With the trend of a plastic free lifestyle nowadays, come the advent of eco bags. These eco bags are very much practical replacement for plastic or paper shopping. They are sturdy and can accommodate as much as many items as you want to place.
Eco bags can be very much crocheted. It can be made in different types of yarns that is strong enough to hold heavy items and in different color and pattern or designs that you can think of. There are already a lot of patterns out there that you can make for yourself. From very simple to complex ones.
And as I am entangled with the wave of crocheted eco bags, an idea came in mind to make one and to use my Prima Lou stitch pattern. Instead of making it into a shoulder bag or the typical market bag, I made it into a drawstrings backpack, as this style of bag is also a trend in my place in the province. Nothing fancy, but just the very basic crochet stitches.
This certain project is very much customizable. You can alter the number of rows for your dc or dc according to how long your rows would be as well as how long and how wide your bag would be.
In this project, you also learn the following tips and tricks that you can use to make your own different project.
- Changing different yarn color
- A straight end joint
- Changing stithes from sc to dc
Things and tools needed:
- Yarn- for this particular project, I used an 8 ply 100% cotton hand dyed yarn in orange and eggplant color from The Attic Yarn and Craftery and Esse’s Creations, respectively.
- Hook- I used 5 mm hook.
- Stitch Marker- to prevent your work from frogging off, when you need to put down your WIP in a while.
- Scissors- for snipping yarns.
- Tapestry needle- for weaving yarn ends.
- Tape Measure- to measure how long and how wide you want your bag would be as well as how long the sc rows and dc rows you want with your pattern.
- 50 inches nylon cord or any cord that you want in an 8 mm diameter
- Wooden beads- optional, for the tassel
Begin by making 120 chains.
Slp st on the first ch to form a ring. Make sure that your chains are not twisted to achieve a perfect ring.
This bag is crocheted in rounds joining at the middle back and from bottom to top.
ROW 1
Ch 1
Sc on the same ch where you slp st on the back loop of the sh this time.
Sc in all chains using the back loop only.
After the last sc on the last ch of the row, slp st on the very first ch formed with the first sc at the beginning of the row. ( This ch is positioned horizontally, unlike the very first ch which is positioned vertically, which is your 1 ch. Please don’t be confuse).
ROW 2
Basically, the same with Row 1. You start by 1 ch and sc on the same ch with the slp st but using the back loop only.
After the last sc on the last ch, slp st on the first sc.
ROW 3
Same with Row 1 pattern.
ROW 4
Same with Row 1 pattern.
Row 1 to row 4- sc rows in eggplant colored yarn.
Do this on the very last portion of row 4 to change another yarn color.
Upon slip stitching, yarn over hook with the new yarn color and pull through to for the slp st in preparation for the next row which are dc rows already.
Row 5
Start Row 5 with Ch 2.
Having done with the 2 ch, you can now tie the yarn ends at the back to secure. Tie the previous colored yarn with the new colored yarn. And you can cut the previous yarn as well leaving of about 2 inches.
Next dc on the same ch with the slp st, using the back loop only.
Do the same with the rest of the chains. Dc on the back loop only until the last ch.
After the last dc on the last ch, slp st on the first dc at the beginning of the row. ( Please take note, not on the 2nd ch , but on the first dc. The very first ch that is positioned horizontally).
Completed Row 5.
Row 6-9
Pattern principle is the same with Row 5.
Row 5-9 is the dc rows crocheted in orange colored yarn.
Row 10
Is the single crochet row. So before you start with Row 10, you already have changed your yarn color. See how to change another yarn color up on Row 4. And the pattern principle s just the same with Row 1.
You need to have 5 group of sc rows and 4 groups of dc rows in an alternating pattern.
At this point, you should notice a straight end joint of your stitches, which you are going to positioned at the center back of your bag. This aligned or straight end joint maybe be crooked or wobbly at this time, but just lay it flat on a surface over night and it will just fall into place.
And we only use the back loops of the chains to create these ridged effect on the stitches.
After the last sc rows . Secure the yarns ends inside the bag by making a knot twice and weave the ends.
Close the bottom part of the formed bag, since it still open at this time. Flip the inside(which is the wrong side) of the bag outside. And make sure the end joint is positioned at the center back. So you now have a front and back panel of the tube being formed.
Align the front chains to the back chains of the foundation chains and do sc on each of the aligned chains to close the bottom of the bag.
Flip the bag again, so that the wrong side would be inside and the right side would be outside. Let the bag lay flat over a night or you can block it for the stitches to settle.
Get your cords for the straps and weave it on the first dc row at the top of the bag. Weave the first cord at the side of the bag and weave it by three dc stitches all around the brim of the bag until you reach at the side where you start to weave. Do the same with the 2nd cord at the opposite side.
Tie the ends of the cord at the bottom corners on each of the same side.
You can add a tassel and weave it with the cords.
How to make the tassel is HERE.
And Voila! Your eco bag is done.
Add to your Ravelry queue HERE.
Pin for later HERE.
Functionality wise, I have been using this bag almost everyday to my daughter’s class. It is indeed sturdy and spacious. It can stretch a lot, since we are using the back loops of the chains, to accomodate a lot of things to stuff inside.
A little walk through of the construction of this bag and some details can be viewed on my IGTV.
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24
D' Elegant Ermine 
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