Earlier this month I got a request on the moogly facebook page for “a pattern for a bag with a strap to hold my new phone, so I can be hands free and listen to music while doing chores.” Well, how can I say no to a fan?
The Blue Agave Phone Pouch is really several patterns in one – you can make it with the spiky “agave” plant design or without; with a long strap to wear it as a necklace, or with a short strap to wear it as a wristlet; or leave off the strap altogether and call it a phone cozy!
It’s sized to fit both my Android and my friend’s iPhone (and probably most smartphones, but you’ll have to check yours as you go). I didn’t add a closure to mine, but a simple chain loop opposite a button would do the trick if you like extra security.
Blue Agave Phone Pouch
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Turning after each row is important to keep the seam running straight up the side and to line up the spike clusters. If you don’t mind a slanted seam and aren’t using the cluster stitches, then you can skip the turns and just work sc across for each row.
- Hook: US G, 4.0mm
- Small amounts of worsted weight yarn in two colors, shown here in I Love This Cotton, Aqua (A) and Ivory (B)\
- Clicca QUI per la traduzione italiana da Thalyta Campana
Special Abbreviations:
RS – right side
WS – wrong side
FSC – foundation single crochet
SPC (Spike Cluster) – To work an SPC, pick up 5 loops and bring them to the height of the current row by inserting the hook as follows: 1) 2 sts to the right of the current stitch and 1 row down; 2) 1 st to the right and 2 rows down; 3) directly below and 3 rows down; 4) 1 st to the left and 2 rows down; 5) 2 sts to the left and 1 row down (yo and pull up a loop in each location, 6 loops on hook). Next, insert hook into the top of the current stitch itself, yo and pull through (7 loops on hook), yo again and carefully pull through all 7 loops.
Now with video tutorial!
Instructions:
Note – All odd numbered rows are RS, even numbered rows are WS.
Round 1: With Color A, FSC 21, join with sl st. (Alternately, ch22 and sc in 2nd ch and ea st to end, join with sl st.)
Round 2-4: Ch1 and turn. Sc in ea st to end, join with sl st. (21sc)
Round 5: With Color B, ch1 and turn. Work 3sc, SPC, 4sc, SPC, 12sc. Join with sl st. (2 SPC, 19sc)
Round 6-8: Ch1 and turn. Sc in ea st to end, join with sl st. (21sc)
Round 9: With Color A, ch1 and turn. Work 3sc, SPC, 4sc, SPC, 12sc. Join with sl st. (2 SPC, 19sc)
Round 10-12: Ch1 and turn. Sc in ea st to end, join with sl st. (21sc)
Round 13: With Color B, ch1 and turn. Work 3sc, SPC, 4sc, SPC, 12sc. Join with sl st. (2 SPC, 19sc)
Round 14-16: Ch1 and turn. Sc in ea st to end, join with sl st. (21sc)
Round 17: With Color A, ch1 and turn. Work 3sc, SPC, 4sc, SPC, 12sc. Join with sl st. (2 SPC, 19sc)
Round 18-20: Ch1 and turn. Sc in ea st to end, join with sl st. (21sc)
Round 21: With Color B, ch1 and turn. Work 3sc, SPC, 4sc, SPC, 12sc. Join with sl st. (2 SPC, 19sc)
Round 22-24: Ch1 and turn. Sc in ea st to end, join with sl st. (21sc)
For iPhone (and other longer phone model users):
Round 25-26: Ch1 and turn. Sc in ea st to end, join with sl st. (21sc)
Break yarn, leaving a 12″ tail. Turn case to WS and use tail to whip stitch the end closed. Weave in ends. Turn case back to RS. If you just want a phone cozy, you’re done, otherwise, continue with handle instructions below.
Make cord/handle:
Holding Color A and Color B together, leave a 12 inch tail and make a slip knot. Ch to desired length. For a wristlet, I recommend about 9 or 10 inches, for a necklace length I’d recommend at least 30 inches, but either way, try it on as you go. Leaving another 12 inch tail on the end, break yarn and finish off. For the wristlet, sew both ends of the chain to one side of the pouch. For the necklace version, sew one end to each side. Add button and loop if desired.
Do you listen to music or podcasts on your phone? I think I’ll listen to a lot more now that I have this pouch. And a big thank you to Lisa from Richmond for the idea and inspiration!
Be sure to check out the moogly facebook page for the latest updates and fun extras! Written pattern copyright mooglyblog 2012, please do not reprint this pattern, but feel free to link to this page to share this pattern with others. You can use the green Print Friendly button to print a copy for personal use. Check the About page for seller info. [email protected]
♥
Lisa
April 24, 2012 at 2:51 pmHi Tamara…. working on my bag and wondered – as I’m working around the circle, when i meet the other stitch do I slip stitch into the first then chain one and turn? Also, might you consider one of your awesome tutorial videos for the spike cluster? 😀 Having fun playing with the pattern though.. love learning new stitches. THanks again!
moogly
April 24, 2012 at 2:59 pmYes, join with a slip stitch before you ch1 and turn. I hope to make a spike cluster video as soon as I can get my mitts on a camera again – hopefully soon! 😀
moogly
April 24, 2012 at 3:02 pmOk, I added the joining instructions where they were missing. Thanks so much for letting me know! 🙂 Someday I’ll get some official pattern testers, but in the meantime I have to depend on all of you to let me know when I’ve made a mistake. 😀
Lisa
April 25, 2012 at 7:59 pmSweet! Happy to be a tester anytime 🙂 Thanks again… I used my “first attempt” today when I mowed the lawn.. worked great!!
moogly
April 26, 2012 at 2:15 pmFantastic! 😀
moogly
May 2, 2012 at 9:15 amVideo tutorial now included! 😀 https://www.mooglyblog.com/2012/05/02/spike-cluster-stitch-video-tutorial-crochet/
Mari
May 9, 2012 at 12:29 pmThink I’ll try this with an extra long strap so I can wear it like a messenger bag since I can’t stand anything heavy hanging around my neck. Can’t wait to get to the store to get the yarn
moogly
May 9, 2012 at 2:01 pmGreat idea! 😀
Julie
February 3, 2015 at 12:52 amHow would you make this pattern for a camera
Tamara Kelly
February 3, 2015 at 8:24 amCameras come in so many different sizes it would have to be a custom fit, starting with making the bottom of the pouch big enough, and the working up from there. 🙂
Nikki Brown
July 27, 2016 at 1:18 pmHi. I wondered how the messenger bag variation worked for you. I was thinking of trying the same. I can just see me bending over to pick up my toddler and knocking her in the head with my Samsung Note 4, if I were to use a necklace variation. LoL! Thanks for all replies and great work on the beautiful pattern.
God Bless,
Nikki
?
Renee
August 29, 2012 at 10:42 pmHello! I’m getting ready to begin this project (very excited!) and I’m not sure what you mean but this instruction “Row 2-4: Ch1 and turn.”. I’m very new to crochet. I’ve ch1 but not sure what I’m doing to turn. Help? Thank you!
moogly
August 29, 2012 at 11:12 pmRenee, turn means to flip the work over so you’re looking at the opposite side – like a pancake. Hope that helps!
Stacie
April 30, 2013 at 1:32 pmHello. Looking forward to doing this pattern but I’d like to do with just stripes. To do that do I do all instructions just leave out SPC?
Thanks!
Tamara Kelly
April 30, 2013 at 1:42 pmYes, just crochet straight across. 😀 I hope you enjoy it!
geri
October 9, 2013 at 1:11 pmHow about crocheting an iCord for the handle?
Tamara Kelly
October 9, 2013 at 2:34 pmThat would be great! 😀 Or use a pretty ribbon, or whatever you like.
vjbunny
March 29, 2014 at 1:04 amHi
Thank you for this tutorial…
chayla
January 22, 2015 at 9:56 amI was just wondering what the actual measurements are when finished for android version
Tamara Kelly
January 22, 2015 at 10:26 amHi Chayla! I wrote this pattern a few years ago, before tablet-style phones came into popularity, so I imagine you’ll have to add quite a few stitches to make it fit the newer phones.
Thaly
April 8, 2015 at 8:35 amHi,
thanks for your tutorial!! I post on my blog what I did with it, and put a link back to your page!
http://thalyscorner.blogspot.com/2015/04/phone-case-with-spike-cluster-stitch.html
XD
Tamara Kelly
April 8, 2015 at 10:57 am😀 Thank you Thaly!
Geri
November 29, 2015 at 8:27 pmThaly Hey! I checked out your adorable Blog through the link you posted to Tamara and I LOVE your wristlets, especially the yellow on blue. Brilliant! I’m really motivated to attempt the SPC after seeing how great your pouches turned out. I’m a little dyslexic so I can never seem to wind up with a straight seam no matter what I do. Thanks to everyone for their input…especially the crafty, creative Tamaran mind =D
(No…that’s not a typo Tamara!)
G
RegiK
April 20, 2015 at 6:06 pmI love this! How can I make it a little bigger my phone is bigger than the one in the picture.
Thanks
RegiK
Tamara Kelly
April 21, 2015 at 8:19 amHi RegiK! This pattern was from before cell phones started getting so big again! 🙂 To make it bigger, add however many stitches are needed to get all the way around the phone, and then space the spike stitches out accordingly. It’ll take some experimentation – phones come in so many different sizes now!
Karmen
April 20, 2015 at 6:45 pmThank you so much for this pattern. I made this phone pouch last weekend. It is perfect for my son’s soccer games where I don’t want to take my purse but I want to have my phone with me.
Tamara Kelly
April 21, 2015 at 8:05 am😀 I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Anna
April 21, 2015 at 8:23 pmI am having some difficulty with the first row with the star stitch, it seems that it is on the wrong side of the pouch, what am I doing wrong?
Tamara Kelly
April 21, 2015 at 8:42 pmAre you perhaps holding the pouch inside out? It’s hard to say without being there.
anna
April 22, 2015 at 8:14 amNo I don’t think I am holding it inside out, another question=are we working in rounds or rows? this may be the problem, I am working in rounds maybe I should be working in rows but the instrustions say to join at the end, just really confused here will try and start a new one today and figure it out
Tamara Kelly
April 22, 2015 at 12:41 pmRounds is correct. The spikes are pretty close to reversible though – as long as you’re still stitching in the right direction you should be okay.
anna
April 22, 2015 at 1:43 pmok I think you may want to change your pattern to state that they are rounds, it may make it easier for the less advanced crocheter, I love this pattern and will try again another day after I finish a few projects that I have started thank you again for your help
Tamara Kelly
April 22, 2015 at 5:11 pmThank you Anna, that’s a good point – this is one of my very early patterns and I was still learning the subtleties of writing them. 🙂