Crochet Bag Pattern for Easy Days You Don’t Want to Overthink

This crochet bag pattern uses only three stitches, chain, single crochet, and slip stitch, and no shaping at all. You make two identical squares, join them into a bag, and add a strap. We all want a project that doesn’t ask much of us. You find this one easy to pick up and easy to finish.

Some days I don’t want a pattern that asks anything of me. This is the one I reach for on those days.

Quick answer: This is an easy crochet shoulder bag made from two identical linen stitch squares joined together with a long strap, using only chain, single crochet, and slip stitch, no shaping required.

There’s no gauge to fuss over, no increases to track, no place in the pattern where you have to stop and think. You just repeat one round until the square is the size you want. That’s it. That’s the whole trick to this bag.

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How to Get the Ad-free PDF of this Design

Love to crochet without the scrolling? The complete Harbor Cowl pattern is available as a clean, printable PDF you can take anywhere. No ads, no popups, just the pattern, the photos, and plenty of room for your notes. Garden Bag Pattern as a PDF

The full written pattern is also right here on this page, free, a little further down. Both are the same tested pattern. The PDF simply travels better

Save this Garden Bag Pattern for later

Not ready to start tonight? Pin it so it is waiting for you when you are.

Why This Bag Is a Good Stash Buster

I used two strands of yarn held together for this one, Alize Klassic Burcum in pink and beige, one skein each. Holding two strands together does two things at once. It makes the fabric sturdy enough to actually hold your things, and it means you don’t need to buy anything new. Whatever two colors you already have sitting in your stash will probably work just fine together.

You don’t need this exact yarn. Any weight works, you just need to adjust your hook size to match.

If stash busting is your thing, this one pairs nicely with my crochet makeup pouch, same idea of using up what you already have instead of buying something new. And if what you’re really after is a quick, no-fuss bag with almost no thinking required, my easy mesh market bag lives in that same spirit, just a different stitch.

What You’ll Need

• Two strands held together of a worsted weight (#4) yarn, one skein each of two colors (I used Alize Klassic Burcum, 100g/230 yards each, pink and beige, 460 yards total)
• 8mm hook for the body
• 6mm hook for the strap
• Yarn needle, scissors, measuring tape

Gauge: 12 st x 10 rounds (4″ x 4″)
Size: Sample shown is 11″ x 11″
Difficulty: Easy

Holding two strands together for structure is something I use a lot. My waffle stitch Japanese knot bag uses the same trick if you want to see it in a different texture.

Stitch Key

BLOsc (Back Loop Only Single Crochet) = Insert hook into the next stitch, but only in the back loop. Yarn over, pull back through that stitch (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops.

Ch = Chain

Sc = Single Crochet

SlSt = Slip Stitch

Sandra’s tip: This pattern is known as the Linen Stitch, and once you’ve worked a couple of rounds, your hands will find the rhythm on their own. That’s when it stops feeling like a pattern and starts feeling like something quieter

A few handy tools I reach for on a make like this:

Yarn Winder – a perfect crochet accessory

Steamer for Clothes – Portable, ideal for crochet projects

Blocking Mat – 12.5″ for all your squares

Notes

• This pattern is worked in rounds.
• Ch 1 at the beginning of the round does not count as a stitch.

Instructions

Make Two Squares

Chain 4, slip stitch to form a circle, or use the magic circle method.

Round 1: [Ch 1, (sc 1, ch 1, sc 1, ch 2) 4 times] in the circle, join with a slip stitch in the first sc of the round, turn.

Round 2: Ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 sp, ch 1, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, [(sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1] 3x, join with a slip stitch in first sc of round, turn.

Round 3: Ch 1, *(sc in ch-1 sp, ch 1) to next ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 sp, ch 1; repeat from * around, join with a slip stitch in first sc of round, turn.

Round 4: Ch 1, (sc in ch-1 sp, ch 1)* to next ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch-2 sp, ch 1; repeat from * around, ending last repeat at **, join with a slip stitch in first sc of round, turn.

Repeat Round 4 to the desired size. I worked 14 rounds total, using two strands held together, for the size shown.

The Strap

Chain 4.

Row 1: Sc 1 in 2nd ch from hook, sc 1 in next 2 ch, turn.

Row 2: Ch 1, BLOsc in 1st st from hook, BLOsc in next 2 st, turn.

Repeat Row 2 for the length you want the strap to be. I worked 54 rows for a 34″ strap.

Construction

Lay the 2 squares facing wrong side in, using a 6mm hook, and join on three sides using a slip stitch.

Join the strap on both corners using the tapestry needle. Place the middle stitch on the joining stitch.

Weave in all ends.

Finishing

Secure yarn, cut, and weave in ends.

Optional: Line the bag with fabric.
Optional: Add buttons to close the bag.

FAQ

Can I use a different yarn weight?
Yes. Any weight works, just adjust your hook size to match. The gauge given here is for a worsted weight yarn held double.

Do I have to hold two strands together?
No, but it’s what gives this bag its sturdiness and lets you use up leftover yarn from your stash instead of buying new. If you use a single strand, choose a heavier weight yarn and hook to compensate.

How long does this bag take to make?
It’s a genuinely low commitment project. Two simple squares and a strap, no shaping decisions along the way.

Can I make the bag a different size?
Yes. Round 4 is repeated until your square reaches the size you want, so you’re fully in control of the final dimensions.

© Sandra Regev, Sandra Stitches. This is an original Sandra Regev pattern. Please do not redistribute it for free, sale, or trade. You are welcome to sell finished items made from it with credit to this shop.

And if you are not on my email list yet, that is the best place to keep up with new free patterns. When you join, I will send you my free printable Row Tracker, the very thing that keeps me from losing my place mid round.

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We also have a warm, friendly Facebook group with monthly challenges, lives, and lots of finished project sharing. Come and show us your slippers. Seeing your makes is one of my favorite parts of all this.

You’ve Got Your Pattern, Now What?

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