Fold-&-V Crochet Bag (single-panel, V-shaped sides)

One-panel construction: crochet one large flat panel, fold it in half and seam the sides so the side seams form a V-shaped gusset. The middle of the back sits shallower than the side edges, giving that V profile when the bag is sewn up. This pattern is written as an adjustable method plus a fully worked sample (Medium).

Key info

• Skill: Easy–Intermediate (basic shaping and seaming)
• Finished sample size: Width at top 14" (35.5 cm), Height 12" (30 cm), Side depth at widest 4" (10 cm), Center-back depth ~1.5" (4 cm)
• Construction: Worked flat in single crochet (US) / double crochet (UK old) rows, with triangular wing increases near the lower edges to form V-shaped side gussets when folded.

Materials

• Yarn: Worsted weight / Aran cotton or cotton-blend recommended. Sample uses ~350 yards (320 m) total (approx. 200–250 g). For smaller/larger bags adjust yardage: Small ~250 yds / 230 m; Large ~450 yds / 410 m.
• Crochet hook: Sample uses US H-8 (5.0 mm) / UK (old) 6 / Metric 5.0 mm. Alternatives: US G-6 (4.0 mm) / UK 8 ~4.0 mm for tighter fabric; US I-9 (5.5 mm) / UK 5 ~5.5 mm for a looser fabric. (Include all three: US, UK old and Metric.)
• Notions: tapestry needle, stitch marker, scissors, optional lining fabric & sewing thread, optional 1/2" webbing or leather handles or crocheted straps, optional magnetic snap or zipper.

Gauge (sample)

Gauge in single crochet (US): 14 sts = 4" (10 cm) horizontally; 16 rows = 4" (10 cm) vertically with 5.0 mm hook and worsted weight cotton. Your gauge will change bag size — follow the adjustment notes.

Abbreviations (US terms)

• ch = chain
• sc = single crochet
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• sk = skip
• inc = increase (2 sc in same st)
• dec = decrease (sc2tog)
• RS = right side, WS = wrong side
• sl st = slip stitch

How this works (method overview)

You make one flat panel worked back and forth. The lower section of the panel (the area that becomes the bag base/sides) is shaped by adding small triangular "wings" along the outer lower edges. When folded vertically (fold panel so top edges meet) and the side seams are sewn up from the bottom, those wings line up to create a V-shaped side profile: the side edges project outward more than the center back, so the center-back depth is visually smaller.

Adjustable math (quick)

1) Decide top width (Wtop) in inches or cm. 2) Using your gauge, calculate number of starting stitches: Wtop x (stitches per inch). Example: if gauge is 3.5 sc/inch and desired top width is 14" => 14 x 3.5 = 49 sts. Add 2 border sts if you like a neat edge: 49 + 2 = 51 foundation chain (plus turning chain as needed). 3) Decide side depth at widest (Dside) and center-back depth (Dcenter). Sample: Dside 4" (10 cm), Dcenter 1.5" (4 cm). 4) Using row gauge (rows per inch), pick Grows = number of rows used for the triangular wing shaping. For a smooth triangle, use roughly rows = depth (in inches) x rows per inch (for sample 4" x 4 rpi = 16 rows). 5) The wing triangle will add extra base stitches outward at the extreme side: needed extra stitches per side = Dside x (stitches per inch) (approx 4" x 3.5 = 14 sts per side). Spread these increases across the chosen Grows (increase about 1 stitch every 1–2 rows per edge). The pattern below gives a simple repeat so you don't need exact fractional increases.

Worked sample (Medium) — counts given

Sample dimensions and gauges as above. Foundation chain: ch 51 (this includes 2 border ch; if you prefer no border, ch 49). Work in rows of sc.

1. Row 1 (RS): sc in 2nd ch from hook and across to end of chain, turn. (50 sc if you made 51 ch and count turning ch as a st; treat pattern consistently.)
2. Rows 2–16 (forming the triangular wings at the bottom): Increase at each outer edge on alternate rows so the outer lower corners grow outward into a triangle. Use this worked repeat: On RS rows where you will increase, inc, sc across to last st, inc. On the next row (WS) work sc in each st across without increase. Repeat these two rows for a total of 15 shape cycles (i.e., 30 rows would be a very long triangle; for our sample do 15 rows of the 2-row repeat = 30 rows). For the sample we used 8 shape cycles (16 rows total) to build ~14 extra sts per side; you should end up with approximately 77–80 sts across at the widest row (sample: started 51, after increases both sides +14 each => ~79).
3. Row 17 (or after completing your desired Grows): stop increasing. From this row on work even in sc across all sts until the panel reaches the desired height. For the sample work even until the panel measures 12" (30 cm) from the bottom-most point (measure from the base of the wing triangle to the top edge) — with sample gauge this is about 48 rows total; since you already worked 16 shaping rows, work an additional 32 rows even.

Notes about the shaping repeat (practical, no math required)

If you want a neat, simple rule: for the shaping section, work 2-row sets: Row A (RS): inc at beginning, sc across to end-1, inc at end. Row B (WS): sc across. Repeat A+B for as many repeats as you want the side wings to extend. If you need slight trimming, you may add or skip one increase row to fine tune final depth.

Finishing (folding & seaming to make the V sides)

1. Fold the panel in half so the top edges align and the wrong side is on the inside. The folded edge becomes the bottom of the bag; the open edge is the bag opening.
2. Align the triangular wing at the left lower corner to the matching triangular wing on the other half. When folded, the outermost points of the wings will protrude; these points, when matched and seamed, form the wide part of the side. Pin or clip the layers together.
3. Sew a seam from the bottom point of the triangle up along the side edge leaving the top (handle area) unsewn. Sew each side the same. Tip: sew with mattress stitch or whipstitch through the back loops only for a tidy edge.
4. The seam path: start at the very bottom tip (the point created by the triangle), sew upward and slightly inward toward the top edge so that the seam converges toward the top inside edge. Because the wing is triangular, the resulting side profile will be a V when the seam is complete: the seam line will slope inward at an angle from the wide base to the top.

Top finishing & straps

Options:

• Simple rolled edge: sc evenly around the bag opening for 2–3 rounds.
• Drawstring: work a round of dc (US) or htr (UK old) with eyelet round (ch 2, sk 2 sc, sc) and thread cord.
• Straps: For a pair of crocheted straps (1" wide, 22" long sample): using 5.0 mm hook ch 6, Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (5 sc), turn. Work sc in each st for 80 rows to reach ~22"; fasten off. Sew ends to inside top edges, reinforce with a small box-stitch. Alternatively attach pre-made leather or webbing handles.
• Optional lining: Cut fabric to the bag interior dimensions (slightly smaller to avoid puckering), fold raw edges under 1/2" and hand-sew into place through existing seam allowances.

Optional pocket

Work a rectangular pocket: ch enough stitches to be slightly smaller than desired pocket width (sample ch 21 = ~6"), row 1: sc across, turn. Work sc for 18 rows. Fasten off leaving long tail. Fold and sew three sides to inside front of bag leaving top open. Reinforce corners.

Customization tips

• Deeper side depth: increase number of shaping repeats; each repeat adds roughly 1–2 rows of depth and a few stitches at the base.
• Wider top: increase foundation chain using your gauge calculation.
• Fabric stiffness: use cotton or a tighter hook to get a sturdy bag; use a lining for extra structure.
• Stitch texture: hdc (US) will make a slightly taller stitch and more flexible fabric. Substitute uniformly if you prefer.

Troubleshooting

• Wings too large or too small? Before seaming, fold and pin to check how the triangles meet. Unpick a few seam stitches and adjust placement or reduce/increase seam length.
• Bag slouching? Add lining or tighter hook gauge.

Care

Follow yarn label instructions. Cotton bags can usually be hand washed or machine washed gentle. Reshape while damp and air dry.

Sample materials summary (copy for shopping)

• Worsted/Aran cotton yarn ~350 yds (320 m) / 200–250 g
• Crochet hook: US H-8 (5.0 mm) / UK (old) 6 / Metric 5.0 mm (alternates G-6 4.0 mm or I-9 5.5 mm)
• Notions: tapestry needle, stitch markers, optional lining fabric, optional magnetic snap

If you want, I can convert this into an exact row-by-row chart with every row stitch count for a given finished width and depths — tell me your desired top width and side/center-back depths and I will give exact counts and a row-by-row table.

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