Crochet Crossbody Bag Pattern With a Fold-Over Flap

This crossbody is a single long strip of single crochet. Fold it twice and it becomes a back, a front and a flap, so the only shaping in the whole bag happens with your hands rather than your hook. Two short side seams, one button, one long strap, and it is ready to wear.

The finished bag is 8 in wide and 6 in tall (20 x 15 cm), flat like an envelope, with room for a phone, a card wallet and keys.

Materials and gauge

• Worsted (#4) cotton, about 170 yd (155 m)
• US G-6 (4 mm) hook
• One button, about 1 in (25 mm) across
• Yarn needle, 2 locking stitch markers, scissors, tape measure
• Sewing needle and matching thread for the button

Gauge: 16 single crochet (sc) and 18 rows = 4 in (10 cm). That is tighter than most worsted cotton labels suggest, and it is deliberate: a firm fabric keeps a flat bag from sagging and stops small items from poking through. If your swatch comes out wider than 4 in, go down a hook size.

How the panel becomes a bag

The strip is 8 in (20 cm) wide and 16 in (40 cm) long. The first 6 in (15 cm) form the front, the next 6 in (15 cm) form the back, and the final 4 in (10 cm) fold over as the flap.

Crochet the panel

Chain (ch) 33.

Row 1: sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (32 sc)

Row 2: ch 1 (does not count as a stitch), turn, sc in each sc across. (32 sc)

Repeat Row 2 until the panel measures 16 in (40 cm) from the foundation chain. At the stated gauge that is about 72 rows, but trust the tape measure over the row count. Count the stitches every few rows: if the total drifts away from 32, the usual cause is skipping the first sc of a row or missing the last one, which hides right beside the turning chain.

Button loop row

The loop is worked into the last row, so nothing has to be sewn on at the flap edge.

Last row: ch 1, turn, sc in the first 14 sc, ch 8, skip the next 4 sc, sc in the last 14 sc. (28 sc and one ch-8 loop)

Before you fasten off, push the button through the loop. It should pass with a little resistance, because cotton loops loosen with use. Add or remove a chain or two if needed, then fasten off and weave in the tails.

Fold and seam

1. Lay the panel flat with the foundation chain nearest to you and the loop edge farthest away.
2. Fold the foundation edge up at the first marker, so it lies along the second marker. The doubled section is the pocket, 6 in (15 cm) deep.
3. Pin or clip the two side edges of the pocket.
4. Join yarn at the bottom fold of one side. Working through both layers, sc up the side, placing one sc in each pair of row ends, to the top of the pocket. Fasten off. Repeat on the other side, again starting from the bottom fold so both seams look alike.

A single crochet seam leaves a small ridge on the outside that frames the bag neatly. For an invisible join, whip stitch the edges with a yarn needle instead.

Make the strap

The strap is worked the long way, which is quicker than turning dozens of tiny rows.

Chain until the chain measures about 44 in (112 cm) without stretching it. At this gauge that is roughly 175 chains; the exact number does not matter.

Row 1: sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across.

Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in each sc across. Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30 cm) tail for sewing.

A narrow crochet strap lengthens once the bag is loaded, so 44 in (112 cm) is a starting point that suits many adults of average height rather than a rule. Hold the strap against your body before sewing it on, and check the crossbody strap length guide for how to measure yourself and how much growth to allow.

Attach the strap

Place each end of the strap inside the bag at the top of a side seam, overlapping the bag by about 3/4 in (2 cm). Sew around all four sides of the overlap with the yarn tail, then stitch across it once more. The whole weight of the bag hangs from these two small patches, so do not stop at a single line of stitches. Make sure the strap is not twisted before you sew the second end.

Sew on the button

Close the flap and let the loop lie flat against the front. Mark the spot at the far end of the loop; it will sit in the center of the front, about 1 1/2 in (4 cm) above the bottom fold. Sew the button there with sewing thread, wrapping the thread a few times under the button to form a short shank so the loop has room to sit beneath it.

A button and loop is the simplest fastening for a flap, but a magnetic snap or a toggle works as well; the options are compared in the guide to crochet bag closures.

Adjustments

• Wider or narrower: the starting chain is the number of stitches you want plus 1. Each 4 stitches adds about 1 in (2.5 cm). For the loop row, subtract 4 from your stitch count and split the remainder evenly on both sides of the loop.
• Taller: lengthen the front and back by the same amount and leave the flap as it is.
• Smaller: for a pouch that carries only a phone, the seamless crochet phone bag is a better fit than a scaled-down envelope.
• Lined: single crochet at this gauge holds coins and keys, but a fabric lining stops the bag from stretching and gives it a cleaner inside. Follow the steps for lining a crochet bag and attach the lining before you sew on the strap.

Care

Cotton bags can usually be hand washed in cool water and dried flat. Reshape the bag while it is damp, press the fold lines with your fingers, and let it dry fully before hanging it by the strap, since wet cotton stretches under its own weight.