Craft from the Past – Felted Crochet Beach Bag with Free Pattern

Accessories month is coming to a close but it's not too late to share one more project. I crocheted this bag a number of years ago (even longer ago than this one). Lucky for you I wrote up a pattern for it. It's been available on my patterns page as a pdf download but now here it is for you online.




Felted Beach Bag — Free Pattern

Oceanic colors make this felted crochet bag perfect for a day at the beach or an afternoon on the town. Crocheted with a mix of blues and greens held together with ivory, the colors are a freeform melange of hues. Made with mill ends or scraps of yarn the project is pretty affordable too! This crocheted bag is a great project for using up leftover bits of wool yarn. For the bag pictured, I used a combination of leftover yarn and mill ends.


Here are some guidelines if you plan on substituting yarns with a different weight or gauge than what I recommended: First, for the bottom of the bag, make a flat circle. If your circle has wavy edges or ruffles, there are too many increases. To start building the sides of the bag start increasing more frequently until you have your desired width. The rest of the bag is crocheted without increases. Have fun and remember there is no correct size or color pattern — just do what works for you!

Materials
For best felting results, use 100% Wool Yarn such as Lamb’s Pride worsted weight yarn. Bag requires less than one skein yarn in each blue/green color listed under Notes, and five skeins cream yarn.

J and K crochet hooks

Large Wooden Button or Bead

Notes
Suggested colors:
A= cream
B= sea foam grey
C= teal
D= sea foam green
E= army green
F= forest green
G= grey
H= navy

Finished Size: Approximately 9½" wide at the bottom
and 17" tall excluding straps.

Gauge: 4" = 13 sts

Instructions:

With K-hook:

Round 1: With B, chain 4 and join.

Rnd 2-3: sc two times in each stitch.

Rnd 4: With A and C, sc in every stitch except, sc two times in
every other stitch

Rnd 5: sc in every stitch except, sc two times in every third stitch

Rnd 6: sc in every stitch except, dc two times in every 7th stitch

Rnd 7: With A and D, dc in every stitch once except, dc two times
in every 9th stitch

Rnd 8: With A and B, dc in every stitch once except, dc two times
in every 5th stitch

Rnd 9: With A and E, dc in every stitch once except, dc two times
in every 4th stitch

Rnd 10: With A and D, dc in every stitch once except, dc two
times in every 3rd stitch

For following rounds: dc in every stitch once

Rnd 11: Use A and F


Rnd 12: A and E

Rnd 13: A and G

Rnd 14: A and D

Rnd 15: A and C

Rnd 16: A and H

Rnd 17: A and F

Rnd 18: A and E

Rnd 19: A and G

Rnd 20: A and D

Rnd 21: A and C

Rnd 22: A and E

Rnd 23: A and H

Rnd 24: A and C

Rnd 25: A and F

Felting: Felt bag by washing in hot water with a pair of jeans. Check on the bag during the felting process. Remove the bag before all of the holes between the dc close up, so that you will
be able to continue crocheting the bag.

First row after felting (Round 26): Determine length needed for button hole. With one strand of B and J-hook, sc once in each stitch to the point where you want to place the buttonhole (this is the center front of the finished bag). Skip stitches needed for buttonhole and chain that number of stitches. Continue to sc once in each stitch to beginning of round.


Rounds 27-28: With one strand of B, sc once in all stitches.

Make straps:
Row 1: Starting 10 stitches to the left of the center front (location of buttonhole) and moving to the outside, sc 5 sts.

Row 2: 1 hdc decr, 1 hdc, 1 hdc decr, (3 sts remain), ch 2 and turn.

Row 3: hdc 3 sts, ch2 and turn.
Repeat row 3 until strap measures 24.5 inches.

Next row: hdc 2 times in first stitch, 1 hdc, hdc 2 times in last
stitch, (5 sts total), ch 2 and turn.

Next row: hdc 5

Bind off strap and attach loose end to right side of center front so that the straps are centered over the buttonhole. Make a matching strap for the back of the bag. Attach button to inside back center of bag.

This pattern is for personal use only, not for resale or distribution. © 2012 LulaLouise.com All rights reserved
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I hope you enjoy this pattern. A felted bag is really quite sturdy and can stand up to rough treatment. If you make one let me know.