Accordion Bag Crochet Pattern
This accordion bag crochet pattern joins 12 narrow bands into a striped, pleated bag with integrated straps and a drawstring. Follow the large or small version with the original diagrams beside you.
Before Starting the Accordion Bag Crochet Pattern
The bag begins as a flat assembly of 12 bands. Bands 01 and 12 extend beyond the body to form straps. The shorter bands between them join alternately with a folding sequence or a straight join. Seaming the outer body edges and overlapping the strap ends completes the shape.
You need to make a foundation cord, chain, and single crochet. The foundation cord here uses a long tail and is demonstrated in the PDF; it is not an instruction to substitute an ordinary starting chain or foundation single crochet. Study the cord and fold photos before making a full-length band.
No formal difficulty rating, yarn quantity, or numerical gauge is supplied. This guide has not been independently test-crocheted. The source has a few small-size omissions and count inconsistencies, called out below so you can compare them with the original.
Materials for the Accordion Bag Crochet Pattern
- Worsted-weight, 100% cotton yarn in main and contrast colors.
- 3.5 mm crochet hook.
- Leather drawstring: 90 cm / 36 in for large, or 60 cm / 24 in for small, as listed.
- Yarn needle, scissors, and stitch markers.
The PDF does not give a total yarn weight or yardage. Plan the color order before starting: odd bands use the main-color method and even bands use the contrast method, with the two outer bands long enough to form straps.
The instructions use sc for single crochet and ch for chain. Follow the foundation-cord diagram for the first row and the folding photos for each join.
Accordion Bag Crochet Pattern: Large or Small?
| Detail | Large | Small |
|---|---|---|
| Outer bands 01 and 12 | 251-stitch foundation cord | 169-stitch foundation cord |
| Body bands 02–11 | 131-stitch foundation cord | 89-stitch foundation cord |
| Strap extension at each end | 60 stitches | 40 stitches |
| Folding-join segments | 60 + 11 + 60 = 131 | 40 + 9 + 40 = 89 |
| Standard final / joining row | Row 6 | Row 5 |
| Band 12 extra body edging | Row 7: 131 sc | Row 6: 89 sc |
| Strap-end overlap | 20 sc | 15 sc |
| Drawstring | 90 cm / 36 in | 60 cm / 24 in |
The source diagram measures the work before seaming: approximately 76–80 cm along the large body bands and 38 cm across the flat body; 50 cm along the small body bands and 30 cm across its flat body. Strap extensions are labeled 38 cm large and 23 cm small at each end. These are not finished bag dimensions. No numerical gauge is given to guarantee them.
Accordion Bag Crochet Pattern: Original Photo Reader
Use Previous and Next to read all nine original pages, including the foundation cord, fold direction, seaming, and small-size instructions. Your page and completed-page checks are saved in this browser when storage is available. Select the image for its full-size version.
Make the Foundation Cord
- Make a slip knot, leaving a tail about three times the desired foundation length. Use the explicit tail lengths below for the chosen band and size.
- Bring the tail over the hook from front to back.
- Yarn over with the working yarn and draw it through the tail loop. Repeat the photographed movement to build the cord.
PDF page 3 is the detailed cord reference. The first row of each band is worked into this cord as shown on page 4. For the large outer bands, mark the 60th stitch from each end to distinguish body and strap. For small outer bands, use the 40th stitch from each end.
| Starting tail | Large | Small |
|---|---|---|
| Bands 01 and 12 | 4 m / 158 in | 2.4 m / 95 in |
| Bands 02–11 | 2 m / 79 in | 1.3 m / 51 in |
Accordion Bag Crochet Pattern: Large Size
Band 01 — main color
Leave a 4 m starting tail. Make a 251-stitch foundation cord and turn. Row 1: ch 1, sc from the second chain from the hook and through the cord as photographed; turn (251). Rows 2–5: ch 1, sc across; turn (251 each). Row 6: ch 1, sc across and fasten off (251).
Band 02 — contrast color and folding join
Leave a 2 m tail. Make a 131-stitch foundation cord and turn. Row 1: ch 1 and work 131 sc through the cord as shown; turn. Rows 2–5: ch 1, sc across and turn (131 each).
For row 6, place band 01 in front of band 02 with its foundation row facing up. Align stitch 61 of band 01 with stitch 1 of band 02. Crochet the bands together for 60 sc. Draw out a long loop from the last stitch and remove the hook. Unfold the bands, bring the loop to the front, and fold the bands inside out. Work 11 sc. Repeat the loop/unfold movement and fold back to the original orientation. Work 60 sc and fasten off. The three sections total 131.
Follow the eight-photo sequence on PDF page 5 for the direction changes. The source describes the remaining tail as 5 cm / 2.5 in; those units do not match exactly. Preserve a usable tail for securing the end rather than relying on that conversion.
Band 03 — main color and straight join
Leave a 2 m tail and make a 131-stitch foundation cord; turn. Row 1: ch 1 and work 131 sc through the back loop of the foundation cord; turn. Rows 2–5: ch 1, sc across; turn. Row 6: place band 02 in front of band 03 with the foundation row facing up, single crochet the two bands together across, and fasten off (131).
Bands 04–11
Repeat band 02’s method for even bands and band 03’s method for odd bands. Each shorter band has 131 stitches. Check the outside/inside comparison on page 6 before continuing the full sequence.
Band 12 — contrast color and final edge
Leave a 4 m tail and make a 251-stitch foundation cord; turn. Row 1: ch 1 and work 251 sc through the cord; turn. Rows 2–5: ch 1, sc across; turn.
Row 6: sc 60 along the free strap section. Place band 11 in front of band 12, aligning stitch 1 of band 11 with stitch 61 of band 12. Join for 60 sc, fold inside out and work 11 sc, then fold back and work 60 sc. Fasten off. Use the original band 12 pictures to check the remaining free strap extension.
Row 7: work along the top row of band 12, skip the first 60 sc of the strap, then sc 131 across the body. Fasten off with an 80 cm / 32 in tail for seaming.
Accordion Bag Crochet Pattern: Small Size
The small version follows the same alternating band construction. Use the complete small-size page in the reader and keep the two source issues below in view.
Band 01
Leave a 2.4 m tail and make a 169-stitch cord; turn. Mark the 40th stitch from each end. Row 1: ch 1 and work 169 sc through the cord, starting as shown; turn. Rows 2–4: ch 1, sc across and turn (169 each). Row 5: ch 1, sc across and fasten off (169).
Bands 02 and 03
Each uses a 1.3 m tail and an 89-stitch foundation cord. The small-size page lists rows 2–4 as ch 1, sc across, turn (89), but does not print row 1 for either band. The parallel large-size sections supply the cord-to-first-row method; using that method with 89 stitches is an interpretation of the repeated construction, not a printed small-size row. Review it before proceeding.
Band 02 row 5: place band 01 in front with its foundation row facing up. Align stitch 41 of band 01 with stitch 1 of band 02. Join 40 sc, fold inside out for 9 sc, fold back for 40 sc, and fasten off (89).
Band 03 row 5: place band 02 in front of band 03 and single crochet the two bands together across; fasten off (89). Repeat band 02 for even bands 04–10 and band 03 for odd bands 05–11.
Band 12
Leave a 2.4 m tail and make a 169-stitch foundation cord; mark the 40th stitch from each end. Row 1: ch 1, sc through the cord and turn (169). Rows 2–4: ch 1, sc across and turn (169 each).
Row 5: sc 40 for the free strap section. Place band 11 in front, aligning its first stitch with stitch 41 of band 12. Join 40 sc, fold inside out for 9 sc, fold back for 40 sc, and fasten off.
Row 6: skip the first 40 sc of the strap and work 89 sc across the body. Fasten off with a 60 cm / 24 in tail.
Seam the Body, Straps, and Drawstring
- Fold the work in half with the inside facing out. Use matching yarn to seam the body edge at band 01. The large version specifies an 80 cm / 32 in seaming length here.
- Use the tail left on band 12 to seam its body edge. Weave in the ends and arrange the folds as photographed.
- Overlap each pair of strap ends by 20 sc for large or 15 sc for small. Seam both side edges of each overlap.
- Thread the drawstring through the bag following the photo on PDF page 8, tie it, and finish.
The small-size section tells you to use the large assembly method. No load rating, lining instructions, or drawstring-hole spacing is supplied. Follow the photographs for placement and check every seam before using the bag.
Accordion Bag Crochet Pattern: Questions
Why are the outer bands longer?
They include two strap extensions as well as the central body. Large: 60 + 131 + 60 = 251. Small: 40 + 89 + 40 = 169.
Which bands make the accordion folds?
Even-numbered body bands use the fold-and-return join from band 02. Odd-numbered body bands use band 03’s straight join. Preserve the sequence and compare both sides with the source photos.
Can I use a plain chain instead of the cord?
The source specifically uses the illustrated foundation cord. It does not give an ordinary-chain substitute or adjusted counts. Practice the cord first if the movement is unfamiliar.
Are the diagram measurements finished dimensions?
No. The size diagram is labeled before seaming. It does not state finished width, depth, or handle drop, and no numerical gauge is provided.
Why do the small bands jump to row 2?
Row 1 is omitted for small bands 02 and 03 in the supplied page. The large sections show the parallel first-row method, but applying it at 89 stitches is an interpretation. The omission is called out above.
All Nine Original Pattern Pages
Every supplied page is retained, including all photographs, the construction diagram, foundation tutorial, folding directions, and small-size text. Select a page to open it full size.
