Summer crochet bag
with straps
An airy mesh bag with an oval base and two crocheted straps – perfect for the beach, the market or as an everyday companion.
A bag for summer
This bag starts with a simple foundation chain that turns into an oval base thanks to a fan-shaped curve at the end of the chain. From there, the body grows upwards in continuous rounds of double crochet before the straps are worked directly on at two marked spots.
In the first rounds, count once too often rather than too little – once the 42 stitches are right, the rest almost works itself. If terms like “dc” or “turning chain” don't mean anything to you yet, take a look at the Crochet Basics first. This pattern uses US crochet terms.
Materials & abbreviations
What you need
- Cotton or cotton blend yarn, approx. 250–300 g
- Crochet hook to suit your yarn (see the yarn label)
- 2 stitch markers for the strap positions
- Tapestry needle / yarn needle
- Scissors
- Optional: thin fabric for a lining
Abbreviations used (US terms)
| ch | Chain |
| fch | Foundation chain |
| dc | Double crochet |
| sl st | Slip stitch |
| st(s) | Stitch(es) |
| R | Row / round |
Step by step
1. The start (base)
42 sts to begin
- fchCh 38 for the width.
- Turning chAt the end of the chain, ch 4 more – you now have 42 stitches in total.
- 1st dcWork the first double crochet into the 4th chain from the hook.
2. The bag base (the curve)
Turning point at the end of the chain
- CurveWhen you reach the end of the first chain: work 3 double crochets in total into the last chain, with 1 chain after each double crochet – so dc, ch, dc, ch, dc, ch.
This small fan-shaped curve at the tip of the chain is the key point: from here you work back along the underside of the starting chain, and the base becomes oval instead of square.
3. The bag body
14 rounds · 42 dc each
- NumberCrochet 14 rounds in total for the body of the bag.
- StitchesEvery round has 42 double crochets throughout.
- Round startEvery round begins with ch 4.
- Round endEvery round ends with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of the beginning of the round.
Place a stitch marker at the start of the round and move it up with each new round – with 14 identical rounds it's easy to lose track of the transition otherwise.
4. Marking the straps
- The body has 42 double crochets – that makes 21 double crochets per side.
- Count 8 double crochets from the left side and place a marker in the 8th double crochet.
- Count 8 double crochets from the right side as well and place a marker in the 8th double crochet.
- Exactly 5 double crochets remain free in the center between the two markers.
5. The straps (per side)
From the two markers, you only continue working over the marked stitches – for each strap separately, in two sections.
Section A – shaping the slope
- R 1–5Crochet 5 rows with decreases at the edges to shape the slope for the base of the strap.
Section B – strap length
- R 6–13Crochet 8 more rows in the mesh pattern without decreases until the strap is finished.
Both straps are worked the same way: first the five decrease rows for the slope, then the eight straight rows for the length. Measure the second strap against the first so both end up the same length.
Finishing the bag
Weave in the ends
Carefully pull all loose yarn ends from the base, body and both straps inside and weave them in.
Position the straps
Lay the ends of the straps on the opposite side and check the length before you sew.
Sew together on the inside
Sew both straps onto the inside of the bag with the yarn needle – that way the seam stays invisible from the outside.
Optional: sew in a lining
A thin cotton fabric sewn in from the inside makes sure nothing slips through the mesh.
My tips for you
Always count your stitches
With 14 rounds of 42 double crochets each, it's worth a quick count at the end of every round – that way a misplaced stitch shows up right away.
Leave the markers in
Place the markers while counting and leave them in until the end of the strap rows, so you can always find your way.
Crochet the straps in parallel
Work both straps alternately row by row instead of finishing one first – that way they're guaranteed to be the same length.