Crochet Techniques for Making Bags: The Complete A to Z Guide

📖 7 min read

Knowing how to crochet a bag is not a matter of talent: it's a matter of technique. Four or five basic techniques, well applied, allow you to create any bag — from a clutch to a bucket bag, from a tote to a structured shoulder bag. In this guide, you'll find them all, organized from the most basic to the most advanced, with links to all in-depth articles.

The order in which the techniques are presented is also the order in which I suggest you learn them. Skip just one of these, and you'll find subsequent ones more difficult.

1. How to hold the crochet hook

It seems trivial, but it's the thing that most people get wrong at the beginning — and that causes hand and wrist pain after an hour of work. There are two main grips:

• Pencil grip: the hook is held like a pen, between the thumb and forefinger, with the tip pointing downwards. Good for fine work, less suitable for thick bag yarns.
• Knife grip: the hook is held with the entire palm, like gripping a knife, with the tip pointing forward. This grip is suitable for thick yarns and long projects, as it better distributes the strain on the wrist.

For bags, especially with cord or t-shirt yarn, the knife grip is almost always preferable. It drastically reduces hand fatigue during long sessions and allows you to work for more hours without joint problems.

A complete guide with practical tips and common mistakes on grip: How to hold your crochet hook: the right grip to avoid hand fatigue.

2. The 6 basic crochet stitches

With six stitches, you can make practically all the bags in the world. Memorizing and mastering them gives you complete independence from patterns and allows you to read any pattern without constantly having to look up vocabulary.

The six stitches you really need

1. Chain stitch (ch) — the starting point for almost every project. Always start with a series of chain stitches.
2. Slip stitch (sl st) — used for joining (e.g., closing a round) and for firm finishes.
3. Single crochet (sc) — the universal "building block" for bags. Dense, regular, structured. 70% of Macrè bags are made entirely with single crochet.
4. Half double crochet (hdc) — a bit taller than sc, it gives a slightly softer and faster result.
5. Double crochet (dc) — the classic for doilies, but also for some "openwork" summer bags.
6. Treble crochet (tr) — rarely used in bags, more for shawls and soft garments.

All 6 stitches explained step-by-step, with photos and the contexts in which they are used: The 6 basic crochet stitches you need to know to make a bag.

The flagship stitch for bags: single crochet

If you only need to master one stitch, it's the single crochet. Its characteristics make it perfect for bags:

• Dense and compact fabric (your belongings won't fall through the holes)
• Solid structure (the bag maintains its shape)
• Neat and symmetrical visual result
• Works up quickly

90% of Macrè bags are made with single crochet, worked in a continuous spiral to avoid the visible "seams" of traditional joined rounds.

3. Working in the round

Bags are not worked "flat" like a scarf: they are worked in the round, starting from the bottom and spiraling upwards towards the edge. This technique is called amigurumi style and is crucial for creating bags without visible seams.

The basic steps:

1. Magic ring (or closed chain) as the starting point
2. First round of 6 single crochets into the ring
3. Progressive increases to widen the base (rule: +6 stitches per round for the first few rounds)
4. Once the desired bottom size is reached, you "go up" without increases to create the sides

For rectangular bags (clutches, pouches), you start with a long chain and work around it instead.

4. Reading a pattern

Patterns can be intimidating at first, but they are actually the most efficient way to communicate a design. There are two main types:

• Written pattern: each round is described in technical language (e.g., "Round 5: 1 sc, 1 increase, repeat to end of round = 24 sc").
• Chart pattern (diagram): stitches are represented by geometric symbols (circles, crosses, T's...) arranged as they will appear in the finished bag.

For Macrè bags, we primarily use written patterns because they are more straightforward for beginners. A complete guide to reading them: How to read a crochet pattern: the practical guide for beginners.

5. Yarn tension

Tension is the invisible detail that makes the difference between an amateur bag and a professional one. It means how tightly you pull the yarn as you work, and it's highly personal: some people have naturally tight tension, others loose.

What to remember:

1. Consistent tension throughout the bag. More important than the "right" tension is that it is the same from start to finish.
2. Neither too tight nor too loose. Too tight makes it difficult to insert the hook into the stitches of the next round, and stiffens the bag more than necessary. Too loose makes the fabric flimsy and less structured.
3. Make a swatch first. A 10x10 cm test swatch tells you if the yarn + hook + your tension combination matches the dimensions stated in the pattern. If the bag turns out differently, it's almost always a tension problem, not a pattern problem.

6. Increases and decreases

These are the techniques that allow you to shape your bag, going beyond a simple cylinder.

Increases

These are made by working 2 stitches into the same stitch of the previous round. They are used to widen: the entire circular base of a bucket bag is made of progressive increases (1 increase every 6 stitches in the first round, 1 every 7 in the second, and so on).

Decreases

These are made by working 2 stitches together (joining them into one). They are used to narrow: "narrow-mouth" bags, shaped bucket bags, handle indentations.

Knowing how to alternate regular increases and decreases allows you to create practically any bag shape.

7. Calculating the necessary yarn

How much yarn to buy before starting is one of the most frequent questions. Underestimating means risking running out of the exact color halfway through the bag, and different dyed lots never match 100%.

A rough estimate for guidance:

• Mini bag in t-shirt yarn: 150-250 g
• Pouch / clutch in cord yarn: 200-300 g
• Medium tote bag in cord yarn: 400-600 g
• Bucket bag in marshmallow yarn: 300-500 g
• XXL bag in t-shirt yarn: 600-900 g

Golden rule: always buy 20% more than the theoretical estimate. For a personalized calculation based on your project: How much yarn do you need to crochet a bag? Practical guide.

8. Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Over the years of assisting customers, we've seen the same mistakes recur almost consistently. The 7 main ones are compiled in a dedicated article: The 7 most common mistakes when crocheting a bag.

The three most common:

1. Not counting stitches at the end of the round. Even just one stitch more or less, repeated over 30 rounds, will deform the entire bag. Always count.
2. Starting without a test swatch. 10 minutes of swatching saves hours of wasted work.
3. Unraveling and redoing instead of adapting. Often a small mistake can be corrected with a targeted increase or decrease in the next round. Don't undo everything; try to adjust.

Where to start if you've never picked up a crochet hook

The ideal path for beginners is:

1. Learn the grip (1 day)
2. Learn chain stitch and single crochet (2-3 days of practice)
3. Make a 20x20 cm swatch (an exercise, not to keep)
4. Start a mini bag or clutch in pandorino or t-shirt yarn (forgiving yarns)
5. From then on, everything is learned by doing

For a complete introduction to the world of crochet and different types of hooks: Do you know all the types of crochet hooks?.

Frequently Asked Questions

In summary

Crochet techniques for bags can be summarized in 5 cornerstones: correct hook grip, mastery of the 6 basic stitches, ability to work in the round, pattern reading, and consistent tension. Add increases, decreases, and a good yarn calculation, and you have everything you need to tackle any project.

You don't need to be "good with your hands" or have natural talent. You need regular practice, ideally with feedback (a course, a group, someone who corrects tension and grip errors). Everything else comes naturally.

If you have questions about a specific technique or want personalized advice on your next project, write to us at info@macrebag.it. 💕