Scalloped Flap Messenger Bag Free Crochet Pattern
Introduction
This scalloped flap messenger bag is the perfect project for anyone who has just mastered single crochet and wants to make something they will actually carry. The body is a simple emerald rectangle worked flat, and the blush flap is topped with a row of soft scallops that give the whole bag a Victorian romantic feel. At about 10 inches wide and 8 inches tall, it is just right for a phone, a small wallet, and a paperback. The finished bag is sturdy and smooth in worsted acrylic, with a sweet shell edging that makes it look far more complicated than it really is.
Materials Needed
- Worsted weight (category 4) acrylic yarn: 200 yards emerald, 150 yards blush
- 3.25 mm (D) hook
- Yarn needle for whipstitching and weaving in ends
- Stitch marker (optional, for counting rows)
- Scissors and a tape measure
- Finished size: approximately 10 inches wide x 8 inches tall (25.5 cm x 20.5 cm), strap length 40 inches (101.5 cm)
Abbreviations
- ch – chain: make a loop of yarn and pull it through the loop on your hook.
- sc – single crochet: insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
- dc – double crochet: yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops, yarn over and pull through the last two loops.
- st / sts – stitch / stitches.
- rep – repeat.
Gauge
20 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches in single crochet. Work a small swatch in single crochet and measure the middle of it; if you have more stitches than 20 in 4 inches, go up a hook size, and if you have fewer, go down.
Tips Before You Start
- Count your stitches at the end of every row. The body and flap must stay at 50 stitches so the two pieces line up perfectly at the top edge.
- Keep your turning chains snug. A loose ch 1 at the start of each row makes the side edges wavy and harder to seam.
- Work the scalloped edging directly onto the flap's last row, as written, rather than onto the side edges — the shells sit along the lower edge of the flap.
- Before whipstitching, lay all three pieces flat and pin them; the strap ends should sit 1 inch in from each side edge of the body.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Body (emerald)
Row 1: Ch 51, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (50 sts).
Rows 2–40: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (50 sts).
Fasten off.
Flap (blush)
Row 1: Ch 51, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (50 sts).
Rows 2–20: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (50 sts). Do not fasten off.
Scalloped edging: Ch 1, turn, sc in first st, *skip 1 st, 5 dc in next st, skip 1 st, sc in next st; rep from * across, ending with sc in last st. Fasten off.
Strap (emerald)
Row 1: Ch 201, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (200 sts).
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (200 sts).
Fasten off.
Assembly and Finishing
Place the body and flap with wrong sides together, aligning the top edges. Whipstitch them together along the top edge only, working through both layers. Attach each strap end to the top corners of the body, 1 inch in from the side edges, using whipstitch, and go over each join twice for strength. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, then block lightly: mist the bag with water, shape it flat, and let it dry completely so the scallops lie smooth.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Add a simple button and a crochet chain loop under the flap for a closure that keeps the bag shut.
- Swap the blush flap for cream or dusty rose, or work the strap in the flap color for a two-tone contrast.
- Make the strap longer or shorter by adjusting the starting chain in multiples of 2, keeping the finished length comfortable for cross-body wear.
