Cotton Basket Bag - Free Crochet Pattern

Make your crochet a statement part of your outfit and personalise it with pompoms in your colour palette. See you at the market, or park, or beach…

Worked with Aran yarn held double, this cotton bag grows quickly. With the option of adding cardboard to a channel around the edge, the bag is also sturdy and keeps it's shape!

Materials

Wooden bag handles, 18cm – I used these. 

5 balls of Women’s InstituteCotton Aran Yarn in Cream, 100g/160m 

7mm crochet hook

Length of thick cardboard approx. 90cm (L) x 8cm (W) – I cut up a cardboard box!

Assorted pompom makers and acrylic yarn scraps for pompoms

Finished bag size

Approx. 40cm (W) x 24cm (H – without handles) x 9cm (D)

Gauge

10cm square = 12sts x 11rows in rows of dc with yarn held double, though gauge is not essential

Abbreviations

ch        chain

dc        double crochet (US single crochet)

inc       increase – work two double crochet in one stitch

st(s)     stitch(es)

ss         slip stitch

Stitch descriptions

Slip stitch: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, pull this loop through first loop on hook

Double crochet: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops

Bag pattern – MAKE 2

Foundation row

Using a 7mm crochet hook and the yarn held double, make 24dc around the bottom bar of the bag handle, turn. (24 sts)

Row 1 

Chain 1 (does not count as a stitch throughout pattern), 6dc, inc, dc until 7 sts remain, inc, 6dc. (26 sts)

Rows 2-13 

Repeat row 1. (50 sts at end of row 13)

Row 14

2ss, 6dc, inc, 6dc, inc, sc until 16 stitches remain, inc, 6dc, inc, 6dc, leave last two stitches unworked, turn. (50 sts not including slip stitches)

Row 15-26

Repeat row 14, do not count slip stitches from previous row as stitches. Cut and fasten off yarn. (50 sts)

Row 27

Turn your work 90 degrees clockwise, as shown in picture. 

Reattach yarn to the first slip stitch of row 14, and ss in each of the 2ss. Next, dc in the unworked dc stitches from row 15, ss in 2ss from row 16, dc in unworked dc stitches from row 17. Continue in this way, working ss in the slip stitches, and dc in the unworked double crochets until you reach the bottom of the bag at row 26. Work one dc in each stitch around the bottom until you get to the other side, work back up the bag in the same way you worked down the opposite side. Stop when you have worked the last of the unworked stitches for row 14. Cut and fasten off yarn. (102 stiches)

This will neaten off the edges of the bag panels ready for joining with side panels.

Side panel 1

Having made two bag panels, using a 7mm crochet hook and two strands of yarn held double, choose one panel and place it wrong side up (you can choose which is wrong and which is right). Reattach the yarn to one end of Row 27 in the back loop only.

Row 1

Ch1 (does not count as a stitch) and, working in the back loop only, make one dc in each stitch, turn. (102).

Rows 2-8

Repeat row 1. (102)

Row 9

Take second bag panel and place it right sides together with the one you are working on. Ss in the front loop only of each stitch from second bag panel row 27. At the end of the row, cut and fasten off yarn. Your two bag panels should now be joined by a side panel.

Side panel 2

We are now going to make a second side panel to sit on top of the first. This will create a channel through which we will slide the strip of cardboard to stiffen the bag.

Reattach the yarn to one end of Row 27 in an unworked loop.

Row 1

Ch1 (does not count as a stitch) and, working in the unworked loops only, make one dc in each stitch, turn. (102).

Rows 2-8

Repeat row 1. (102)

Row 9

Ss in the unworked loop only of each stitch from the second bag panel along row 27. At the end of the row, cut and fasten off yarn. Your two bag panels should now be joined by two side panels.

Turn your bag right sides out. Now slide the cardboard in between the two side panels. To close the tops of the side panel channels, whip stitch using a tapestry needle and one strand of yarn, or slip stitch using your crochet hook. Repeat on both sides.

Weave in ends, make and attach pompoms of your choice to one side of the bag!

I hope you enjoyed this pattern! Find Lindsey and more free Lottie and Albert patterns at @lottieandalbert and www.lottieandalbert.blogspot.com

Crochet Monstera Leaf Pompom Crown - free pattern

Let's be honest, no one needs an excuse to wear a pompom crown. Perhaps it's your birthday or festival season, or perhaps you just want to feel a bit special while you're doing the washing up?! Make yourself a super quick and fun pompom crown with Monstera Cheese Plant leaves, and then wear it with pride!

You Will Need

Knitcraft Cotton Blend Plain DK 100g each of:

1 x Mustard 

1 x Purple 

1 x Teal 

1 x Light Pink

1 x Coral

3mm crochet hook

6cm Pompom maker

fabric-covered hairband 

Thin floristry wire (I used this one)

Metal yarn needle

Abbreviations

This pattern is written in UK crochet terms

ch        chain

dc        double crochet (US single crochet)

htc       half treble crochet (US half triple crochet)

tc         treble crochet (US triple) crochet

st(s)     stitch(es)

ss         slip stitch

Gauge

Gauge is not essential for this project, although using a smaller hook than the ball band recommends will help keep give your cheese plant leaves shape.

Stitch descriptions

Slip stitch: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, pull second loop through first loop on hook

Double crochet: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops

Half treble crochet: Yarn over once, insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through all loops on hook

Treble crochet: Yarn over once, insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops on hook, yarn over and pull through remaining two loops on hook.

Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa) pattern

Make 1 in each colour.

Starting chain: leaving a long tail before your slip knot, Ch16

Leaf point: ss in 2^nd chain from hook, dc, htc, tc along starting chain, ch3, ss in next 2 chains along starting chain

Leaf 1: ch4, ss into the top of the ch3 from the leaf point, ch3 and work tc, htc, dc, ss back along the ch4 you made at the start of leaf 1, ss in next 2 chains along starting chain

Leaf 2: ch6, ss into the top of the ch3 from leaf 1, ch3 and work tc, htc, dc, 3ss back along the ch6 you made at the start of leaf 2, ss in next 2 chains along starting chain

Leaf 3: ch6, ss into the top of the ch3 from leaf 2, ch 2 and work htc, tc, htc, dc, 2ss back along the ch6 you made at the start of leaf 3, ss in next 2 chains along starting chain

Leaf 4: ch5, ss into the top of the ch2 from leaf 3, ch2 and work htc, tc, htc, dc, ss back along the ch5 you made at the start of leaf 4, ss in next 2 chains along starting chain

Leaf 5: ch4, ss into the top of the ch2 form leaf 4, ch1 and work dc, htc, tc, htc back along the ch4 you made at the start of leaf 4, ss in last chain of starting chain

Without turning your work over, rotate the leaf 90 degrees clockwise. You are now going to work back down the starting chain towards the leaf point, on the other side of the starting chain.

Stem: Ch2 (does not count as stitch), 11htc, 2dc, 3ss, turn

Leaf point: ss in 2^nd stitch from end, htc, tc, ss in next 2 stitches along starting chain

Repeat Leaves 1-5 along the other side, working the final 2 ss for each leaf into the htc on the other side of the starting chain. Fasten off and leave a long end.

Cut a length of wire slightly longer than the leaf and weave the wire through the middle of the leaf stem. Fasten the wire to the top and bottom of the leaf stem, while stretching the leaf slightly. This will allow you to shape the leaf when it is attached to your hairband.

Pompoms

Using your 6mm pompom maker, make one pompom in each of the five colours – make sure you trim your pompoms thoroughly to shape them neatly.

Attach your five pompoms to the hairband by tying them on, then sewing any end through the fabric of your hairband to secure them. I positioned my pompoms as follows: Light pink – coral – mustard – teal – purple. Now attach your cheese plant leaves using the long tails and ends you left to tie and then sew to the headband. Follow the photographs to position yours, or make it up as you go!

I hope you enjoyed this pattern! Please feel free to leave me a comment here or over on Instagram @lottieandalbert, and use the hashtag lottieandalbert so I can see what you've made!

Lindsey x