Harper Bucket Bag

Pattern Description

Skill Level: Intermediate

Craft Type: Traditional + Tunisian Crochet

The Harper Bucket Bag is a stylish and functional crochet accessory, perfect for summer. With a trendy raffia look, it combines traditional and Tunisian crochet techniques to give the bag both structure and a smooth texture.

The base and top are worked in traditional crochet, while the body features the Tunisian Full Stitch for a modern aesthetic.

Materials

• Yarn: Lion Brand Rewind yarn (bulky tape yarn). Alternatives: two strands of worsted weight cotton/acrylic or cotton tube yarn (e.g., Bernat Maker Home Dec).
• Hooks:
  • 5mm traditional crochet hook
  • 5.5mm Tunisian crochet hook with a 28″-32″ cord (a longer cord offers better flexibility)
• Notions: Scissors, tapestry needle, locking stitch markers, optional large wooden beads

Finished Size:

• Base Diameter: 6.5″
• Height: 9″

Gauge: After Round 8 of the base, your work should measure approximately 4.25″ in diameter.

Abbreviations

• BLO – Back Loop Only
• Ch – Chain
• Lts – Last Tunisian Stitch
• MR – Magic Ring
• Rem – Remaining
• RetP – Return Pass
• Sc – Single Crochet
• Sk – Skip
• Sl St – Slip Stitch
• Sp – Space
• St(s) – Stitch(es)
• Tfs – Tunisian Full Stitch

Stitching Instructions for Making the Harper Bucket Bag Pattern:

Base

Using a 5mm hook:

• Begin with a magic ring (MR) and work single crochets in a continuous spiral. Do not join rounds.
• Use a locking stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go.
• Continue increasing stitches evenly to expand the circular base through Round 12.
• Round 13: Work one sc in each stitch around.
• Round 14: Work sc in the back loop only (BLO) around. This helps shape the sides.

Remove the stitch marker after this round.

Body

Switch to joined rounds:

• Rounds 1-4: With the 5mm hook, work sc in each stitch around, joining with a sl st at the end of each round.

Now switch to the 5.5mm Tunisian hook with a cord:

• Begin working in Tunisian Full Stitch (Tfs) using forward and return passes:
  • Forward Pass: Pull up loops in the spaces between stitches.
  • Return Pass (RetP): Ch 1, then yarn over and pull through 2 loops repeatedly until one loop remains.
  • The Last Tunisian Stitch (Lts): Insert hook under both loops of the last stitch before working your return pass.
• Rows 4-29: Repeat the stitch sequence from Rows 2 and 3 to build the bag body.

After completing the Tunisian rows:

• Switch back to the 5mm hook.
• Round 5: Sc into each space between the vertical bars of the Tunisian section.
• Round 6: Ch 2, sk 1 st, sc in next st, repeat around to create chain spaces. Mark the 8th space with a stitch marker.
• Rounds 7-10: Continue in sc, joining with a sl st at the end of each round.
• Fasten off.

Drawstring

Using the 5mm hook:

• Ch 145 loosely.
• Work sl st into the back bump of each ch across.
• Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Strap

With 5mm hook:

• Leave a 15″ tail, then ch 165 loosely.
• In the second row, sl st into the back bump of each ch across, again leaving a 15″ tail at the end.
• Fasten off.

Finishing

• Seaming: Turn the bag inside out. Use a whip stitch to seam the opening left by the Tunisian section. Turn it back right side out.
• Drawstring Insertion: Weave the drawstring through the ch-2 spaces from Round 6, starting at the marked 8th space. Both ends should emerge at the front. Add optional beads and knot the ends.
• Attaching Strap:
  • Use the 15″ tails to tie an overhand knot inside one of the chain spaces from Round 8.
  • Wrap one tail around the strap for about an inch.
  • Then wrap around the chain space on each side of the strap.
  • Tie both tails in an overhand knot on the inside of the bag.
• Weave in all remaining ends.

Tips

• Gauge is important, adjust hook size as needed.
• The bag is designed to hold light summer essentials.
• Customizable with beads, longer strap, or different colors/yarns.

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