Embrace the festive spirit with this charming crochet holiday bucket bag! Featuring delightful tapestry crochet motifs of Santa, reindeer, a Christmas tree, snow globe, and candy cane, this bag is perfect for carrying your essentials with a touch of seasonal joy. It’s a fantastic project to add a handmade touch to your winter wardrobe or to gift a loved one. Get ready to spread holiday cheer, one stitch at a time!
Craft Your Own Holiday Cheer with This Unique Crochet Bag!
This unique crochet bag allows you to personalize your holiday style or create a truly special handmade gift. The intricate tapestry designs make it a standout accessory, sparking conversations and smiles wherever you go. Beyond its festive appeal, it’s a practical and durable bag, perfect for holiday shopping trips or adding a whimsical touch to your everyday outfits throughout the season.
Crochet Pattern: Jolly Holiday Crochet Bucket Bag: Tapestry Christmas Motifs Pattern
Materials
- Worsted weight yarn in: Medium Brown (MC), Red, Dark Green, White, Light Blue, Peach/Light Pink, Black, Yellow, Beige/Cream (for strap base)
- Crochet Hook: 5.0mm (H)
- Yarn Needle
- Scissors
- Stitch Markers
- Optional: 2 D-rings (approx. 1 inch/2.5cm) for drawstring
- Optional: 2 Swivel Clasps (for strap)
- Optional: Fabric lining (for added stability and structure)
Abbreviations
- ch: chain
- sc: single crochet
- sl st: slip stitch
- inc: increase (2 sc in one stitch)
- BLO: back loop only
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rnd: round
- FO: fasten off
- MC: Main Color (Medium Brown)
- CC: Contrasting Color
- MR: Magic Ring
Instructions
This pattern uses the tapestry crochet technique. When changing colors, insert hook into stitch with current color, yarn over and pull up a loop, then yarn over with the new color and pull through both loops to complete the stitch. Carry unused colors along the top of your stitches, crocheting over them to hide them.
Bag Base (Medium Brown)
- Rnd 1: Start with MC (Medium Brown). 6 sc in MR. Join with sl st to first sc. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. Join. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: Ch 1, (sc in next st, inc) around. Join. (18 sts)
- Rnd 4: Ch 1, (sc in next 2 sts, inc) around. Join. (24 sts)
- Rnd 5: Ch 1, (sc in next 3 sts, inc) around. Join. (30 sts)
- Continue increasing in this manner, adding 1 sc between increases each round, until you have approximately 120 sc (e.g., Rnd 20 will be (sc in next 18 sts, inc) around). The base should measure approximately 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) in diameter.
Bag Body – Bottom Border
- Rnd 1 (Red): Join Red. Ch 1, sc in BLO in each st around. Join with sl st to first sc. (120 sts)
- Rnd 2 (Red): Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (120 sts)
- Rnd 3 (Dark Green): Join Dark Green. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (120 sts)
- Rnd 4 (Dark Green): Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (120 sts)
- Rnd 5 (Medium Brown): Join MC. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Do not join, continue in a spiral for body. (120 sts)
Bag Body – Tapestry Motifs (Medium Brown with CCs)
Continue working in continuous rounds with MC (Medium Brown), using tapestry crochet for the festive motifs. You will work a sequence of 5 distinct motifs around the bag, each approximately 24 stitches wide. The motifs are: Santa, Reindeer, Snow Globe, Christmas Tree, and Candy Cane. Carry unused colors loosely behind your work.
- Rnds 6-10: Work 5 rounds in MC (Medium Brown).
- Rnds 11-30: Begin working the tapestry crochet motifs. For this section, you will carry Red, Dark Green, White, Light Blue, Peach/Light Pink, Black, and Yellow yarn as needed for your chosen motifs. Each motif (Santa, Reindeer, Snow Globe, Christmas Tree, Candy Cane) will be worked over approximately 24 stitches wide and 20 rows high.
- Santa Motif: Use White for beard and hat trim, Red for hat, Peach/Light Pink for face, Black for eyes, Dark Red for nose/mouth.
- Reindeer Motif: Use Dark Brown for antlers/face, Red for nose, Black for eyes.
- Snow Globe Motif: Use Light Blue for sky, White for snow, Red for house roof, Dark Brown for house walls, Light Green for bushes, Dark Green for globe base.
- Christmas Tree Motif: Use Dark Green for tree, Red for baubles, White for snow, Yellow for star.
- Candy Cane Motif: Use White and Red stripes.
Refer to a visual chart or create your own to guide the exact stitch-by-stitch color changes for each motif. Ensure motifs are evenly spaced around the bag.
- Rnds 31-35: Continue in MC (Medium Brown) only, working sc in each st around to complete the height of the bag.
Bag Body – Top Border and Drawstring Casing
- Rnd 36 (Dark Green): Join Dark Green with sl st to first st of previous round. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (120 sts)
- Rnd 37 (Dark Green): Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (120 sts)
- Rnd 38 (Red): Join Red. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (120 sts)
- Rnd 39 (Red): Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (120 sts)
- Rnd 40 (Dark Green): Join Dark Green. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (120 sts)
- Rnd 41 (Dark Green – Drawstring Casing): Ch 1, (sc in next 4 sts, ch 1, skip 1 st) around. Join with sl st to first sc. (96 sc, 24 ch-1 spaces)
- Rnd 42 (Dark Green): Ch 1, sc in each sc and each ch-1 space around. Join with sl st. (120 sts) FO.
Drawstring (Red & Dark Green)
- Cut two long strands of Red yarn and two long strands of Dark Green yarn, each approximately 3 yards (2.7 meters) long.
- Twist or braid these four strands together tightly, then fold in half and allow them to twist back on themselves to create a strong cord.
- Tie an overhand knot at each end to secure. Trim ends to create small tassels.
- Using a yarn needle or safety pin, weave the drawstring through the ch-1 spaces created in Rnd 41. Start and end at the same front center point.
Strap (Beige/Cream with Red & Dark Green Pattern)
The strap is worked flat in rows.
- Base Chain: With Beige/Cream yarn, ch approximately 150-180 chains (or desired length for shoulder/crossbody strap).
- Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (approx. 149-179 sc)
- Row 2-X: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn.
- To create the geometric pattern seen in the image, incorporate Red and Dark Green yarn using tapestry crochet or simple color changes every few rows. The pattern on the strap looks like small diamond or X shapes. You can alternate stripes of solid Beige/Cream with patterned stripes.
- Continue until the strap is about 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm) wide. FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Finishing
- Weave in all loose ends securely.
- Attach the optional D-rings to the top edge of the bag (between Rnds 40 and 41) on opposite sides, centered.
- Sew the ends of the strap securely to the D-rings using the long tails left earlier, or attach swivel clasps to the strap ends and clip to the D-rings.
- (Optional) Line the bag with fabric for extra durability and a neat finish.