Capulin Cross Body Bag

Earlier this summer I got to spend some time in the southwest of the US, and that trip inspired the Capulin Cross Body Bag!

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The Capulin Cross Body Bag is made using the tapestry technique – you crochet over the unused yarn, and then switch colors (repeatedly) over the course of each round, creating images and shapes! I’ve got a tutorial for the tapestry technique below. One touch I added – surface crochet along all the straight lines, to really sharpen up the triangles! I think it gives this pattern a more polished look – one you can omit if you prefer!

Capulin Cross Body Bag

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• US – H, 5.0mm hook (Furls Fiberarts used)
• 375 yds Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool (Aran/10 ply; 465 yds/425 meters; 8.01 ounces)
  Color A (CA): Brown Heather – 1 skein (265 yds)
  Color B (CB): Natural – 1 skein (110 yds)
• Finished Size: 10.5″ x 10.5″, excluding handle/strap
• Gauge: 18 sts x 15 rows = 4″/10cm in hdc (in pattern)
• Helpful Video Tutorials: Bag bottoms; Tapestry crochet; Hdc in the 3rd loop; Surface Crochet; Crochet Abbreviations

NOTE: This pattern using tapestry crochet techniques. To switch colors, finish the previous stitch (the final yo and pull through) with the new color. Crochet over the unused color. See the above linked tutorials for a demonstration of this technique, and the other techniques used in this pattern.

Capulin Cross Body Bag Instructions

Round 1: With CA, ch 48, skip the ch closest to the hook, hdc in each remaining ch across, hdc again in last st, hdc across opposite side of foundation chain, hdc again in last foundation chain; join to 1st hdc with sl st. (96 sts in every round of bag before handles)

Round 2: Ch 1, *with CA hdc 7, with CB hdc 1; repeat from * around, join with CA.

Round 3: Repeat Round 2; join with CB.

Rounds 4 and 5: Ch 1, with CB hdc 1, *with CA hdc 5, with CB hdc 3; repeat from * around, finishing last repeat with CB hdc 2, join with CB.

Rounds 6 and 7: Ch 1, with CB hdc 2, *with CA hdc 3, with CB hdc 5; repeat from * around, finishing last repeat with CB hdc 3, join with CB.

Round 8: Ch 1, with CB hdc 3, *with CA hdc 1, with CB hdc 7; repeat from * around, finishing last repeat with CB hdc 4, join with CB.

Round 9: Repeat Round 8; join with CA.

Rounds 10 and 11: Ch 1, with CA hdc 3, *with CB hdc 1, with CA hdc 7; repeat from * around, finishing last repeat with CA hdc 4, join with CA.

Rounds 12 and 13: Ch 1, with CA hdc 2, *with CB hdc 3, with CA hdc 5; repeat from * around, finishing last repeat with CA hdc 3, join with CA.

Round 14: Ch 1, with CA hdc 1, *with CB hdc 5, with CA hdc 3; repeat from * around, finishing last repeat with CA hdc 2, join with CA.

Round 15: Repeat Round 14; join with CB.

Round 16: Ch 1, *with CB hdc 7, with CA hdc 1; repeat from * around, join with CB.

Round 17: Repeat Round 16; join with CA.

Rounds 18 – 33: Repeat Round 2 – 17. After Round 33, break CB and continue with CA.

Round 34: Ch 1, hdc in each st around; join.

Round 35: Ch 1, hdc in 3rd loop of each st around; join. (see linked tutorial above if needed)

Rounds 36 – 38: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join.

Round 39: Repeat Round 34.

Round 40: Ch 1, sc in 3rd loop of each st around; join and break CA.

Optional:

Use CA and surface crochet to outline triangles. As shown, all vertical lines were added, then horizontal lines, then diagonal lines.

Add Cross Body Strap:

1. Use st markers to decide placement of strap before you begin. As shown, strap is 7 sts wide.
2. Join with CA to first marked st of one side and sc in rows to desired strap length. As shown, strap is 45″ long.
3. Sew strap to opposite side of bag (at marked sts).
4. Edge strap and top of bag by working sc sts evenly along sides of strap and sl sts along top of bag between ends of strap.

And that’s the Capulin Cross Body Bag! I hope you enjoyed making it! Of course, you can line it, add snaps or a zipper, or dress it up however you like – I can’t wait to see how yours turns out!

The Fine Print

Written pattern copyright Tamara Kelly 2016, all rights reserved. Please do not reprint or repost this pattern, but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others. If you wish to make items for sale from this pattern, or translate it to another language, please visit the About page for details. Thank you to Lion Brand Yarn for providing the yarn for this pattern!