Boho Braided Bucket Bag

Hi all!

I hope your day is going great. I’m here today to give you another free pattern! And I think I picked the cutest little design for a purse, handbag, pocketbook, suitcase…whatever it is you call it!

Since it’s the middle of summer here, I knew that I wanted to make a bag that I could just throw a few things into and run out the door. When you’re a mother of three little boys, that’s about the best I can do. Everywhere we go is rush, rush, rush and half the time I forget some of the things I was supposed to bring.

Typical.

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I don’t know about you, but most of the time, I really don’t carry a purse at all unless I really need it. But the problem with that is carrying the things I do need…like my cell phone, water bottle, kid’s allergy medicine and keys. So I designed a little Boho Braided Bucket Bag that holds all of those things and a few more.

I saw a similar bag for sale online from Billabong and I thought, man, is that cute! Then I looked at the price…$60 you guys! Whaaa!? I knew that I could make one for a tiny fraction of that price and it would be just as good. I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but crocheted clothing and accessories are super big right now.

They’re literally everywhere.

If you want to see what I mean, just check out my Pinterest account! It would be awesome if you followed me too…just saying. But I’m loading it up with crochet patterns and inspiration and crocheted handbags are hot!

This bag is easy, folks. Unique and easy.

The pattern calls for chains, single crochets, double crochets and slip stitches. That’s it.

It sits on a flat round bottom and worked from the bottom up. The uppermost portion of the Boho Braided Bucket Bag has four holes that you create using chains and skipping stitches where the braided cord is threaded through.

The bag strap is comprised of three strands of faux suede cord braided together. I used something very similar to this here, but I got mine at Wal-Mart. If you’re not into that boho look, I’m sure there is some kind of strap or cord that you can buy at a craft store that would also work.

I say that this Boho Braided Bucket Bag is unique because of the closure. There are no buttons, zippers or drawstrings. The strap is the closure.

Yep, you read that right!

The way this bag is designed, the weight of the bag and the items in it cinches the bag closed. I’m sure it’s probably not a new invention, but it is new to me so I’ll take it!

I also think this bag would make an awesome craft fair item since it works up so quickly and is in such high demand. Win, win.

Have you made a bag before or have you bought one of those expensive crocheted bags from a store? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below! What color(s) would you make this in?

Boho Braided Bucket Bag

Materials Used:

• 3 oz of Red Heart Super Saver – Buff – 7 oz/198 g – 364 yds/333 m
• Or any worsted weight yarn.
• Faux Suede Cord (3 pieces, each 60” long) – comes in a pack with 4 colors. I used tan, brown and black. I used something similar to this here.
• H/8 (5.00mm) hook
• Stitch markers (optional)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Finished Size Approximately:

18” opening

10 1/2” tall when laid flat

Gauge:

16 stitches and 11 rows in a 4” (10cm) square.

Abbreviations:

FC – foundation chain
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
sl st – slip stitch
ch – chain
ea – each
st(s) – stitch(es)
sk – skip

Notes:

• This boho braided bucket bag is worked from the bottom up.
• The 3 cords that are each 60” long are braided together.
• The braid is threaded into the bag at the very end of the pattern. The closure is a cinch-style closure created by the handle. There are no buttons or zippers.

*** American crochet terms used throughout.

Instructions:

FC: Ch 4, sl st in 1st ch to form a loop.

Round 1: Ch 1. 8 sc in loop, sl st in first sc made. (8 sc)

Note: For this section, do not work your first sc of ea round into the stitch that the ch 1 comes out of. Start with the next stitch.

Round 2: Ch 1. 2 sc in ea st around, sl st in first sc made. (16 sc)

Round 3: Ch 1. *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in first sc made. (24 sc)

Round 4: Ch 1. *Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in first sc made. (32 sc)

Round 5: Ch 1. *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in first sc made. (40 sc)

Round 6: Ch 1. *Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in first sc made. (48 sc)

Round 7: Ch 1. *Sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in first sc made. (56 sc)

Round 8: Ch 1. *Sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in first sc made. (64 sc)

Turn your crochet circle (round) so that the wrong side is facing you. The right side of the stitches (the pretty side) will be facing away from you.

Note: While working this next section, you will be crocheting in the same stitch that the chain comes out of for the start of each row.

Round 9: Ch 1. Sc in the st the ch 1 comes out of, dc in next st, *sc in next st, dc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in the top of 1st sc made of Round.

Round 10: Ch 2. Dc in the st the ch 2 comes out of, sc in next st, *dc in next st, sc in next st* Repeat from * to * around. Sl st in the top of 1st dc made of Round.

Note: As the bag gets larger, it may be helpful to flip the bag inside out as you work.
Round 11: Repeat Round 9

Round 12: Repeat Round 10

Round 13: Ch 2, dc in ea st around. Sl st in top of first dc made of Round. (64 dc)

Round 14: Repeat Round 9

Round 15: Repeat Round 10

Round 16: Repeat Round 9

Round 17: Repeat Round 10

Round 18: Repeat Round 13

Round 19: Repeat Round 9

Round 20: Repeat Round 10

Round 21: Repeat Round 9

Round 22: Repeat Round 10

Round 23: Repeat Round 13

Round 24: Repeat Round 9

Round 25: Repeat Round 10

Round 26: Repeat Round 9

Round 27: Repeat Round 10

Note: If you flipped your bag inside out, now is the time to flip it right side out and turn your work so that the right side of the stitches are facing you again as you crochet.

In this section, do not crochet into the st the ch comes out of at the beginning of ea round.

Round 28: Ch 1. Sc in ea st around, sl st in first sc made of Round. (64 sc)

Round 29 – Round 30: Repeat Round 28

Note: I used stitch markers to mark out where my holes would go. This is optional.

Round 31: Ch 3, (sk the st the ch comes out of) sk 2 more sts, sc in next 14 sts. *Ch 2, sk 2 sts, sc in next 14 sts* Repeat from * to * 2 more times. Sl st in ch-3 sp from the beginning of Round 31. (64 sc)

Round 32: Ch 1, sc in ea st around (2 sc in ea ch-2 sp), sl st in the first sc made of Round. (64 sc)

Round 33 – Round 34: Ch 1, sc in ea st around. Sl st in the first sc made of Round. (64 sc)

After Round 34, finish off and weave in end.

Finishing

Measure out three 60” lengths of faux suede cord. I used the tan, brown, and black.

With all three strands together, tie one end into a knot. I used a baby pin and pinned the knot to something that was heavy and would not move. Then I began braiding the cords all the way to the end where I tied the other end into a 2nd knot.

When working with the suede, you don’t want to pull too tight while braiding. I just gently laid each one over the other and tried to keep the flat portion of the suede facing up on each strand.

Now you will thread the cord into the holes you made on the upper portion of the bag.

Take one end of the cord, and from the outside of the bag, thread into any hole.

Continue threading the same end. From inside the bag, you want to insert the cord into the next hole along Round 31.

From the outside of the bag, thread the same end back into the bag through the next hole of the Round.

And then lastly, out through the final hole of Round 31.

I purposely wanted my end tails to be off instead of matching up lengths perfectly. I thought it would be more interesting this way, but that is a preference. You can do whatever you prefer.

Finally, tie the two cords together in a knot the same way you did with the ends of your braids. (Hold the two braids together and knot once.)

To close the bag, pull the handle. The weight in the bag will keep it closed as it hangs on your shoulder.

Enjoy your new Boho Braided Bucket Bag!

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