Crochet Bright Stripes Backpack

Introducing the delightful Crochet Bright Stripes Backpack! This charming accessory brings a pop of color and cheerful vibes to your everyday adventures. With its vibrant stripes and sturdy design, this backpack is not just stylish but also practical for carrying your essentials. Whether you're heading to school, work, or a weekend getaway, this backpack is sure to brighten up your day and put a smile on your face. Let's add some color to your life with this fun and functional Crochet Bright Stripes Backpack!

Materials and Details

Yarn: 400 yards Worsted weight yarn. Sample: Red Heart Yarn Stripes in Bright Stripes (1.75 skeins)

Crochet Hook: H, I

Miscellaneous: yarn needle

Measurements: 11” wide x 13.5” tall or desired length

Gauge

Not necessary for this project. Tip for adding yarn: I needed to start a second skein part way through. I wanted to continue the color pattern so I rolled off the start of the next skein until I got to the next color in my sequence. I cut off the yarn I had rolled into a ball and used that later for the bag straps.

Instructions

Project starts at the bottom of the bag. With I hook and yarn, ch 84, sl st in last chain to form a loop. Make sure chain is not twisted. (84sts)

Ch 2, hdc in each st to end of round, sl st to join.

The beginning chain counts as a st until further noted. Ch 2, hdc in next st, sk 2, 5hdc in next st, sk 2, hdc 2, repeat until 5 sts remain, sk 2, 5hdc in next st, sk 2, sl st in top of beginning ch 2 to join. (84sts)

Continuing the Pattern

Ch 2, TURN, hdc between posts of 2nd and 3rd hdc of 5hdc cluster from previous round and in between posts of 3rd and 4th hdc, 5hdc in space between 2 hdc from previous round, repeat until 1 cluster remains, hdc in between posts of 2nd and 3rd hdc of 5hdc cluster from previous round and in between posts of 3rd and 4th hdc, 4hdc in between last 2hdc, sl st in top of ch 2 to join.

Note: the last cluster is made up of only 4hdc because the beginning ch 2 creates the 5th post. When starting the next round, count the ch as the first post.

Repeat the previous round until the bag is approximately 12” from the starting edge, or desired length.

Ch 1, turn, sc in each st to end of round, sl st to join.

Ch 1. Do not turn. Sc in each st to end of round, sl st to join,

Creating Drawstring Openings

This step creates openings for the drawstring. Ch 1, sc 20, ch 3, sk 3, sc 38, ch 3, sk 3, sc 20, sl st to join.

Ch 1, sc 20, sc 2 around chain from previous round, sc 38, sc 2 around chain from previous round, sc 20, sl st to join. (82sts)

Final Steps

Ch 1, sc in each st to end of round, sl st to join. Finish off and weave in ends. Note: if using one color of yarn you could leave a long yarn tail at the end to use to sew the casing. I chose to end mine because I ended with black and would be seaming to an orange section. I used orange for seaming so it wouldn’t show on the front of the bag.

Assembly

We finished on the “right side” of the bag.

Turn the bag inside out. Lay the bag on a flat surface so the drawstring openings are at the sides. Line up the bottom edge to work through two layers. With matching yarn and a yarn needle, sew the two layers across the bottom together (orange stitching in photo). This step creates the drawstring casing along the top edge. While the bag is inside out, for the top edge down, lining up the last round (top edge) with the first round of sc (step #6). With matching yarn and a yarn needle, sew the layers together. Turn bag right side out.

Drawstrings

(make 2): Note: Para chord or lightweight rope could be used instead of crocheting straps. Attach the same way. With H hook and yarn color of choice, create a chain 30” long (NOT 30 chains, 30 INCHES). Sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Finish off, leaving approximately 10” for sewing to the bottom of the bag.

With yarn needle and yarn tail, attach one end of one drawstring to the bottom corner of the bag. Attach a piece of yarn, approximately 10” long, to the other end of the same drawstring. This will be inserted into the hole in the side of the casing, on the same edge of the bag. Use a crochet hook to pull this yarn piece (and drawstring end) through the front part of the casing until the drawstring end reaches the other opening. With yarn needle and yarn, sew the drawstring to the casing. See photos below. Repeat for second drawstring, threading it through the back part of the casing.