Free Crochet Pattern: The Grinning Gourd Cross body Bag

There are affiliate links for Yarn Crafts & Coffee, and my website included in the post below. If you click on them and make a purchase I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support :)

Below you will find the free pattern for The Grinning Gourd Cross body Bag!

Fall is officially here! I am your stereotypical white girl. I love pumpkin spice lattes, sweater weather, finally putting a fire in my fireplace and curling up for a quiet evening of sipping, stitching, and kitty cat cuddles!

This week I am teaming up with Yarn Crafts & Coffee, Eye Love Knots, and T & C Crafters to bring your 7 days of pumpkin-themed crafty ideas!

Find all of these wonderful cozy crafts at the event page on Yarn Craft & Coffee’s site!

Now this bag is a buddy to the Grinning Gourd Dishcloth! If it looks familiar, it sure is! I took the dishcloth, made a 2nd one without a jack-o-lantern face, and sewed them together! I decided to make the 2nd square without a face so that it would be more of a generic Fall, than a Halloween bag. Now I have a bag that I can use before Halloween, and flip it around for afterwards! Because pumpkins are good through Thanksgiving!

Pattern Notes:

Chain 3 does count as a double crochet.
Square is worked without turning.
Gauge is not crucial, but my sample came out to 4.5″ across for the first 4 rows.
After blocking, the squares come out to 9″ x 9″.
Surface Slip stitches are used to create the mouth effect. Find a YouTube for surface slip stitches at this link.

Materials:

I recommend a 100% cotton worsted weight yarns for anything like this that needs to be washable. I used Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, but some other excellent choices include Circulo Cotton Max Color 4/6, or Nifty Cotton from Cascade Yarns.

Worsted #4 weight Cotton: Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton. Sample used colors Tangerine, Taupe, and White.
Scrap black yarn. I used a very small amount of a black sport weight.
Yardage: 120 yards of Tangerine, 20 yards of Taupe, and 100 yards of White.
Size H8/5.00mm crochet hook
Plastic yarn needle
Scissors
The Grinning Gourd Cross Body Bag Pattern – free on this page & coming soon to Ravelry!

Abbreviations:

Ch – Chain
Sl st – Slip Stitch
Sc – Single crochet
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Dc – Double crochet
St(s) – Stitch(es)
Begch – Beginning Chain
Sc2tog – Single Crochet 2 Together
Sc3tog – Single Crochet 3 Together

Pattern Instructions:

Ch 4, sl st to 1st to form ring

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as a st here and throughout), 11 dc into ring, sl st to 1st. 12 dc.

R2: Ch 3, dc in same, 2dc in each st around. Sl st to 1st. 24 dc.

R3: Ch 3, dc in same, dc in next, *2dc in next, dc in next. Repeat from * around. Sl st to 1st. 36 dc.

R4: Ch 1, sc in 1st, hdc in same, (dc in next 2, 2dc in next) five times, hdc in next, sc in next 2, hdc in next, (2dc in next, dc in next 2) five times, hdc and sc in last st. Sl st to 1st. Fasten off. 48 sts.

Stem:

With Taupe, attach with a sl st to the front loop of the last sc of round 4. ch 4.

Hdc in 2nd ch from the hook and in each across. Sl st to front loop of the 1st sc of round 4. Fasten off.

Border:

R5: this round is done with all in the back loop only. With white, Attach with sl st to BLO of 1st sc of round 4. Ch 1, sc BLO in same and in next 2, hdc in next 2, *(2dc, ch 2, 2dc) in next. Hdc in next 2, sc in next 8, hdc in next 2, (2dc, ch 2, 2dc) in next.* Hdc in next 2, sc in next 6, hdc in next 2. Repeat between * once. Hdc in next 2, sc in each of last 3. Sl st to 1st sc.

R6: Ch 2 (doesn’t count as a a st here or throughout), hdc in each st to corner sp, (2hdc, ch 2, 2hdc) in corner, *hdc in each st to next corner, (2hdc, ch 2, 2hdc) in corner sp. Repeat from * around. Hdc in last 7 sts to end. Sl st through top of stem and 1st hdc to close the round.

R7: Ch 2, hdc in each st to corner sp, (2hdc, ch 2, 2hdc) in corner, *hdc in each st to next corner, (2hdc, ch 2, 2hdc) in corner sp. Repeat from * around. Hdc in last 9 sts to end. Sl st to 1st. Fasten off White.

R8: With Taupe, attach to the 3rd back loop of the first hdc from R7. Ch 2, hdc in each 3rd back loop to corner, *(2hdc, ch 2, 2hdc) in corner space, hdc in each 3rd back loop to next corner. Repeat from * around. Hdc in 3rd back loop of last 11. Sl st to 1st. Fasten off Taupe.

R9: With white, repeat round 8, ending with hdc in 3rd back loop of last 13. Sl st to 1st. Fasten off white.

R10: With Tangerine, attach to the 3rd back loop of the first hdc of R9. Ch 2, hdc in each 3rd back loop to corner, *(hdc, ch 2, hdc) in corner space, hdc in each 3rd back loop to next corner. Repeat from * around. hdc in 3rd back loop of last 15. Sl st to 1st.

R11: Ch 1, sc in each st around and place (sc, ch 2, sc) into each corner space. Sl st to 1st.

Fasten off & weave in ends.

BLOCK YOUR SQUARES – this will make sewing them together easier.

The Face – Optional!

Eyes:

Make 2

R1: With black & F hook, ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from the hook and in each across. 5 sc. Turn.

R2: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next, sc2tog over last 2. Turn.

R3: Ch 1, sc3tog. Turn.

R4: Ch 1, sc in sc3tog. Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.

Nose:

R1: Ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from the hook and in next 2. Turn. 3 sc.

R2: Ch 1, sc3tog, turn.

R3: Ch 1, sc in sc3tog. Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.

Mouth:

Use the surface slip stitch technique to “draw” on your mouth, or you can embroider it if you prefer.

Sewing the squares together:

Place squares with right sides together. Make sure they are both facing the correct direction. Use whatever method you prefer to seam the right, bottom, and left of the squares. I chose to sc mine, but you can slip stitch, or use a plastic tapestry needle to whipstitch the edges. Leave the top edge open. Flip Right Side Out.

I like to use the back loops of the sc so that the seam has a little ridge in the front.

Top Border:

With Right side out, attach with sl st to any stitch on the top edge. Ch 2 (doesn’t count as a st), hdc in each st around. Sl st to 1st. Fasten off.

Strap:

R1: Ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from the hook and in each across. Turn.

R2: Ch 1, sc in each across. Turn.

Repeat row 2 until you have about 45″. Fasten off & leave a tail for sewing.

Using a tapestry needle and your yarn tails, center each end of the strap over the side seam on the left and right. Sew the strap to one side, make sure that it isn’t twisted, and then sew it to the other side.

Optional Lining & Ties:

If you can sew (or have a Mom that can like do!) you can make a lining and sew it in. Mom made a 9″ x 9″ lining with some white trim at the top.

We sewed matching ribbon in between the crochet layer and the fabric liner.

Permanent fabric glue would work too!

Enjoy your new Grinning Gourd Cross Body Bag!

I hope you loved making this Grinning Gourd Cross Body Bag! Comment below if you have any questions, and if you make this bag please post it on social media and tag me so I can see! I love seeing your creations!