Paintbox Yarns By Your Side Basket Bag Crochet Pattern

Paintbox Yarns By Your Side Basket Bag

What Is Being Made

The By Your Side Basket Bag is an intermediate-level crochet project that creates a practical and stylish basket-style bag. This finished piece measures 12½ inches in height and 17¾ inches at its widest point, making it a versatile accessory suitable for everyday use or as a handmade gift. The bag features a structured basket construction with decorative button embellishments.

Crochet Techniques Used

This pattern employs several essential crochet techniques appropriate for intermediate crafters. The bag is worked in the round, a fundamental method for creating seamless, circular or oval-based projects. The construction begins with a foundation chain that is transformed into a continuous round using slip stitch joins, allowing the crafter to build the bag's base and sides without traditional seams.

The pattern utilizes increases and decreases to shape the bag's structure, particularly around marked stitch points. Stitch markers are essential tools in this project, helping crafters track specific locations where shaping occurs. The pattern also incorporates front loop only (flo) stitching, a technique that creates textural variation by working through only the front loop of stitches rather than under both loops.

Crochet Stitches Used

• Chain stitch (ch): Used to create the foundation and turning chains throughout the pattern
• Single crochet / Double crochet (sc/dc): The primary stitch used throughout the bag construction, providing a dense, sturdy fabric suitable for a structured basket bag. The pattern uses US terminology with UK equivalents provided
• Slip stitch (sl st): Used to join rounds seamlessly and create a continuous, polished appearance

Materials and Tools Required

This project calls for 2 balls of Paintbox Yarns Recycled Crafty Pots yarn in the Neapolitan colorway, totaling 8¾ ounces or 250 grams. The yarn is exclusively available through LoveCrafts.com. Crafters will need an H-8 (5mm) crochet hook to achieve the correct gauge of 14 stitches and 15 rows over 4 inches in single crochet stitch.

Additional materials include a darning needle for weaving in yarn ends and finishing the project, 2 lockable stitch markers to track shaping points throughout construction, and 3 buttons measuring ½ inch (1.5cm) for decorative closure or embellishment. The pattern is provided as a downloadable PDF format for convenient reference while working.

Pattern Notes

The pattern is written using US crochet terminology with UK terminology provided in parentheses for international crafters. Yarn quantities are approximate and based on average requirements. The finished item's appearance may vary slightly, particularly in stripe placement, depending on individual tension and yarn variations. This is a free pattern suitable for personal use and gift-giving.