Crocheting your own bag is one of the most satisfying and beginner-friendly projects you can do. Bags work up quickly, don’t require complicated shaping, and allow endless room for creativity. Whether you want a trendy tote for daily use, a soft mini purse, or a cute gift idea, this simple tutorial will guide you through creating an aesthetic crochet bag—even if you’ve never picked up a hook before.

This guide covers:

Materials you actually need
How to hold the hook and yarn
Step-by-step instructions
Simple stitches for beginners
How to assemble the bag
Optional straps, lining, and decorations
Common mistakes & how to fix them
Variations to customize your bag

Let’s get started!

🧶 1. Materials You Need

You don’t need many supplies. A small investment gives enough material for several bags.

✔ Yarn

Choose a medium weight (4) cotton or acrylic yarn.
Cotton is best for durability—bags stretch less.

Great beginner yarns:

100% cotton (worsted weight)
Acrylic blend
Soft chunky yarn (works up faster)

✔ Crochet Hook

Use a 5 mm or 5.5 mm hook for worsted yarn.
Use a 6–7 mm hook for chunky yarn.

✔ Extras

Scissors
Yarn needle (for weaving in ends)
Stitch markers (optional but recommended)
Measuring tape

✋ 2. Basic Crochet Skills You Need (Super Easy)

You only need to know three stitches—don’t worry, they’re simple:

1. Slip Knot

This attaches yarn to your hook.

2. Chain Stitch (ch)

Forms the base of many projects.

3. Single Crochet (sc)

The easiest and most beginner-friendly stitch.
Creates a tight, strong fabric—perfect for bags.

(Optional) Half Double Crochet (hdc)

A little taller and softer than sc, useful for a more flexible bag.

If you don’t know these stitches yet, simply learn them—you’ll be able to practice them right in this project.

👜 3. Project Overview

This tutorial teaches you how to make the easiest aesthetic crochet bag:

✔ Simple Rectangle Bag (folded and seamed)

Beginner-friendly
No shaping
Only basic stitches
Works up quickly
Perfect for customization

Construction Steps:

Crochet one large rectangle.
Fold it in half.
Sew the sides.
Add a strap.
Decorate as you like!

🪡 4. Step-by-Step Tutorial

⭐ Step 1: Crochet the Base Chain

Make a slip knot.
Chain 30–40 stitches depending on your desired width.

Tip:
The number of chains = the width of your bag.

For a small purse, chain 25.
For a medium tote, chain 40–45.
For a large bag, chain 60+.

⭐ Step 2: Row 1 – Single Crochet Across

Insert hook into the second chain from the hook.
Work 1 single crochet (sc).
Continue sc across the entire row.

At the end, chain 1, turn.

⭐ Step 3: Repeat Rows Until Desired Length

Crochet rows of single crochet until the piece is a long rectangle.

Length Guidelines:

Mini purse: 20–25 rows
Medium bag: 35–40 rows
Tote bag: 50–55 rows

Your rectangle should look like a long placemat.

⭐ Step 4: Fold the Rectangle

Lay your work flat. Fold it like a book, lining up the edges.

This fold becomes the bottom of your bag—no sewing needed there.

⭐ Step 5: Sew the Sides

Using your yarn needle:

Thread a long strand of yarn.
Sew one side together with whip stitch or mattress stitch.
Repeat on the other side.

Make sure your seams are tight so nothing falls out.

Tip: If using chunky yarn, double-check there are no gaps.

⭐ Step 6: Add a Strap

You can make an ultra-simple strap using two methods:

Method A: Chain Strap (Easy)

Chain 100–140 stitches depending on how long you want it.
Single crochet across the chain once to make it stronger.
Sew each end to the inside corners of your bag.

Method B: Long Crochet Strip (Sturdy)

Chain 6–8 stitches.
Crochet sc rows until strap reaches desired length.
Sew ends securely.

⭐ Step 7: Weave In Ends

Use your yarn needle to hide all loose yarn tails inside the stitches.

🌸 5. Optional Aesthetic Add-Ons

This is where your bag becomes ✨aesthetic✨.

✔ Border

Using a contrasting color, crochet a round of single crochet around the opening.

✔ Flowers

Crocheted mini flowers are adorable:

Small circles
Daisy clusters
5-petal flower motifs

Sew them onto the bag.

✔ Buttons or Beads

Add a button closure or decorative wooden beads.

✔ Lining (Optional)

Sew a fabric lining inside to make the bag:

Sturdier
More professional-looking
Better for carrying small items

Use cotton fabric and hand stitch or machine stitch it in place.

🔧 6. Troubleshooting for Beginners

❗ The edges look uneven

→ Count your stitches each row.
→ Make sure you’re not accidentally adding or skipping stitches.

❗ The bag looks “holey”

→ Use a smaller hook.
→ Try single crochet instead of half-double or double stitches.

❗ The strap stretches too much

→ Shorten the strap or switch to cotton yarn.
→ Double the strap fabric (two layers).

❗ My rectangle curls

→ This is tension-related and normal for beginners.
→ Lightly block it (flatten with steam or gentle pressure).

🎨 7. Fun Variations to Try

🌿 Boho Mesh Bag

Use chain and double crochet stitches for an airy summer bag.

💕 Chunky Mini Purse

Use super bulky yarn and a 10 mm hook for a soft, plush aesthetic.

🧺 Tote Bag with Flat Bottom

Add simple increases to create a boxed base.

🌈 Color Stripe Bag

Change yarn colors every 5 rows.

🐻 Cute Character Bag

Add safety eyes and felt pieces for a bear, bunny, or frog bag.

🌟 8. Final Thoughts

Making your own aesthetic crochet bag is not just easy—it’s relaxing, creative, and incredibly rewarding. This beginner-friendly pattern lets you build confidence with basic stitches while crafting something beautiful and functional.

Once you make one, you’ll want to make many more. Custom bags also make great gifts, market products, or personal accessories to match your outfits.

If you want, I can also create:

✅ a printable PDF pattern
✅ a stitch diagram
✅ a video-style step guide
✅ variations like granny square bags, circle bags, mesh totes, etc.

Just tell me!