Master Crochet Basics–Create a Stylish Bag and a Pouch

Learn to tie a slip knot and create your first chain stitch, mastering yarn tension and foundational crochet steps to start your bag and pouch project.

Learn the first basic stitch, the single crochet, by creating a foundation chain of ten, working rows, counting stitches, turning, and finishing with fastening off and weaving in ends.

Learn the half double crochet stitch, from creating a slip knot and a 12-chain foundation to working in rows with yarn overs, plus a 10x10 swatch challenge.

Learn to crochet a double crochet stitch, also known as treble crochet in the UK, by forming a foundation chain, counting stitches, and building multiple rows with turning chains.

Master the treble crochet stitch, the tallest of the four basic stitches, by following the yarn over twice method from a foundation chain to a 4x4 inch treble crochet square.

Master the slip stitch by inserting the hook, yarn over, and pulling through to form a stitch used to join rounds and finish projects, plus decorative edges or surface crochet.

Prepare bag materials: purple yarn 810 yards, green 180, lightweight 210, yellow 50; include 3 mm and 1.75 mm hooks, scissors, measuring tape, stitch markers, yarn needle, and lining fabric.

Learn to crochet a granny square for a bag, starting with a slip knot and 11 double crochets in yellow, then a white-petal round for 12 petals and weave ends.

Advance to the third round of the granny square for the bag, using green color yarn in two strands together, joining to the flower, and weaving in yarn ends.

Advance the granny square for the bag by completing the fourth round with two-strand purple yarn and joining at each corner, then start the last round with single crochets.

Learn to join granny squares into a bag by securely connecting 27 squares with corner stitches, using purple yarn and a 1.75 mm crochet hook.

Learn how to join granny squares into a bag base by stitching corner-to-corner through both loops, chaining, and securing seams, then weave in ends and prepare for the next assembly.

Learn to assemble a granny square bag by joining side and bottom panels to a three-by-three front panel using crochet join techniques, securing with twine and weaving yarn tails.

Mark the stitches for the bag handles with markers, then crochet rounds of single crochet around the top border, joining with a slip stitch and weaving in ends.

Learn to crochet bag handles with two strands of yarn, a slip knot, and a 105-row pattern to make about 20 inches, then join to the bag and weave ends.

Decorate the bag edges and handle with two strands of yarn and a three millimetres crochet hook, using slip stitches, chain-three, and weave ends.

Measure the bag, cut and prepare fabric lining, mark and stitch seam allowances, flip and press the lining, and attach the lining inside the crochet bag for a neat interior.

Learn the materials for the pouch: purple and green yarn by yardage, two crochet hooks, a weaving needle, measuring tape, zipper, pins, thread, and scissors.

Start a crochet pouch with a slipknot and a 47-stitch foundation, mark the stitch, then work rounds of single and double crochets with color changes between green and purple yarn.

Continue the crochet pouch through the fourth round, using alternating green and purple yarn and three double crochets per space, then join with a slip stitch.

Continue the crochet pouch with alternating green and purple rounds, using double crochet and slip stitches. Finish with a final single crochet round and weave in tails.

Attach a zipper to the pouch by aligning the teeth with the edge, pinning, and stitching through the zipper tape and pouch edge, then turn the pouch right side out.