Free Felted Crochet Bag Pattern:
The Boulder Bag

The Boulder felted crochet bag is a "furry wool" interpretation of the majestic colors of the Colorado sky and the Rocky Mountains. Crocheted or worked in the round, this purse gets it pizazz from holding 100% wool and furry novelty yarn together to form a wonderful layer of colors. To compliment the Fun Fur, the bag is topped off with a variegated wool yarn that really does the work for you with the beautiful color changes.

This great "carry all" bag is wonderful for your knitting or crochet projects or to just use as an everyday purse. Also, choosing your preferred handles can be a fun task for The Boulder felted crochet bag You can make a twisted cord, a crocheted i-cord or purchase some leather and make up a nice braided rope to use as a strap. The possibilities are endless!

Oh, should I mention that it is a great way to experiment with mixing yarns? Not to mention it is a great stash buster for your furry novelty yarns! You know we all have them!

If you want a bag that is stunning and original this is the bag for you. When I used this bag for the first time at a Creative Festival I was told it had that WOW Factor!

Measurements (gauge):

Bag Post Felt
• Base: 16.5 cm by 28 cm
• Height: 30 cm
• Width: 45 cm (with sides folded for handle)

Flap Post Felt

• Height: 16 cm
• Width: 21.5 cm (at the widest point; dead center)

Materials:

Patons Classic Merino Wool
• Color A Two 100 gram skeins Chestnut Brown
• Color B Two 100 gram skeins Palaia
• Color F One 100 gram skein Royal Purple
(used for twisted cord)

Lion Brand Fun Fur

• Color C One skein Blue
• Color D Two skeins Purple
• Color E Two skeins Black


• One Large Button or Toggle


• Size H-8 (5mm) crochet hook or size to obtain guage


• Stitch Markers


• Clips


• One pair of scissors (sharp)


• One needle (to sew on button)

Stitches or Techniques you will need to know:

• Crochet in the Front Loop (FLO)

If the stitch is worked in the front loop only (the loop closest to you) it leaves the back loop (the loop furthest from you) empty creating a ridge on the side of the work away from you. For this pattern, we will be picking up and working into the the ridge that was created to make the flap for the top of the bag.


• Increase

Just as it sounds, this is when you increase the number of stitches you are working with by putting more than one stitch in the stitch or space indicated by the pattern.


• Decrease

Just as it sounds, this is when you decrease the number of stitches you are working with by joining together two or more stitches together with one stitch.

* CH - chain

* SC - single crochet,

* HDC - half double crochet,

* DC - double crochet

* BLO - back loop only

* FLO - front loop only

* SL ST - slip stitch

* ST(s) - stitch(es)

* YO - Yarn Over

* ( ) - all information in parenthesis are worked in one stitch

Felted Crochet Bag Pattern for: The Boulder Bag

Base of Bag

• With color A, CH 77. HDC in second ch from hook and in each ch across. CH 2, turn. (75 hdc total)
• *HDC in first hdc and in each across. Ch 2, turn. Repeat from * for 33 rows. (34 rows total)
• Begin working around the base 1 HDC in first hdc and in next 73 hdc. 3 HDC in next hdc st. Turn work to the side.



• Working up the side of the base, in each row of hdc work a HDC 34 times. In last st work 3 HDC. Turn work to the side.
• Working along the length of the base, in each hdc work a HDC 74 times. In last st work 3 HDC. Turn work to the side.
• Working up the side of the base, in each row of hdc work a HDC 34 times. 3 HDC in last corner of base. Join with a SL ST to top of first ch 2. CH 2. (228 hdc total)

Body of Bag (worked in the round)

Rounds 1-7 Still with color A, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. At the end of each round join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. Ch 2. (228 hdc total)

Round 8 HDC in first hdc in each hdc around. Holding both color A and color E, join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. CH 2.

Note: you can work over the ends of all the yarn used (even the eyelash) as you work along. Doing this is fine for a felted bag, as the ends can not work loose once the finished bag is felted.

Rounds 9-11 Working now with color A and color E, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. At the end of each round join with a SL ST to top of first ch 2. CH2.

Round 12 Still with color A and color E, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. Drop color E and join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch2. CH 2.

Rounds 13-14 Working with only color A, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. At the end of each round join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. Ch 2.

Round 15 HDC in first hdc in each hdc around. Holding both color A and color D, join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. CH 2.

Round 16-17 Working now with color A and color D, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. At the end of each round join with a SL ST to top of first ch 2. CH2.

Round 18 Still with color A and color D, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. Drop color D and join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch2. CH 2

Round 19 Working with only color A, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. At the end of each round join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. Ch 2.

Round 20 HDC in first hdc in each hdc around. Change to color B, join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. CH 2.

Round 21-22 Working with only color B, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. At the end of each round join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. Ch 2.

Round 23 HDC in first hdc in each hdc around. Holding both color B and color C, join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. CH 2.

Round 24 Working now with color B and color C, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. At the end of each round join with a SL ST to top of first ch 2. CH2.

Round 25 Still with color B and color C, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. Drop color C and join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch2. CH 2

Rounds 26-35 Working with only color B, HDC in first hdc and in each hdc around. At the end of each round join with a SL ST to the top of the first ch 2. Place marker, Ch 2.

Round 36-38 DC in first hdc and in each hdc around. Join with a SL ST to top of first ch 2. {move marker up each sl st made...need to know that place in the pattern} CH 2.

Little Tip before moving to the next round I suggest laying your bag out flat and taking some extra scraps of yarn to use as stitch markers and mark specifically where you want your flap to be located. I know this really helps me visualize where I am putting it. It also confirms that my math is correct and I am actually placing it in the center of the bag.

Round 39 HDC in first dc, and in next 20. Working in the FLO, HDC in next 38 dc. Goingback to working in both loops, HDC in all remaining dc around.

Note: the ridge you created by leaving the back loops unworked is where your flap will go. Therefore, it is important that these stitches are centered on your bag. If they are not centered, make adjustments as necessary. Either by adding or decreasing the number of stitches on either side. This is where the stitch markers you placed come in handy! You not only know where the corner of your work is but you have an estimate of where the center of the bag is with the yarn stitch markers.

Round 40 *HDC in first hdc, Decrease next two hdc {with loop on hook YO insert hook into stitch, YO and pull up st. Insert into next stitch, YO pull up st, YO pull through all 4 loops on hook}*. Work from * to * on all stitches on top of bag. Join with a SL ST to top of first CH 2. Finish off.

Little Tip By decreasing at the top of the bag you will not have a bag that is awkwardly shaped on the top after felting. Trust me!

Note: the bag out side of the bag shape you have just created will be furrier than the inside. This is what we want. The work that has been facing you the whole time has been the non public side of the bag where as the side facing away from you is the public side.

Flap For Top of Felted Crochet Bag:
Option 1

Row 1 With the non public side facing you and working from right to left, join color B with a SL ST to the first back loop stitch we left open in round 39. Ch 2.HDC in the same loop and in next 37 loops. Ch 3, turn.(38 hdc stitches)

Row 2 DC in first hdc and in each hdc across. Ch 3, turn.

Repeat Row 2 until flap measures 10 inches, ch 1 turn.

Last Row SC in first dc and in next 18, CH 7 {this is for the button, chain more if you have a larger button you are using}, SC in remaining 19 dc. Finish Off.

Little Tip You can make this flap more interesting by adding more fun fur if you want or creating a series of chain spaces that will make the flap more lace like.

Flap For Top of Felted Crochet Bag:
Option 2 as shown

Row 1 With the non public side facing you and working from right to left, join color B with a SL ST to the first back loop stitch we left open in round 39. Ch 2.HDC in the same loop and in next 37 loops. Ch 3, turn. (38 hdc stitches)

Row 2 DC in first hdc and in each across. Ch 3, turn.

Row 3 DC in first dc and in each across. Ch 3, turn.

Row 4 2 DC in first dc (Increase), DC in next 36 dc, 2 DC in last dc. Ch. 3, turn. (40 dc stitches)

Rows 5-6 Repeat row 4. (44 dc stitches)

Rows 7-15 DC in first dc and in each dc across. Ch 3, turn.

Row 16 DC in first dc, DC Decrease in next two dc {with loop on hook YO insert hook into stitch, YO and pull up st, YO pull through 2 loops on hook. Insert into next stitch, YO pull up st, YO pull through 2 loops on hook, YO pull through all remaining loops on hook}, DC in next 38 dc's, DC Decrease in next two dc, DC in last stitch. Ch 3, turn. (42 dc stitches)

Row 17 DC in first dc, DC Decrease in next two dc, DC in next 36 dc's, DC Decrease in next two dc, DC in last stitch. Ch 3, turn. (40 dc stitches)

Row 18 DC in first dc, DC Decrease in next two dc, DC in next 34 dc's, DC Decrease in next two dc, DC in last stitch. Ch 3, turn. (38 dc stitches)

Row 19 HDC in first dc, and in next 15 dc. CH 6 and skip the next 6 dc. HDC in the remaining 16 dc. CH 2, turn.

Row 20 HDC in first hdc and in next 15 hdc, 6 HDC in chain 6 space, HDC in next 16 hdc. Finish off.

This is the shape of the flap before felting.

Little Tip At this time I would take pictures and measurements. I usually will stuff the bag full with a pillow so I can get a reference of just how large it is before the felting process! Not to mention, this is a good time to double check that everything is centered because once it is felted there is no turning back!

Felting the Felted Crochet Bag:

Make certain that your ends is woven in. If you worked over your ends as you went along there should not be too many ends to weave in to the bag.

Felting instructions for your felted crochet bag pattern are as follows...

* Pop your finished bag into a mesh laundry bag, making sure it's fastened shut (if it's not properly fastened & you choose to put something else in the washer too, your bag may end up more "fuzzy" due to the added friction).

* Set your washer to the o smallest load size o hot wash, cold rinse o add a small amount of wool friendly detergent then drop your project into the washing machine and let it do its magic.

If you feel it hasn't felted properly, repeat the felting process without drying the bag first. When properly felted you shouldn't be able to distinguish individual stitches.

To dry your bag, stuff it with paper or plastic bags to help it form a nice shape. For this particular bag I like to fold in the sides and use clips to pin them in place. Make sure both sides are even (I use a measuring tape to make sure I am folding the sides in the same amount) and you are pleased with the shape of the bag at this point.

At this time as well, make sure the button you are going to use on the bag will fit through the hole in the flap we created with the 6 chains. It is important to do this now before the bag dries as you will be able to stretch the hole if you need it a little larger.

After you have clipped the bag into place and checked the button hole, allow your Felted Crochet Bag to air dry.

Why are you using clips to pin the sides? Well, this will eventually be where you are going to cut holes to thread your handle through. So, it is important that you are able to work with the bag while it is still wet and pliable versus totally dry and no wiggle room :-)

Adding the Handle or Strap:

After the bag is dry and with the clips still in place, go ahead and attach your button to the front of the bag.

It is now time to take your sharp scissors and puncture a hole directly through the middle of the folded parts of the bag that the clips are holding.

Little Tip if you place the clips in the exact same place on either side of the bag you will be able to use their placement as a marker for you. Just use a magic marker to put a dot in the middle of the clip. Now, since the clips are exaclty the same on both sides of the bag that would mean that the dots are also in the exact same place. Keep the clips in place and on one side, just below the dot on the clip, puncture the felted fabric with your scissors...all the way through the four (since it is folded) pieces!

Okay, you now have a hole going straight through the top corner/side of the bag. Repeat the process on the other side. Again, using the dot as your marker to make sure the holes are even on both sides of the bag.

1. You have the felted crochet bag
2. You have the holes in the felted crochet bag
3. Now you need some handles or straps!

There are many choices you can make when it comes to handles for your Boulder Bag! My first version of this bag I braided several strands of the remaining wool and fun fur together, felted it and it turned out like this...

Later, I saw that Jill had made a bag using twisted yarn cord! I fell in love and chose to switch out my handles and now the bag has a twisted yarn cord handle!

I could even go make more changes and felt the twisted cord to make an even more different handle...but not right now. I am happy with my very unique, eye catching Boulder Bag just the way it is!

So, my point is, choose the right handle for you and thread it through the holes you made with your scissors and you Felted Crochet Bag is complete!

Marly aka Yarn Thing

Return to Free Purse Patterns from Felted Crochet Bag

Return to Homepage.