Crochet a fun African flower bag with this easy free pattern! It will carry all your essentials while adding a fun, boho touch to any outfit. The step-by-step photo tutorial for this colorful crochet granny bag makes it simple to follow.
I love experimenting with color combinations and the african flower is one of my favorite square patterns. You can check out this post all about the African flower granny square
After making my popular crochet daisy granny bag, I wanted a smaller and neater version, and the African flower square was perfect for this bag!
How to get the Pattern for the African Flower Bag
- Free Crochet Pattern: Scroll down this blog post for the written instructions.
- Printable PDF: Ad-free PDF pattern with 7 pages including all details. This helps me continue to provide free patterns. Thank you for your support! – Purchase on Ravelry and on Etsy
Yarn for your Crochet Bag
You will only need 13 squares made with your favorite DK weight cotton yarn (light worsted) and a 4 mm hook. I used a cotton/acrylic mix yarn for my bag. Cotton yarn will give a sturdy fabric and is easy to wash and care for.
You can adjust the size of the squares by using different yarn weights, and the placement of color changes can create various effects. My sunflower granny square bag and granny square tote bag, both using stash yarn, are also a fun way to experiment with color and texture!
Crochet Bag Details
The pattern guides you through crocheting the squares, arranging them, and seaming them together using a whip stitch. Top edging instructions are included to finish off the bag. You can attach store-bought handles or crochet your own.
Instructions for the crochet straps are included below. I opted not to line my bag as it was sturdy enough on its own.
For my yarn colors, I chose lime green as my main color. The crochet squares are yellow, pink and red for a striking color combination, and I love how it turned out! Play around with your flower colors until you are happy with the result.
Stitches Needed
To make this bag, you’ll need to know several basic stitches: chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet.
The square pattern is worked in rounds, with the final round squaring off your African flower motif. For my bag, I used DK weight yarn, but any yarn will work as long as you match your hook size to the yarn. If you use a worsted weight cotton yarn, your bag will be bigger which you may prefer.
With helpful pictures throughout, this pattern makes creating your granny square bag a breeze!
Crochet African Flower Granny Bag Pattern
Skill Level
Suitable for adventurous beginners
This pattern is in US crochet terms
Materials
Sirdar Stories dk – 60% Cotton 40% Acrylic, 140m (153yds), 50g
- Main color (MC): 2 balls in Picnic (815)
- Contrast colors: 1 ball in each of the following colors
- (A) Sunseekers (812) (813), (B) Beach Club (834), (C) Pillow Talk (803), (D) Date Night (808)
- 4 mm & 3.5 mm crochet hook
- Yarn needle
You can use any DK weight/light worsted weight yarn to achieve a similar effect.
If using stash yarn, you will need approximately 450m of DK weight/light worsted weight yarn.
Bag Measurements
- Height of bag (not including handles) – 11.5in [29cm]
- Width of bag – 10.5in [27cm]
- Handle Straps – 20in [51cm]
- Each square is 4 x 4in [10 x 10cm] made using dk weight yarn
Abbreviations
US crochet terms
- Beg beginning
- ch chain
- sl st slip stitch
- sc single crochet
- hdc half double crochet
- dc double crochet
- tr treble crochet
- st stitch
- sp space
- beg beginning
- rep repeat
- RS right side
- WS wrong side
Special Stitches
Shell – (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in space indicated
Long single crochet (long sc) – Work a long single crochet between each petal (make your stitch loose) by inserting your hook into the space between each shell from round 2 and pulling up a loose loop. Yarn over and pull through both loops.
Notes
- Ch 3 at beginning of a round counts as 1 dc.
- Ch 1 at beginning of a round does not count as a stitch.
- You will need a total of 13 squares.
- Each square is worked in rounds and joined together. I whipstitched my squares together, but you can use a join of your choice.
- A border is worked around the top edges of the bag.
- You will crochet 2 straps to attach to the bag or you could use shop bought handles.
- I suggest going down a hook size for making the straps. I used a 3.5 mm hook. It made the strap more dense and less stretchy.
- Lining your bag is optional.
African Flower Granny Square (make 13)
(see photo tutorial below)
Using 1st color chain 5 and join with a sl st to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc, ch 1 in ring, [2 dc, ch 1] 7 times into ring, join with a sl st to top of beg ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 16 dc, 8 x ch-1 sps
Round 2: Join new color in any ch-1 sp, ch 3, (1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in same ch-1 sp, [shell in next ch-1 sp] 7 times, join with a sl st to top of beg ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 8 x shells
Round 3: Join new color in any ch-1 sp in centre of a shell, ch 3, 4 dc in same ch-1 sp, [5 dc in next ch-1 sp] 7 times, join with a sl st to top of beg ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 8 petals
You will work a single crochet into each stitch on round 4, with a long sc (see special stitches) between each petal
Round 4: Join new color in any st, ch 1 (does not count as a stitch), work 1 sc in each st around, making a long sc between each petal, into the space between each shell from round 2, join with a sl st to first sc. Fasten off yarn – 40 sc, 8 x long sc
Round 5 will square off your flower
Round 5: Join new color in top of any long sc from round 4, ch 1, 1 sc in same st, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, (1 tr, ch 2, 1 tr) in next st (long sc from round 4),
[1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 5 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, (1 tr, ch 2, 1 tr) in next st] 3 times,
1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 hdc in the next st, 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, join with a sl st to first sc. Fasten off yarn.
Bag Assembly
- Lay out squares as in the picture below.
- Using Yarn A, and holding RS of both squares together, you will join by whipstitching through back loop of the corresponding stitch on each square.
- Attach squares in rows and then sew each row together (as in layout picture).
- Take the bottom squares and fold bag in half along dotted lines, with WS facing out.
- Fold in the 2 side squares and pin in place. Stitch markers are also helpful if needed.
- Sew remaining seams, checking regularly that you are lining up the correct squares. It is easy to make a mistake!
- When complete, turn bag right side out.
Top Edge of Bag
The border of the bag is made in the round, on the top edge of the bag
Round 1: With RS facing, join MC in any st, ch 1, work sc evenly around the top of the bag, working sc3tog in the ‘valley’ where 3 squares meet and (1 sc, ch 1, 1 sc) in ch-2 sp at the top of each ‘peak’ of the bag (where you will attach the handles), join with a sl st to beg sc.
Round 2: With yarn B, join in any st. Ch 1, work 1 sc in each st around the top of the bag, working sc3tog in the ‘valley’ where 3 squares meet and (1 sc, ch 1, 1 sc) in ch-1 sp at the top of each ‘peak’ of the bag, join with a sl st to beg sc. Fasten off yarn.
Round 3: With yarn D, repeat Round 2. Fasten off yarn and weave in all threads.
Bag Straps (make 2)
You can adjust the length of the straps by making any number of chains
Using yarn D and 3.5 mm hook, chain 91
Row 1: 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in each ch across, turn – 90sc
Row 2: Ch 1, 1 sc in each st across, turn
Row 3: Repeat row 2
Row 4: Sl st in each st across. Fasten off yarn and weave in all threads.
Sew both handles securely to the inside of bag at each ‘peak’ using photos as a guide.
You can purchase an Ad-free PDF pattern with 7 pages including all details. Purchase on Ravelry and on Etsy
PIN FOR LATER
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and be sure to tag me in your photos so I can see it too, @anniedesigncrochet or #anniedesigncrochet – I can’t wait to see what colours you use with this pattern!
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