Arrosa Backpack - free crochet summer bag pattern
Originally published June 21, 2019.
In 2018 I released the Atlantis Market Bag pattern and I’ve made SO many of those over the years since. In 2019 I got the urge to make another bag, and while I started this one out as a regular shoulder bag also, it very quickly told me it wanted to be a backpack. A backpack? What? Well, I’ve learned to listen to my projects and go with it, and I LOVE how this one turned out!
Recommended Yarn
Worsted weight cotton yarn – 530 yards
Sample pictured used Caron Cotton Cakes Solid
Hook Size
US H / 5 mm
Finished Size
16.5 inches (42 cm) x 14.5 inches (37 cm) when laid flat without top cinched
Gauge
16 stitches, 10 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) – worked in hdc
Stitches Used
beg – beginning
bo – bobble*
ch(s) – chain(s)
ch-sp – chain space
dc – double crochet
hdc – half double crochet
sc – single crochet
sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
sk – skip
st(s) – stitch(es)
*Bobble – Working all into the same stitch – *yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull through stitch, yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Repeat from * 4 more times. Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops on the hook.
Pattern
Unless noted otherwise in pattern, ch at beg of row/round does NOT count as a stitch.
When there is a number in parentheses, this is indicating the number of stitches.
Bottom of Bag
- Row 1 – Ch 21, sc in 2nd ch from hook and across. (20 sts)
- Rows 2-56 – Ch 1, sc across. (20 sts)
DO NOT CUT YARN.
Ch 1. Fold long edges together and sc along the short edge. (10 sts) Cut yarn & fasten off. Attach yarn to the other short end and repeat. Turn the piece inside out so the right side is facing out.
Body of Bag
- Round 1 – Attach yarn to one end of the bottom piece. Ch 1, sc around picking up a total of 116 sts. Slip stitch to join.
- Round 2 – Ch 1, sc halfway around the bag (56 sts), sc2tog, sc next 56 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts. (114 sts)
(Your stitch count will remain at 114 for the rest of the body of the bag.)
- Round 3 – Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk 1, *dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1.* Repeat to end of round. Slip stitch to 3rd beg ch to join.
- Round 4 – Ch 1, sc in same ch as you joined, sc in each ch-sp and dc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 5 – Ch 1, sc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 6 – Ch 3 (counts as hdc + ch 1), sk 1, *bo in next st, ch 1, sk 1, hdc in next st, ch 1, sk 1* to end of round. Slip stitch to 2nd beg ch to join.
- Round 7 – Ch 1, sc in same ch as you joined, sc in each ch-sp and hdc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 8 – Ch 1, sc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 9 – Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk 1, *dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1.* Repeat to end of round. Slip stitch to 3rd beg ch to join.
- Round 10 – Ch 1, sc in same ch as you joined, sc in each ch-sp and dc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 11 – Ch 1, sc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Rounds 12-16 – Ch 1, hdc around. Slip stitch to 1st hdc to join.
- Round 17 – Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk 1, *dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1.* Repeat to end of round. Slip stitch to 3rd beg ch to join.
- Round 18 – Ch 1, hdc in same ch as you joined, hdc in each ch-sp and dc around. Slip stitch to 1st hdc to join.
- Rounds 19-22 – Ch 1, hdc around. Slip stitch to 1st hdc to join.
- Round 23 – Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk 1, *dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1.* Repeat to end of round. Slip stitch to 3rd beg ch to join.
- Round 24 – Ch 1, hdc in same ch as you joined, hdc in each ch-sp and dc around. Slip stitch to 1st hdc to join.
- Rounds 25-28 – Ch 1, hdc around. Slip stitch to 1st hdc to join.
- Rounds 29-30 – Ch 1, sc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 31 – Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk 1, *dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1.* Repeat to end of round. Slip stitch to 3rd beg ch to join.
- Round 32 – Ch 1, sc in same ch as you joined, sc in each ch-sp and dc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 33 – Ch 1, sc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 34 – Ch 3 (counts as hdc + ch 1), sk 1, *bo in next st, ch 1, sk 1, hdc in next st, ch 1, sk 1* to end of round. Slip stitch to 2nd beg ch to join.
- Round 35 – Ch 1, sc in same ch as you joined, sc in each ch-sp and hdc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 36 – Ch 1, sc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 37 – Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk 1, *dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1.* Repeat to end of round. Slip stitch to 3rd beg ch to join.
- Round 38 – Ch 1, sc in same ch as you joined, sc in each ch-sp and dc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join.
- Round 39 – Ch 1, sc around. Slip stitch to 1st sc to join. Don’t fasten off.
Top Edging
(working perpendicular to the body of the bag)
- Row 1 – Ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hook and next 4. (5 sts) Slip stitch to the next 2 sts on the top of the bag. Turn your work.
(You will not work into the slip sts – only sc and ch-sp sts.)
- Row 2 – Sc in next 2 sts, ch 2, sk next st, sc in last 2 sts. Turn.
- Row 3 – Ch 1, sc 5. Slip stitch to the next 2 sts on the top of the bag. Turn.
- Row 4 – Sc 5 sts. Turn.
- Row 5 – Ch 1, sc 5. Slip stitch to the next 2 sts on the top of the bag. Turn.
Repeat rows 2-5 all the way around the bag.
Slip stitch first and last rows together with right sides together. Fasten off.
Handle
- Holding 2 strands of yarn together, work a Romanian cord until it measures 55 inches long.
- Here’s a link to Make & Do Crew’s Romanian Cord video – https://youtu.be/fITN-NuEImg
- Ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook.
- Rotate 180 degrees and look for the 3rd loop on the back of the stitch (this 3rd loop will be 2 strands). Sc into this 3rd loop.
- Rotate 180 degrees and look for 2 3rd loops on the back of the stitch (4 strands for the 3rd loops). Sc into this double 3rd loop. Repeat this step until cord measures 55 inches.
To attach handle to bag:
- Sew one end of the handle to the bottom left back corner of the bag.
- Find the 3 center chain spaces on the bag of the bag at the top. Weave the unattached end of the handle clockwise through every other chain space until you reach the back center of the bag again.
- Sew the end to the bottom right back corner of the bag.
- Pull the 2 straps in back to cinch the bag closed and lengthen the straps to carry as a backpack.
I love to see your finished projects, so be sure to use #ArrosaBackpack and #blackbirdmountaindesigns when you post your photos on social media!
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