Crochet guide
Bag handles and straps
A crochet bag gets its handles in one of three ways. They are worked in one with the rim, as a chain made over skipped stitches. They are crocheted apart, as a strap or a cord, and sewn on. Or they are bought. Crochet stretches, so the last part of this page is about keeping a strap firm.
On this page 7 parts
The three kinds
Stitch names on this page are United States terms, with the United Kingdom name in brackets.
| Kind | How it is worked | How it is attached |
|---|---|---|
| Worked in one with the bag | A chain made over skipped stitches in a round of the rim | It is part of the rim |
| A strap or cord made apart | A chain as long as the strap, with rows or rounds worked along it, or a cord | Joined or sewn to the rim with a yarn needle |
| Bought handles | Leather straps and other ready-made handles | Added to the finished bag |
A handle worked in one with the bag
This handle is a gap in the rim. In one round, work to where the handle starts, make a chain, skip the stitches under it, and go on. In the next round, work as many stitches over the chain as it has chains. The chain is now a handle. If the chain has as many chains as the stitches it skipped, the round has its full count again.
- A short chain leaves a slot for the hand.
- A long chain makes a strap, for the shoulder or to wear across the body.
- More rounds worked over the chain make the handle thicker.
Plan it before you reach that round. Mark with stitch markers where each handle leaves the rim, and count the stitches so that the two sides match.
A strap made apart
A separate strap is begun with a chain as long as the strap, and worked along that chain. A cord does the same job: an i-cord or one of the other cords.
Join or sew each end to the rim with a yarn needle, and weave the ends in well.
Bought handles
Leather handles are one kind that is bought and added to a crochet bag. If a handle is a ring, the stitch that covers a ring is on the page Working over a ring.
Why straps stretch, and what helps
Crochet stretches, and a full bag pulls on its straps. These make a strap firmer:
- Short, dense stitches. Single crochet (UK double crochet) makes a sturdier strap than a taller stitch.
- A smaller hook. A hook smaller than the yarn asks for makes the stitches tighter and the strap firmer.
- Cotton. Cotton, or a blend with cotton in it, holds its shape. Acrylic alone stretches more.
- Two strands. A handle worked with two strands held together is thicker.
Keeping the bag itself in shape
The same choices keep the body of the bag from sagging: cotton, a small hook and a dense stitch. A fabric lining also helps a bag hold its shape. Lining a crochet bag shows how one is put in.
Where to go next
- Bag and basket bases, for the bottom of the bag.
- I-cord and Cords, for straps and drawstrings.
- Two strands held together, for a thicker fabric.