Crochet summer bag: tutorial

No matter how many bags are already in our collection. When hot days arrive, crochet lovers like us can’t help but dive into a new crochet summer bag project!

Whether you are a beginner or a crochet expert, you are in the right place: at the end of this post, you will know how to make the perfect bag for the summer and all occasions: the Net Bag, an all-round mesh crochet bag that is easy to make and light to carry anywhere!

Do you wish to make one for yourself? Read on for the tutorial and step-by-step instructions!

Crochet summer bag: mesh bag

Summer is the perfect time to experiment with lightweight and functional crochet projects. Among summer bags, one of the most popular trends is the crochet mesh bag, ideal for days at the beach, shopping, or adding an original touch to your summer wardrobe.

We love mesh bags for their:

• Lightness: mesh bags are lightweight and easy to carry with you at all times, perfect for hot days.
• Versatility: they can be used for various occasions, from beach days to shopping.
• Sustainability: they are an eco-friendly choice to reduce the use of plastic bags.

If you also love making crochet mesh bags for the summer, you might also like:

What you need to make a crochet summer bag

What you need to make a crochet summer bag

What you need to make a crochet summer bag

Knowing the basic crochet techniques is essential to work with precision and create a quality and long-lasting summer bag.

To take your first steps in the world of crochet, or for a quick refresher on some stitches or techniques, you will find many video tutorials on the main crochet techniques (and more!) on the Bettaknit website.

The perfect yarns for summer crochet bags

Opting for ecological yarns is a choice that not only respects the environment but also adds ethical value to your project.

The yarn we used to make our Net Bag is Prato Cotton, a 100% recycled cotton yarn, super resistant and perfect for crochet summer bags.

But cotton is not the only light and sustainable fiber suitable for crochet bags. Among our favorites, there are certainly also:

• Raffia: raffia is unsurpassed for its lightness, which makes it perfect for summer bags that don’t weigh you down.

Bettaknit’s Raffia yarn is extremely flexible and easy to work with. This makes it suitable for a variety of projects, allowing you to create bags with different shapes and sizes.

• Jute: jute is known for its rustic look and its incredible strength and durability. Bags made with jute yarn can hold heavy loads, making them perfect for shopping bags and beach bags.

Bettaknit’s Juta and Juta Pop yarns are perfect to make various bag designs, from clutch bags to larger bags.

Remember: to choose the right yarn for the project, it is essential to make a tension swatch to verify the tension of the work.

We know you’re thinking “Please, not the tension swatch!”, know that it isn’t just math: it’s also one of the most creative steps where you can experiment with different yarns and try new crochet stitches for your project!

We used:

• Beechwood crochet hook, 5 mm (US H 8)
• Bettaknit’s Prato Cotton: 1 ball in Color A (Salmon), 1 ball in Color B (Yellow)

Solid, bicolor or multicolor… the only limit is your creativity!

Stitches and Techniques (US Terms)

• Chain Stitch = ch.
• Slip Stitch = sl. st.
• Single Crochet (UK Double) = sc./dc.
• Increase = inc.

Finished bag approximate measurements:

• Base diameter 10,5 cm / 4.1”
• Height 37 cm / 14.5”
• Handle length 40 cm / 15.7”

Tension:

• 10 x 10 cm = 11,5 stitches x 13 rows (Single Crochet – 5 mm crochet hook)

Difficulty level:

• Easy

Instructions to make a crochet summer bag

• With the 5 mm (US H 8) crochet hook, make a magic ring.
• Round #1: work 5 sc. inside the magic ring. Pull on the cast-on end to tighten the hole at the center.

Attention: insert a stitch marker at the beginning of the round and move it up every time you start a new round.

You will work in a spiral: at the beginning of each new round, you will continue working over the first stitch of the previous round.

• Round #2: 1 inc. (work 2 sc. in the same stitch below) in each sc. of the previous round (tot. 10 sc.).
• Round #3: (1 sc., 1 inc.) 5 times (tot. 15 sc.).
• Round #4: 1 sc., 1 inc., (2 sc., 1 inc.) 4 times, 1 sc. (tot. 20 sc.).
• Round #5: (3 sc., 1 inc.) 5 times (tot. 25 sc.).
• Round #6: 2 sc., 1 inc., (4 sc., 1 inc.) 4 times, 2 sc. (tot. 30 sc.).
• Round #7: (5 sc., 1 inc.) 5 times (tot. 35 sc.).
• Round #8: 3 sc., 1 inc., (6 sc., 1 inc.) 4 times, 3 sc., join with 1 sl. st. in the first stitch of the round (tot. 40 sc.).

Next round, you will start the bag sides by working in Net Stitch.

Want to complete your crochet mesh bag? Download the free Net Bag pattern for the second part: you will find all the final steps and finishes!

Ideas to customize your crochet summer bag

You can choose the customizations you want for your Net Bag:

• Size: if you want a larger bag, you can increase the number of rounds of the base of the bag. The body will widen accordingly.
• Colors: experiment with bright colors or create striped designs for a unique touch.
• Lining: you can add a fabric lining inside the bag, it will not only make it more resistant, preventing small items from slipping out, but it will also give it a professional touch.

If you liked this free pattern for a crochet summer bag, why not make an easy cotton crochet top too?

And if you’ve already finished this project and can’t wait to start another one straight away, discover other ideas and designs for summer bags in our Crochet beach bags guide!

Don’t forget to share your creations on Instagram using the hashtag #bettaknit!