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Accordion Bag Pattern

Accordion Bag Pattern
4.5★ Rating
5-7 Hours Time Needed
2.8K Made This
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Intermediate Level

Ideal for those with basic crochet experience, featuring slightly more advanced stitches and techniques to expand your skills.

⏱️

Weekend Treat

Takes 5-7 hours, making it an enjoyable project to finish over a couple of days.

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Stylish Touch

An elegant detail to elevate any look, combining traditional techniques with contemporary design sensibilities.

About This Accordion Bag Pattern

This pattern creates an accordion-style striped crochet bag made from multiple narrow bands joined together to create a pleated body. It uses the foundation cord (foundation chain worked as you go) and single crochet rows to build each band, then joins them in sequence to form the bag. The pattern includes instructions for a Large and Small size, strap finishing and seaming details for a clean professional result.

Accordion Bag Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view of completed project

Detailed step-by-step instructions show how to make each BAND, join even and odd bands, and finish the bag with a drawstring strap. Techniques include foundation cord, single crochet in the foundation cord, folding bands and seaming for the accordion effect.

Why You'll Love This Accordion Bag Pattern

I absolutely love this pattern because the accordion construction turns simple single crochet rows into a beautiful sculpted bag that looks much more complex than it is. I enjoy the rhythm of making each narrow BAND and watching them come together into the pleated shape. The foundation cord method creates a neat, sturdy base and gives a lovely edge for joining bands. The pattern is flexible — I can play with color order and scale the size easily, which makes each finished bag unique and satisfying to create.

Accordion Bag Pattern step 1 - construction progress Accordion Bag Pattern step 2 - assembly progress Accordion Bag Pattern step 3 - details and accessories Accordion Bag Pattern step 4 - final assembly and finishing

Switch Things Up

I love how easily this pattern adapts to different colors — I often swap out the band color sequence to create totally new looks, from pastels to bold contrasts.

I sometimes change yarn weight and hook size to make a mini keychain-sized version or a chunky tote; just note that gauge and final dimensions will change.

You can experiment with a lined interior for extra structure and durability; adding a fabric lining and small inner pocket makes it more functional for everyday use.

I like to replace the leather drawstring with a crocheted cord or a ribbon for a softer finish — each closure option changes the bag personality.

Try adding beads or small tassels to the drawstring ends for a playful accent that personalizes your bag further.

If you want an adjustable strap, make two shorter straps and add buckles or tie closures so the bag can be worn different ways.

I recommend trying a single monochrome palette for a minimalist look, or alternating two colors for a classic striped effect rather than using all 12 colors.

For a sturdier market bag, use cotton-linen blend yarn and block the completed bag to open the pleats evenly and improve shape retention.

To make a more structured base, consider sewing in a small oval of interfacing or thin plastic inside the folded bottom before finishing the seam.

When gifting, I often attach a small crocheted charm or initial to the strap to make each bag feel uniquely handmade and loved.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ Not leaving the required long tail for the foundation cord will make joining or seaming difficult; always measure and leave the specified tail length for each BAND before you start. ✗ Forgetting to mark the 60th (large) or 40th (small) stitch can cause misaligned straps and body parts; place stitch markers at those stitches on BAND 01 and BAND 12 to keep orientation correct. ✗ Crocheting the foundation cord too tightly will make it hard to work the first row; keep a loose, even tension when making the foundation cord so you can easily insert your hook for the first sc row. ✗ Skipping the folding and flipping steps when joining bands can produce an uneven seam; follow the pictured fold/unfold routine carefully so the bands sit with the correct right and wrong sides aligned. ✗ Overstuffing or pulling the seams too tight when seaming the body will distort the accordion pleats; seam gently and shape the folds as you go for a neat, structured finish.

Accordion Bag Pattern

Create a stylish, folded "accordion" crochet bag using foundation cord and single crochet rows. This pattern guides you step-by-step through making large and small sizes, joining striped bands, and finishing with a neat drawstring strap. You will learn the foundation cord technique, how to join bands seamlessly, and how to shape the bag for that distinctive pleated look. Perfect for making colorful, handmade accessory gifts or a unique bag for everyday use.

Intermediate 5-7 Hours

Materials Needed for Accordion Bag Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Worsted weight 100% cotton yarn (multiple colors for BAND 01 through BAND 12) - quantities vary per project depending on size and color distribution
  • 02
    Large bag bands: BAND 01 & BAND 12 base row = foundation cord 251 sts (leave a 4m / 158 inch tail for each of these bands)
  • 03
    Large bag bands: BAND 02 & BAND 03 base row = foundation cord 131 sts (leave a 2m / 79 inch tail for these bands)
  • 04
    Small bag bands: BAND 01 & BAND 12 base row = foundation cord 169 sts (leave a 2.4m / 95 inch tail for each)
  • 05
    Small bag bands: BAND 02 & BAND 03 base row = foundation cord 89 sts (leave a 1.3m / 51 inch tail for these bands)
  • 06
    90 cm / 36 inch leather string (for Large bag drawstring)
  • 07
    60 cm / 24 inch leather string (for Small bag drawstring)

— Tools Required

  • 01
    Crochet hook size 3.5mm
  • 02
    Yarn needle
  • 03
    Scissors
  • 04
    Stitch markers
  • 05
    Measuring tape or ruler
  • 06
    Leather string 90cm/36inch for Large bag
  • 07
    Leather string 60cm/24inch for Small bag

Progress Tracker

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— Intro :

Info :

This bag is made by joining 12 pcs of 5 sc row-high bands.

Info :

Final piece (before seam) dimensions and stitch counts: LARGE: body width across = 131 sts (approx 76-80cm / 30-31 1/2in), height = 60 sts (38cm / 15in). SMALL: body width across = 89 sts (approx 50cm / 19 1/2in), height = 40 sts (23cm / 9in). Leave markers on the 60th stitch from both ends of BAND 01 and BAND 12 for the large bag, and on the 40th stitch from both ends for the small bag (these indicate body part and strap positions).

— Part 1 :

Info :

BASE ROW - The first base row of each BAND is crocheted by 'Foundation cord'.

Info :

FOUNDATION CORD STEP 1. Slip knot. (Leave a tail about 3 times longer of the desired foundation length).

Info :

FOUNDATION CORD STEP 2. Tail over hook from front to back. Yarn over(yo).

Info :

FOUNDATION CORD STEP 3. Draw through tail loop(lp).

Info :

Leave the markers on the 60th stitch from the both end of BAND 01 and BAND 12. (indication of the body part and the strap of the bag)

— Part 2 :

Item Name (BAND 01) :

BASE ROW: Leave a 4m/158inch long tail and crochet Foundation cord 251, turn. (251)

Round 1 :

Ch 1, Sc from the second ch from hook and work through the foundation cord as shown in the picture, turn. (251)

Round 2-5 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, turn. (251)

Round 6 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, fasten off. (251)

— Part 3 :

Item Name (BAND 02) :

BASE ROW: Leave a 2m/79inch long tail and crochet foundation cord 131, turn. (131)

Round 1 :

Ch 1, Sc from the second ch from hook and work through the foundation cord, turn. (131)

Round 2-5 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, turn. (131)

Round 6 :

Place BAND 01(foundation row facing up) in front of BAND 02. (Align 61st sc of BAND 01 to first sc of BAND 02, and crochet 2 BANDs together.) Sc 60 and follow as below.

Info :

Draw a long loop of the 60th sc and remove the hook. Unfold the BANDs and bring the loop to the front. Fold the BANDs inside out. Sc 11. Draw a long loop of the 11th sc and remove the hook. Unfold the BANDs and bring the loop to the front. Fold the BANDs inside out back to the original. Sc 60, fasten off leaving the tail about 5cm/2.5inch long.

— Part 4 :

Info :

How it looks when BAND 01 & BAND 02 are joined - view shows outside and inside of the bag.

Item Name (BAND 03) :

BASE ROW: Leave a 2m/79inch long tail and crochet foundation cord 131, turn. (131)

Round 1 :

Ch 1, Sc from the second ch from hook and work through the back loop of the foundation cord, turn. (131)

Round 2-5 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, turn. (131)

Round 6 :

Place BAND 02(foundation row facing up) in front of BAND 03. Sc in each sc of these two bands together and fasten off.

Info :

BAND 04 ~ BAND 11: You can repeat BAND 02 for even numbered BANDs, and repeat BAND 03 for odd numbered BANDs.

— Part 5 :

Item Name (BAND 12) :

BASE ROW: Leave a 4m/158inch long tail and crochet foundation cord 251, turn (251)

Round 1 :

Ch 1, Sc from the second ch from hook and work through the foundation cord, turn. (251)

Round 2-5 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, turn. (251)

Round 6 :

Sc 60, place BAND 11 in front of BAND 12 (Align first sc of BAND 11 to 61st sc of BAND 12, and crochet 2 BANDs together.) Sc 60, fold inside out sc 11, fold back to the original and sc 60, fasten off.

Round 7 :

(Work through the top row of the BAND 12.) Skip the first 60 sc(bag strap), sc 131 across(bag body) and fasten off leaving the tail 80cm/32inch long.

— Part 6 :

Info :

Assemble instructions for seaming and strap finishing.

Item Name (Seaming BAND 01) :

Use the same color yarn of BAND 01. (80cm/32inch long) Fold the bag in half(inside facing out), and seam the edge of the body part of the bag.

Item Name (Seaming BAND 12) :

Use the long tail that was left at the end. Seam the edge of the body part of the bag. Weave in all the ends, shape the bag folding as shown in the picture.

Item Name (Strap 2) :

Place the strap ends overlapping 20 sc long, seam both side of the edge. Put the drawstring into the bag as shown in the picture, tie up and finish.

— Part 7 :

Info :

SMALL SIZE variations and band stitch counts and tails.

Item Name (Small BAND 01) :

BASE ROW: Leave a 2.4m/95inch long tail and crochet foundation cord 169, turn. (169) Leave the markers on the 40th stitch from the end on both sides.

Round 1 :

Ch 1, Sc from the second ch from hook and work through the foundation cord, turn. (169)

Round 2-4 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, turn. (169)

Round 5 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, fasten off. (169)

Item Name (Small BAND 02) :

BASE ROW: Leave a 1.3m/51inch long tail and crochet foundation cord 89, turn. (89)

Round 2-4 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, turn. (89)

Round 5 :

Place BAND 01(foundation row facing up) in front of BAND 02. (Align 41st sc of BAND 01 to the first sc of BAND 02, and crochet 2 BANDs together.) Sc 40, fold inside out sc 9 and fold back to the original sc 40, fasten off. (89)

Item Name (Small BAND 03) :

BASE ROW: Leave a 1.3m/51inch long tail and crochet foundation cord 89, turn. (89)

Round 2-4 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, turn. (89)

Round 5 :

Place BAND 02 in front of the BAND 03, sc these two BANDs together, fasten off. (89)

Info :

BAND 04 ~ 11: You can repeat BAND 02 for even numbered BANDs, and repeat BAND 03 for odd numbered BANDs.

Item Name (Small BAND 12) :

BASE ROW: Leave a 2.4m/95inch long tail and crochet foundation cord 169, turn. (169) Leave the markers on the 40th stitch from the end on both sides.

Round 1 :

Ch 1, Sc from the second ch from hook and work through the foundation cord, turn. (169)

Round 2-4 :

Ch 1, Sc in each sc across, turn. (169)

Round 5 :

Sc 40, place BAND 11 in front of BAND 12. (Align first sc of BAND 11 to the 41st sc of BAND 12, and crochet 2 BANDs together.) Sc 40, fold inside out sc 9, fold back to the original and sc 40, fasten off.

Round 6 :

(Work through the top row of BAND 12.) Skip the first 40 sc(bag strap), sc 89 across(bag body) and fasten off leaving a 60cm/24inch long tail. (169)

Item Name (Assemble Small) :

You can follow the Large bag pattern to seam the body edge of the bag. Place the strap ends overlapping 15 sc long, seam both side of the edge. Put the drawstring into the bag, tie up and finish.

Assembly Instructions

  • Use the same color yarn of BAND 01 (approx 80cm/32inch tail). Fold the bag in half (inside facing out) and seam the edge of the body part of the bag to close the side seam.
  • Seam BAND 12 using the long tail left at the end; seam the opposing body edge of the bag, then weave in all ends and shape the pleated folds as shown in the pictures.
  • For the straps, overlap the strap ends by 20 sc (Large) or 15 sc (Small) and seam both sides of the overlapped edge securely to join strap ends.
  • Insert the leather drawstring through the top casing created by the top row of BAND 12 (skip strap stitches as instructed), tie the ends and finish the drawstring as shown.

Important Notes

  • 💡Place stitch markers on the 60th stitch (large) or 40th stitch (small) from each end of BAND 01 and BAND 12 to indicate strap and body transition points.
  • 💡Keep an even, slightly loose tension when making the foundation cord so you can easily work the first single crochet row into it without distortion.
  • 💡Fold and align the bands carefully during joining; follow the fold/unfold routine shown to align right and wrong sides before crocheting the two bands together.
  • 💡Weave in ends as you go to avoid bulky seams and to keep the folds neat when shaping the accordion pleats.

This Accordion Bag pattern makes a playful, pleated striped bag perfect for everyday use or as a thoughtful handmade gift. The technique of joining narrow bands creates beautiful texture and sculptural folds that stand out. Try mixing your favorite yarn colors to make each bag uniquely yours. 👜🧶

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FAQs

What size will the finished piece be?

The finished large bag uses 12 bands and measures approximately 76-80cm (30-31 1/2in) across before seaming with a height of about 38cm (15in); the small bag measures approximately 50cm (19 1/2in) across with a height of 23cm (9in).

Can I use different yarn weights for this pattern?

Yes, you can use a different yarn weight, but it will change the final size and drape; if you switch weight, adjust hook size accordingly and consider making sample bands to check dimensions.

Do I need prior crochet experience for this pattern?

This pattern is rated intermediate due to the foundation cord technique, band joining steps and seaming; familiarity with single crochet and basic shaping will help you complete it comfortably.

How long does this project typically take to complete?

Most crocheters finish the bag in about 5-7 hours depending on experience and how many color changes or finishing details you add.

How do I finish the strap and drawstring?

Overlap the strap ends by the instructed number of stitches (20 sc for large, 15 sc for small), seam both sides, then insert the leather drawstring through the top row casing and tie to finish.