Free Crochet Pattern: Evelyn Drawstring Bag
By Amy Yarbrough – 20 Comments
Bags are one of the most exciting things to design, in my opinion. The variety is tremendous! For the Evelyn Drawstring Bag I wanted to do a simple drawstring bag… but with a few special aspects.
The bag is made with a cotton yarn in simple half double crochet stitches up until the middle when the stitch changes to the unique but easy to crochet, trinity stitch.
But what I like most might just be the flat braided straps. Anyone with a general knowledge of braiding will be able to pull it off.
Ready to add the Evelyn Drawstring Bag to your collection? Splendid!
| Skill Level: |  |
Finished Size: Laid flat, 10†(25.5 cm) tall x 13†(33 cm) wide
| Materials: Medium weight, cotton yarn (approximately 250 yards of gray, 35 yards of pink) Crochet hook 7(4.50 mm) Yard stick, measuring tape, or ruler Scissors |
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Gauge:
Round 1 in pattern measures 3/4†(2 cm)
How to Crochet the Trinity Stitch (sc3tog cluster in the pattern):
The trinity stitch is simply a series of sc3tog. To work the trinity stitch, work the 3 legs of your sc3tog in the same st as the last st, the st after that, and then the next st.
Need help understanding the abbreviations and symbols? Check out the crochet abbreviation chart.
Crochet Pattern: Evelyn Drawstring Bag
Round 1: with gray, make an adjustable ring, ch 2, 9 hdc in ring, sl st in first hdc: 9 hdc
Round 2: ch 2, 2 hdc in each hdc around, sl st in first hdc: 18 hdc
Round 3: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 27 hdc
Round 4: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 2 hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 36 hdc
Round 5: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 3 hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 45 hdc
Round 6: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 4 hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 54 hdc
Round 7: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 5 hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 63 hdc
Round 8: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 6 hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 72 hdc
Round 9: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 7 hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 81 hdc
Round 10: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 8 hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 90 hdc
Round 11: ch 2, * 2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 9 hdc, repeat from * around, sl st in first hdc: 99 hdc
Round 12 – 20: ch 2, hdc in each hdc around, sl st in first hdc: 99 hdc
Round 21: with pink, ch 1, sc in first hdc, * sc3tog cluster, ch 1, repeat from * around, sl st in first sc:
Round 22 – 26: ch 1, sc in first sc, * sc3tog cluster, ch 1, repeat from * around, sl st in first sc: 99 sts
Round 27: with gray, ch 2, hdc in each st around, sl st in first hdc: 99 hdc
Round 28 – 35: ch 2, hdc in each hdc around, sl st in first hdc: 99 hdc
Round 36 – 37: ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st in first sc: 99 sc
Round 38: ch 1, sc in next 9 sc, ch 1, skip next sc, repeat from * around, sl st in first sc: 99 sts
Round 39 – 40: ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st in first sc: 99 sc
Round 41 – 42: ch 2, hdc in each hdc around, sl st in first hdc: 99 hdc
Finish off.
Straps (make 2)
Cut 9 strands of pink yarn each 2 yards long. Align them at one end and knot. Hang the knot on a hook on the wall or somewhere to keep it in place as you braid. Divide the strands into 3 equal portions and begin braiding. Keep the strands flat and work carefully so that the strands do not curl and give you a rounded braid instead. Once you reach the bottom, carefully knot.
Inserting Straps
Lay the bag flat. Take one strap and weave it in on one side and around to the same side. Knot straps. Do the same with the other side, working around the previous straps.
You can add a liner to the bag if you like, or even purchase bag inserts online, or just leave it as is.
Have some questions about the pattern? Leave me a comment below and I’ll see what I can do.
Cute style…great for teens who want to carry something like mom!
Thanks, Antoinette!
this is so cute and easy to make. With Christmas right around the corner, these would make awesome gifts. i imagine doing one in a metalic thread for evening. Thanks for sharing.
That sounds lovely, Carol! Thanks for sharing!
Amy
Thanks for the interesting and beautiful bag pattern! That trinity stitch detail is so original and pretty! Perhaps others, like me, have heard of that stitch, but have not used it yet. So, I look forward to trying this. We could probably make it on a smaller scale by doing fewer increase rounds on the base. (Thinking of a bag for a little girl.)
Thanks Annmary! I agree, I really like the look of the trinity stitch. And making the bag smaller for girls is such a good idea. I hope you enjoy working the pattern!
Amy
Thank you for your reply, Amy!
My pleasure!
Saw this in my inbox and immediately wanted to do it. But I don’t have a lot of cotton. Do you think acrylic will work? Or is the cotton important to reduce elasticity? Thanks!
Hello Erin, so glad you like my design.
I think acrylic would work too. I’m not sure, in this case, the cotton changes the drape of the bag so much as it just gives it a less fuzzy look. I would love to hear how it works out for you!
Best wishes,
Amy
Hello Amy
Beautiful bag! About how long did this take you to make?
All the best
Daniela
Hello Daniela, I am sorry for the tardy response. I can’t imagine how I missed the notification.
It’s kind of hard to say how long the bag took me since I was designing it. But I would say maybe about 6 hours, give or take a few minutes. The straps were perhaps more time consuming than the bag but I think they give it just the right touch, just the same.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Keep crocheting!
Amy
Don’t really understand how you threaded the straps. I wish you had more detail on it or a video on how you did it. The holes made aren’t really very big. There’s just one hole, but it looks like in the one picture that you provided that you are keeping the strap on one side which means you would have to thread it through one stitch. This doesn’t make sense to me when you only made one hole. Seems like you would have made 2 holes together to go in and out so that a large section of strap doesn’t end up on the inside. You need more photos to explain the strap threading. Thanks.
Hello LBW,
I’m sorry you are having trouble with this. I’ll try to help you out.
As you may already know, round 38 is where you are creating the “holes” for the straps to go through, which are simply ch-1 spaces. There should be 10 holes. I first took one strap, started at one side of the bag, and wove it in and out of the holes until I had returned to the hole next to the one I began in. Then I took the other strap, started from the opposite side, and wove it in and out of the same holes BUT they came out and went in opposite to the first strap. Do you see what I mean?
Amy
Hello Amy, I’m practicing this pattern and I’m afraid to mess up on a particular part of the color change. When you switch colors, you cut the yarn and fasten them off, correct? I’m still learning and I’d rather not mess up badly, especially on a design as lovely as yours.
Thank you in advance!!!! <3
Hello Aimee, (nice name, by the way 😉 ). It’s good to hear you’re working my design! Yes, you will need to cut the yarn and join the other color to change colors.
Best wishes!
Amy
Hello Amy,
I love this pattern so much! Im planning on making it for my sister! I do have a question though. Does the ch 2 at the beginning of each round count as a hdc?
Thank You!
Hello Jessica,
Glad you like my pattern! No, the ch-2 at the beginning of the row is a turning chain and not to be counted as a stitch. Have fun crocheting! And let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Amy
Do the clusters of 3 SC go in the chain from the previous round so they offset each other row by row? Thx.
Hello Laurie,
Actually the three legs of the cluster go in three separate places. The instructions of how to do this are written before the pattern, under How to Crochet the Trinity Stitch (sc3tog cluster in the pattern). Does this answer your question?
Amy