Shaggy Bag Crochet Pattern

My latest creation….. the Shaggy Bag which I have been talking about over the previous 2 posts, where I showed how to make the zipper pocket and 6-compartment slip pocket. This is the bag that has them in it. So get ready to create one of the coolest fashion handbags with your own hands!

Remember the loop stitch crochet video, I made this bag out of this stitch. The material I used is poly jersey interlock, exactly the same material I used for the locker hook projects. This material is smooth and has some elastic property so it is easy to crochet. The lustrous finishing makes the bag shimmering. The loops can be cut to make the bag looks furry, but I kept it uncut until I get bored with loops :p

This tutorial is a little longer as I am covering everything in detail and squeeze them into 1 post, including crochet of shaggy bag, attachment of handlers, and insert of the lining. Hope I made them clear to understand with all the step-by-step pictures. Let me know if I have left out anything or going too brief.

Shaggy Bag Crochet Pattern

MATERIAL:

Shaggy Bag

1. 6 yards of poly jersey interlock, cut 5 yards into 3/4″ strips along the warp direction to get 5 yards long for each strip. Join the strips and roll them into a ball of jersey yarn. As an alternative, you can also use the T-shirt yarn that you recycle from a T-shirt or bed sheet or new fabric. (Click here to see how to join the strip, you have to scroll down to the middle of that post a little to reach the instruction.)
2. Reserve 1 yard for handles and wrappers.
3. Chrome-plated ring (2″ dia) – 4 pcs. You can substitute them with other materials or shapes.
4. 5mm crochet hook.

Lining
1. Quilt quality fabric – 1/2 yard (enough for lining and pockets)
2. Interfacing – 1/2 yard
3. Zipper – minimum 12″
4. Nylon or strong thread
5. Sewing essentials

Crochet Pattern

Measurement (excluding handle): 12 1/2″ (W) x 8 1/2″ (H) x 2 1/2″ (D)

Abbreviations:

ch = chain
LS = loop stitch
sc = single crochet
ea = each
sl st = slip stitch
fo = fasten off

Base

Starting chain: Chain 41

Round 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in back loop only of next 39 ch; 3 sc in last ch, rotate (don’t turn) and continue along other side of the foundation ch, sc in remaining loop of ea of next 38 ch, 2 sc in last ch of this round, sl st to first ch. (82 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first sc, sc in ea of next 38 sc, 2 sc in ea of next 3 sc, sc in ea of next 38 sc, 2 sc in ea of next 2 sc. Join with a sl st to first ch. (88 sc)

Body (1 round has 88 sc)

Round 3: Ch1, LS in ea sc, around, sl st to first chain. The loops are about 2″ long, use finger to gauge the length.

Round 4: Ch1, sc in ea sc, around, sl st to first chain.

Round 5 – 22: Repeat round 3 and round 4 another 9 times.

Attaching ring to the bag See below first 2 pictures.

Round 23 – Ch1, sc in ea sc of next 5 sc, [ring 1]*pass strip through the ring, sc* repeat 5 times,  sc in ea of next 20 sc, [ring 2]*pass strip through the ring, sc* repeat 5 times, sc in ea of next 14 sc, [ring 3]*pass strip through the ring, sc* repeat 5 times,  sc in ea of next 20 sc, [ring 4]*pass strip through the ring, sc* repeat 5 times,  sc in ea of next 9 sc, sl st to first chain.

Round 24- Ch1, sc in ea sc, around, sl st to first chain. Fo. Hide ends.

Attaching Ring

Passing the jersey yarn over the ring before the single crochet.

After 5 single crochets to the ring, before working the last row of sc.

Cut the reserved 1-yard poly jersey interlock into 6″ wide along warp direction, 6 pcs of them.
Fold them into halve (3″ wide), stack 3 of them and sew at 2″ from the edge at one end. Braid the strips until you get a length of 12″ long (braid more if you want a longer handle), arrange the ends nicely, and sew. Cut the remaining length by leaving a 2″ allowance. You have a 2″straight, 12″ braided, and 2″ straight handle. Make 2.

Fold 1 end over the ring, make a few stitches to secure it. Repeat all 4 ends.

Cut 2″ x 3.5″, 2 from jersey interlock, and 2 from lining fabric. Fold the 2″ side to about third to have a width of 3/4″, wrap around the sewn stitches of the handle. Begin at the center, sew a few stitches to attach 1 end of the wrapper to the handle. Sew along the center of the wrapper to the handle as you go round, avoid catching the wrapper’s front layer for aesthetic purpose. Till you come back and reach the start end, fold in the end (if your wrapper is too long cut the extra length before folding) and slip stitch at the center.

Attaching Lining

Measure the bag, I had 12.5″ W x 8.5″ H x 2.5″ D, if yours is different, adjust the measurement of the lining accordingly.
Cut the lining fabric (with a seam allowance of 0.5″) to:
Width =0.5 + 12.5 + 2.5 + 0.5 = 16″, and
Length =0.5 + 1* + 8.5 + 2.5 + 8.5 + 1* +0.5 = 22.5″.
Top cover for zipper, D = 0.5 + 1 + 0.5 = 2″, W=16″, 2 pcs.
*The 1″ on the length is actually 2.5″ for the top of the bag, but since there is a zipper, I deducted 0.5″ away.
Iron the fusible interfacing to all the wrong sides to make the bag lining more steady.
Attach zipper pocket 3.5″ from the top, 6-compartment slip pocket 7.5 from bottom

Sandwich the zipper in between the lining and top cover, with the right side of the zipper facing the right side of the top cover. Sew.
Repeat the same to the other side of the zipper.
Topstitch a line 1″ from the zipper, this is the line where you are going to sew the lining to the shaggy bag.

Sew the sides. Flatten the corner into a triangle shape, sew at 2.5″ width between the 1″ line (this is the depth of the bag), clip off the corner. Repeat all 4 corners. Add a zipper stopper if you like.

This is how the lining looks like before inserting to the shaggy bag.

Insert the lining into the shaggy bag. Be sure that they are aligned symmetrically, side meets side and center meets center. Pin to secure.

Use nylon or strong thread (2 strands), slip stitch the lining to the shaggy bag.
Complete!!!

Bring it out to show off your one-of-a-kind yet trendy looking handmade…. the SHAGGY BAG!!! I am sure you are going to feel proud of yourself to accomplish this!!! I did 🙂