be working in rounds. This pattern uses the tapestry crochet technique (you can find the tutorial here). The photo instructions below show how to make a bag and a string. This pattern uses a modified single crochet: make a single crochet back loop only, just instead of yarning over for the last step, yarn under (see the tutorial here).

To make a modified single crochet increase you need to make two modified single crochets in the same stitch. For this pattern you can work in continuous rounds, which means that in the end of a round you don’t join with a slip stitch, but instead continue making modified single crochets in the top of the first stitch of the round. Remember to use a marker showing the beginning of each round. Follow the color chart showing how you should change colors.

Pattern

The bag

Start by making a magic (adjustable) ring with your blue yarn. You will not need your white yarn until round 8.

Round 1: 8 sc in the magic ring. (8 st in total)

Round 2: msc inc in every st. (16 st)

Round 3: *msc inc, 1 msc in the next st*, rep ** 8 times. (24 st)

Round 4: msc; *msc inc, 2 msc*, rep ** 7 times, msc inc, 1 msc. (32 st)

Round 5: 2 msc; *msc inc, 3 msc*, rep ** 7 times, msc inc, msc. (40 st)

Round 6: msc; *msc inc, 4 msc*, rep ** 7 times, msc inc, 3 msc. (48 st)

Round 7: 4 msc; *msc inc, 5 msc*, rep ** 7 times, msc inc, msc. (56 st)

The bottom of the bag is finished. You will introduce your white yarn in round 8.

Round 8-32: msc in every st of the prev round. (56 st)

Making the holes for the string:

Round 33: 1 msc, *ch 2, skip 2 st of the prev round, 2 msc*, rep ** 15 times, ch 2, skip 2 st of the prev round, 1 msc. (56 st)

Round 34: 1 msc, *2 msc in the ch2 space of the prev round (make sure to grab the loose yarn hanging in the ch2 space in the prev round too), 2 msc*, rep ** 15 times, 2 msc in the ch2 space of the prev round, 1 msc. (56 st)

Round 35-39: msc in every st of the prev round. (56 st)

In the end make 4 sl st in the next 4 st “to even out” the connection of rounds. Fasten off.

Making the string

Start by chaining. The length of the chain should be around 28-30 cm long. Make a row of slip stitches in the third loop of the chain as it is shown in photo instructions below. When you reach the end of the row, fasten off. You are ready to weave in the string into your bag.

Color chart

How to read the chart

Each square represents a stitch and its color. In each round you have 56 stitches (56 columns in the chart). Rows represent rounds. First 7 rounds are the bottom of the bag and the color chart starts from round 8. For each round you have to read the row in the chart from right to left.

In the chart, empty squares indicate where you should make holes for the string. When you chain 2 for a hole, you cannot hide the yarn you are not working with: it will be ‘hanging’ in the hole. Don’t worry, when you will make round 34, you will grab both yarns you need to hide: the one in round 34 and the one in round 33. See photo instructions.

Photo instructions for the tapestry crochet bag with an anchor

Making the bag

Round 1

1. Start by making a magic ring. Then make 8 single crochets in the magic ring. Tighten the ring by pulling the end of the yarn.

Round 2

2. Don’t make a slip stitch. Make a modified single crochet in the top of your first stitch of round 1: insert your hook in the top of the first stitch of round 1 grabbing just the back loop.

3. Yarn over.

4. Pull the yarn through. Now you have two loops on your hook.

5. Yarn under.

6. Pull the yarn through both loops. You have just made a modified single crochet.

7. To make a modified single crochet increase you just need to make one more modified single crochet in the same stitch. Don’t forget to put your marker in the first stitch of the round. If you don’t have a marker, you can use a simple hair pin.

8. Keep making modified single crochet increase until the end of the round.

Round 7

9. Continue following the pattern until the end of round 7.

Round 8

10. In round 8 you have to introduce the white yarn. So, start making the first modified single crochet in round 8 but don’t finish it, stop when you have two loops on your hook. Then put the white yarn behind your hook and in front of the blue yarn like it shown in the picture.

11. Yarn under the blue yarn.

12. Pull the yarn through both loops on your hook. Now the white yarn is secured. Notice that it is wrapped with the blue yarn.

13. To make the next modified single crochet, insert your hook in the next stitch like it is shown in the picture.

14. Yarn over the blue yarn.

15. Pull the yarn through. Now you have two loops on your hook.

16. Yarn under.

17. Pull the yarn through both loops on your hook. Remember to put the marker in the first stitch of the round.

Round 10

18. In round 10 you have to change yarn color. According to the color chart, there should be 27 stitches in blue, so make 26 full modified single crochets with the blue yarn, start the 27th modified single crochet but don’t finish it.

19. Put the white yarn up.

20. Yarn under the white yarn.

21. Pull the white yarn through both loops on your hook. Now you can work with the white yarn.

22. Make one full modified single crochet with the white yarn and start making the second one. When you have two loops on your hook, put the blue yarn up and finish making the stitch with the blue yarn. Continue following the color chart.

Round 33

23. In round 33 you have to make holes. So, make one modified single crochet.

24. Then chain two.

25. Skip two stiches and make a modified single crochet.

26. Make another modified single crochet in the next stitch.

27. Then chain two, skip two stitches and make two modified single crochet in the next two stitches. Continue working in the same way until the end of the round.

Round 34

28. Make one modified single crochet.

29. Then insert your hook in the chain two space of the previous round grabbing both white yarns like it is shown in the picture.

30. Yarn over the blue yarn.

31. Pull the yarn through.

32. Yarn under the blue yarn.

33. Pull the yarn through both loops on your hook.

34. Make one more modified single crochet in the chain two space of the previous round. Then make two modified single crochets in the next two stitches and two modified single crochets in the next chain two space of the previous round.

35. Continue working in the same way until the end of the round. Keep following the pattern until the end.

Finished tapestry crochet bag with an anchor

36. Done!

Making the string

1. Start with a chain.

2. Now you will be working in the third loop of your chain which is behind ‘v’.

3. Insert your hook in the third loop of the chain and yarn over.

4. Pull the yarn through. Now you have two loops on your hook.

5. Pull the first loop through the other one. Now you have one loop on your hook. You have just made your first slip stitch.

6. In the photo you can see that after several stitches it starts looking like two chains stuck together. Continue making slip stitches in the third loop of the chain until the end of the row. Fasten off. Done!

Enjoy your tapestry crochet bag with an anchor!

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