“Every wish, one and all, waiting under the tree”: Gift Bag #1
Did you miss Day 1 and Day 2? If so check those out for more fun, free Christmas patterns and check back every day for something new! I am working really hard and planning 12 straight days of some fun new Christmas patterns. I have a lot of information in the first two days so if you have a minute you might peek over on those.
I did this one back over the summer and it’s not part of my 12-days blog fun, but you might like my crochet take on making a “paper chain” for your tree or holiday decoration as well. You can even make them snap closed so you can remove them like paper chains.
Gift Sack/Bag 1: Beginner Crochet. I have used only half double crochet (hdc) and double crochet (dc) and some chain stitches for this bag. For the tie I have used chains and my pompom maker.
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UPDATE: Get the ridiculously low priced 12 Days of Christmas Pattern in a Downloadable PDF right here. You can ALL 12 Days of Christmas for one super low price. Merry Christmas! (Etsy only right now – I will try to get this over on Ravelry soon)
For this first gift bag, you will need 3 strands of yarn. I have held three strands together for this example and used my N/10mm hook. *you can use this same pattern and single or double strand with a small hook to make a smaller bag. My gift sack ended up about 16”x16” – but, this makes a fun, reusable eco-gift sack and it can even be part of the gift!
One of the skeins of yarn was Red Heart Super Saver 8oz/225g. I used most of this skein (about ¾) so you can plan your 3 skeins of yarn. This is a great scrap yarn project – if you run out just grab another ball of yarn. These are the 3 skeins of yarn that I used and held together throughout.
If you need more photos to help with the start, please see this stocking pattern since it has a full photo tutorial – we are going to start this exactly the same.
Chain 2
In your 1st chain (the second from your hook) make 8 hdc.
Count back 8 if you need and find your first stitch to start the next round. **you will work over the tails from the beginning to tighten the middle of your work. Crochet over the tails all the way around this round and then pull them tight (see photos if you need in the stocking pattern linked above)
In this first stitch only make 1sc and then 1 hdc (this first sc is just to keep there from being such a big “jog” up in height. Working in the spiral it won’t matter in the end and is the method I use) Now, make 2hdc in all the rest of the stitches around for a total of 16 stitches.
Continue to work in the spiral. If you fear losing count, you’ll want to move your stitch marker to the last stitch of each round so you know when you get to the end.
Round 3: (Make 1 hdc in next stitch, make 2 hdc in the next stitch) repeat around (24)
Round 4: (Make 1 hdc in next 2 stitches, make 2 hdc in the next stitch) repeat around (32)
Round 5: (Make 1 hdc in next 3 stitches, make 2 hdc in the next stitch) repeat around (40)
Round 6: (Make 1 hdc in next 4 stitches, make 2 hdc in the next stitch) repeat around (48)
Round 7: (Make 1 hdc in next 5 stitches, make 2 hdc in the next stitch) repeat around (56)
Round 8: (Make 1 hdc in next 6 stitches, make 2 hdc in the next stitch) repeat around (64)
Rounds 9-18: Now, just like the previous stocking pattern- you are going to “flow” – you are going to start work going upward! You will do no more increases, but we are going to do 10 rounds of 64 stitches – so, working in the spiral you are going to do 640 hdc all the way up/around.
TIP: what I do is open the calculator on my phone and enter 640 and then start subtracting as I go. I usually count up about 40-70 stitches and then subtract from my total. That keeps me on tract without worrying about moving stitch counters or what round I am on. I just “flow” and subtract until I am done.
The photo shows what you should have at the end – add a single crochet border and you have a great basket!
To make the final rows of the gift sack, you will do a few rows of decrease. You can choose to still work in the spiral or join and chain 1. I usually spiral and then do a few sc when I am done and slip stitch in the next stitch and then continue.
Round 19: (Make 1 hdc in next 6 stitches, make an hdc dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (56)
Round 20: Hdc all the way around (56)
Round 21: (Make 1 hdc in next 5 stitches, make an hdc dec over the next two stitches) repeat around (48)
Round 22: Hdc all the way around (48)
Now, for Round 23 – after you joined/slip stitched – see bold note above – Chain 3 (counts as your first double crochet) and make a one double crochet (dc) in the next 3 stitches. (Chain 4 and skip four and make 4 more dc in the next four stitches) *repeat around. Join to the top of the chain 3 space with a slip stitch when you get back to the beginning.
Slip stitch in the next 3 dc and then slip stitch into the first chain 4 space. Chain 3 (counts as your first double crochet) and make 3 double crochet (dc) in the same space. (Chain 4 and skip four dc and make 4 more dc in the next chain 4 space) *repeat around. Join to the top of the chain 3 space with a slip stitch when you get back to the beginning.
The last round is just a simple single crochet round. Finish off and weave in your end.
The tie for my bag is a simple chain of 100. I had this leftover blanket yarn in these great holiday colors and I pulled a skein of Red Heart Super Saver in Cranberry and my pompom maker out to finish up the pompom tie. *I have no idea why these two photos have such different colors – it the same things =D
Now, weave your tie in and out between the spaces and you are finished! What a great, environmentally friendly, reusable gift bag and if you use up some old skeins of old yarn for this project that is even better! Wash and soak in some fabric softener -or however you tend to treat your yarn after getting done – and you will have a nice, soft gift bag for gift giving.
