Coillte – free crochet bag pattern for forest inspired bag
‘Coillte’ is a free crochet bag pattern for a small crochet bag. What does ‘Coillte’ mean? It’s the Irish word for forest, and this bag has a forest theme, inspired by rows of trees and foliage. This is a quick and easy crochet project you can make in a couple of hours, and uses approximately 50g (one small ball) of worsted weight yarn. The bag can be made with 2 options for handles or straps.
This small crochet bag makes a lovely quick crochet project all by itself. You can make one in a couple of hours, with yarn from your stash. Great for a quick gift, or for stocking up a stall at a local craft fair. (If you are planning on selling, please read my copyright section at the end first) The full bag pattern is available here in this blog post, for free. However, it can also be used as a gauge swatch for the Coillte pullover pattern. I wrote the Coillte pullover in 10 sizes, to fit from a 28 inch chest to a 72 inch chest. The pattern is available in US and UK crochet terms, in standard format (which is formatted for standard and dyslexic users). it is also available in a large print PDF and an abbreviation free PDF. Find the sweater pattern on Ravelry.
Crochet Bag and matching pullover
Accessibility
This blog post is formatted for accessibility, and avoids traditional abbreviations for easy access. The PDF available to purchase includes traditional formatting with standard abbreviations.
You can find out more about the accessibility features of my blog posts and free patterns, or jump into using the features by clicking on the icon of the little iron in a blue circle in the bottom right corner.
Safety
This bag is designed for adults, tweens and teens. I advise keeping it away from babies and small children, if you use a strap option which is long enough to wrap around their neck.
Bag Size
When worked to the stated row count and stated gauge, your bag will be 18 cm/ 7 inches wide, with an opening of 12.5 cm/ 5 inches at the top. It is 15 cm/6 inches in height. you can also add rows for a taller bag.
To make a bag, gauge is not critical, and different yarn weights and tension can be used to make a bag in different sizes. However, if you are using the pattern to match gauge for the Coillte Pullover, matching gauge is important. In that case, you will want to measure and confirm that your bag matches the stated dimensions exactly before starting your pullover.
What to do when gauge doesn’t match
As can be seen from the image above, I made the little blue bag in a gauge that didn’t match the sweater. I still finished making it as a bag, and was very happy with it. It’s a perfect size for my phone and a roll of poop bags when heading out walking the dog.
But if I was crocheting the sweater, I would know this was a problem. A sweater coming out too small is catastrophe!
Most people will advise a bigger hook.
But, I think in this case the ‘problem’ is the yarn. You can see the tails for both bags in the photo. I used ‘worsted weight’ yarn for both bags, but the cream is thicker than the blue. And so I concluded that the blue yarn was wrong for the pullover.
I do love swatching by making a real thing. At least I still have a lovely bag! And no frogging or throwing out useless little squares. Check out my scrunchie pattern for another way to swatch in the round (if you also like knitting), and still create a useful object.
Yarn and materials
100 meters/109 yards (50 grams) of any worsted weight yarn.
For the Green sample with leather strap: Berroco Lanas: (100% wool), Worsted 4/Medium, 219yds/200m, 3.5 oz/100g per skein
For the Blue with crocheted strap: Sublime Extra Fine Merino Worsted (100% merino wool) Worsted 4/Medium, 100 meters/109 yards (50 grams)
If you are following the pattern for the Coillte Pullover, yarn requirements stated in the pattern are sufficient for you to work the bag as a swatch, and still have enough yarn for the sweater.
You will also need:
5 mm crochet hook (or size to match gauge)
A darning needle for weaving in ends
A bag strap (Optional)
Tension/Gauge.
3 stitch repeats = 10 cm/4 inches in width
8 rounds = 10 cm/4 inches in height
This gauge is not critical if you are making a bag. Your bag may come out smaller at a tighter tension, or larger at a looser tension. However, you might be making this bag as a gauge swatch for the Coillte pullover. If so, matching gauge is critical for a good fit on the finished sweater. Because the pullover is worked in the round, it is important to swatch in the round. This bag is perfect for the task.
Construction
The bag is worked from the top down, in the round.
It is then sealed closed at the bottom. A strap is added either by using an existing leather strap, or by crocheting an icord.
Special Stitches
Invisible join: To join in this stitch, skip the starting chain. Slip stitch around the post of the front post stitch. On next round, chain 2, and work a front post stitc into same post that the slip stitch was worked into. This pushes the turning chains to the back of the work creating a seamless looking finish.
Shell – in this pattern, the instruction to ‘shell’ means US terms – [2 double crochet, chain 1, 2 double crochet] all in the same space.
Pattern Starts
Select your preferred crochet terms here:
Coillte – free bag crochet pattern – UK terms
Round 1: Chain 40, join with slip stitch. (40 stitches)
Round 2: Chain 3 (does not count as stitch, here or throughout), treble crochet in the same space and in each stitch to the end. Join with slip stitch to first treble crochet. (40 stitches)
Round 3: Chain 2, [front post treble crochet, back post treble crochet] repeat these 2 stitches to the the end, join with an invisible join. (40 stitches)
Rounds 4 – 5: Repeat round 3.
Round 6: Chain 2, [front post treble crochet in front post treble crochet stitch, skip back post treble crochet, shell stitch in next front post treble crochet] repeat to end, invisible join. (10 reps of front post stitch, shell)
Round 7: Chain 2, [front post treble crochet in front post treble crochet, shell in chain 1 space of the shell], repeat this to the end, join with invisible join. (10 repeats of one front post stitch and one shell)
Rounds 8-17: Repeat round 7.
Round 18: Chain 1, double crochet into front post stitch, working into both sides simultaneously, double crochet into each stitch across to the end. Fasten off.
Coillte – free bag crochet pattern – US terms
Round 1: Chain 40, join with slip stitch. (40 stitches)
Round 2: Chain 3 (does not count as stitch, here or throughout), double crochet in the same space and in each stitch to the end. Join with slip stitch to first double crochet. (40 stitches)
Round 3: Chain 2, [front post double crochet, back post double crochet] repeat these 2 stitches to the end, join with an invisible join. (40 stitches)
Rounds 4 – 5: Repeat round 3.
Round 6: Chain 2, [front post double crochet in front post double crochet stitch, skip back post double crochet, shell stitch in next front post double crochet] rep to end, invisible join. (10 repeats of front post stitch, shell)
Round 7: Chain 2, [front post double crochet in front post double crochet, shell in chain 1 space of the shell], repeat this to the end, join with invisible join. (10 repeats of one front post stitch and one shell)
Rounds 8-17: Repeat round 7.
Round 18: Chain 1, single crochet into front post stitch, working into both sides simultaneously, single crochet into each st across to end. Fasten off.
Creating a strap or handle for your bag
Bag strap option 1: A good strap for this bag is a narrow leather one. These are available from many craft stops, or can be repurposed from an old worn-out handbag. Clipping a metal clip from a typical handbag strap straight to the bag is not recommended, as the soft wool may wear out quickly. Creating a small loop with chain stitches to clip the strap to will create a longer lasting bag, as it would only take a minute or 2 to replace that little loop, leaving the body of the bag undamaged.
Handle loops: Join with sl st, ch 4, sl st join into base of ch.
Bag strap option 2: To crochet an icord for this bag, measure three strands of yarn 8 times as long as you want the strap to be. I used 3 strands of 3 meters of yarn, to create a short handle.
Create a slip knot in the exact center of the three strands, held together. Pop this slip knot on your hook.
With the front strand of yarn, pull it up over your hook, from front to back to create a yarn over. With your back strand of yarn, yarn over and pull through both the front yarn over and the slip knot.
Continue in this way – yarn over with front yarn, front to back, yarn over with back yarn and pull through both loops on hook, until all yarn is used up and your strap is complete. Fasten off and stitch to bag.
Copyright
This pattern, including the all wording and instructions, are my work and copyright. Photograths of a model wearing a green pullover with matching bag are copyritht Corchet Foundry Magazine. All other photographs are copyright Ciara Doyle. Therefore, please do not distribute them in any way except by using the link to this blog post, or the link to the Ravelry listing. You may not copy in any way, including by making your own videos, if they are directly based on my work.
This blog is not intended for commercial use. You may sell finished items based on this pattern only if you have made them in your own home, with your own hands. However, selling your own makes from this pattern is allowed. If you are selling for charity, this is strongly encouraged. I would love to hear about your event, how it went, and who you raised money for.