Free Pattern: Petal-Flap Wave Pouch Crochet Crossbody Bag

Free Pattern: Petal-Flap Wave Pouch Crochet Crossbody Bag

Introduction

If you have never held a crochet hook before, this little pouch is the perfect first project to fall in love with. It is a small, forgiving rectangle of single crochet that you fold in half and seam up the sides — that is the whole body! The magic comes from the gentle overlay wavy stripes in forest green and rust, which look impressive but are made from the same simple stitch you already know. The finished bag is about 6 inches wide and 7 inches tall, soft and slightly textured thanks to the linen-blend yarn, with a rounded petal-shaped flap and a long crocheted cord so you can wear it crossbody. It feels light, summery, and handmade in the best way, and it is small enough to finish in a weekend of cozy evenings.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: DK-weight linen-blend yarn (approximately 50% linen, 50% cotton; about 125 yds / 115 m per 50 g skein).
  • Color A (forest green): approx. 90 yds (about one skein)
  • Color B (rust): approx. 60 yds (about half a skein)
• Hook: Size 4.0 mm (US G-6) crochet hook, or the size you need to match gauge.
• Stitch markers: 2–4 removable markers (or small safety pins) to mark your first stitch and your wave rows.
• Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped yarn needle with an eye large enough for your yarn, for seaming and weaving in ends.
• Scissors: Any small sharp pair for cutting yarn.
• Measuring tape and a few rust-proof pins for blocking.

Finished size: Body approx. 6 in (15 cm) wide x 7 in (18 cm) tall before the flap. Flap approx. 5.5 in (14 cm) wide x 3.5 in (9 cm) deep. Cord approx. 44 in (112 cm) long.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain. Make a slip knot on your hook, wrap the yarn over the hook (yarn over), and pull it through the loop on your hook. That is one chain.
• sc – single crochet. Insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (you now have 2 loops on the hook), yarn over again, and pull through both loops. One single crochet made.
• sc2tog – single crochet two stitches together (a decrease). Insert hook into the first stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook). Insert hook into the next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops. Two stitches become one.
• overlay sc – overlay single crochet. Insert your hook into the front loop only of the stitch two rows below the current row, yarn over, pull up a loop to the height of the current row, yarn over, and pull through both loops. This makes a raised stitch on the surface.
• st / sts – stitch / stitches.
• RS – right side. The "public" side of your work that faces out.
• front loop – the loop of a stitch closest to you when you look at the fabric. Every single crochet stitch has two loops on top: the front loop (nearer you) and the back loop (farther away).
• yarn over – wrap the working yarn over your hook from back to front.
• fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work, then pull the tail all the way through the last loop on your hook to lock it.
• turn – flip your work over so you can crochet back across the row you just made.
• whipstitch – a simple seaming stitch: bring the needle up through both layers, then over and around the edge, and back up again, working small even stitches along the edge.

Gauge

16 sc x 18 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in single crochet, worked flat and blocked.

Gauge simply means how big your stitches come out. If your stitches are bigger than this, your bag will be larger than the measurements above; if smaller, it will be smaller. To check, crochet a small square about 5 in (13 cm) wide in single crochet, block it lightly (mist with water and let it dry flat), then lay a ruler across the middle and count how many stitches fit in 4 inches and how many rows fit in 4 inches. If you have too many stitches, try a larger hook; if too few, try a smaller hook. Always make the swatch with the same yarn and hook you plan to use for the bag.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Mark your first stitch of every row. Place a stitch marker in the very first stitch you make after the turning chain. It is the easiest way to never lose your place or accidentally add stitches.
• Keep your tension relaxed. Do not pull the yarn tight. Loose, even stitches make the overlay waves sit nicely and keep the bag soft.
• The turning ch 1 does not count as a stitch. Always make your first sc into the very first stitch of the row, not into the chain.
• Carry the unused color loosely along the back. Do not cut the yarn between short color changes — just let it travel up the wrong side, and keep it relaxed so the bag does not pucker.
• Count your stitches at the end of every row. The body should always have 24 stitches, and the flap starts at 21 and decreases by 2 every other row.
• Overlay stitches are easier than they look. You are simply working into a stitch from two rows below. If it feels fiddly at first, go slowly — by the second wave row it will click.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body

The body is worked flat as one rectangle in single crochet, then folded and seamed at the sides. Overlay wavy stripes are made by working single crochet stitches into the front loops of stitches 2 rows below, skipping the stitch directly above them. Carry unused color loosely along the wrong side; do not cut between short color changes. The turning ch 1 does not count as a stitch.

With Color A (forest green), ch 25.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (24 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (24 sc)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (24 sc)

Row 4 (overlay wave, Color B rust): Ch 1, turn. Sc in first 2 sts. *Insert hook into the front loop of the st 2 rows below (in Row 2), yarn over with Color B, pull up a loop to the height of the current row, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook (overlay sc made). Skip the next st of the current row, sc in the following st.* Repeat from * to * across, ending with sc in last st. (approx. 10 overlay sts; 24 sts total)

Row 5: Ch 1, turn. With Color B, sc in each st across. (24 sc)

Row 6: Ch 1, turn. With Color A, sc in each st across. (24 sc)

Row 7 (overlay wave, Color A): Ch 1, turn. Sc in first 2 sts. *Overlay sc into the front loop of the st 2 rows below (in Row 5) with Color A, skip next st, sc in following st.* Repeat across, ending with sc in last st. (24 sts)

Row 8: Ch 1, turn. With Color A, sc in each st across. (24 sc)

Row 9: Ch 1, turn. With Color B, sc in each st across. (24 sc)

Row 10 (overlay wave, Color B): Ch 1, turn. Sc in first 2 sts. *Overlay sc into the front loop of the st 2 rows below (in Row 8) with Color B, skip next st, sc in following st.* Repeat across, ending with sc in last st. (24 sts)

Rows 11–32: Continue alternating 3 rows of plain sc with 1 overlay wave row, alternating colors A and B so that waves appear every 3rd row. End after a plain Color A row. (24 sc; 32 rows total) Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Finishing the Body

Fold the rectangle in half with right sides together so the foundation chain meets the final row. Using Color A and a yarn needle or slip stitch, seam both side edges. Turn right side out.

Petal Flap

Worked flat in rows, beginning at the top edge of the flap and narrowing to a rounded point.

With Color A, ch 22.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (21 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (21 sc)

Row 3 (overlay wave, Color B): Ch 1, turn. Sc in first 2 sts. *Overlay sc into the front loop of the st 2 rows below with Color B, skip next st, sc in following st.* Repeat across, ending with sc in last st. (21 sts)

Row 4: Ch 1, turn. With Color B, sc in each st across. (21 sc)

Row 5: Ch 1, turn. With Color A, sc in each st across. (21 sc)

Row 6 (overlay wave, Color A): Ch 1, turn. Sc in first 2 sts. *Overlay sc into the front loop of the st 2 rows below with Color A, skip next st, sc in following st.* Repeat across, ending with sc in last st. (21 sts)

Row 7: Ch 1, turn. With Color A, sc in each st across. (21 sc)

Row 8: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (19 sc)

Row 9: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (19 sc)

Row 10: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (17 sc)

Row 11: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (17 sc)

Row 12: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (15 sc)

Row 13: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (15 sc)

Row 14: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (13 sc)

Row 15: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (13 sc)

Row 16: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (11 sc)

Row 17: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (11 sc)

Row 18: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (9 sc)

Row 19: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (9 sc)

Row 20: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (7 sc)

Row 21: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (7 sc)

Row 22: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (5 sc)

Row 23: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (5 sc) Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Cord

With Color A, leave a 4 in (10 cm) tail, ch 150. Fasten off, leaving a 4 in tail.

Assembly and Finishing

Attach the flap: With the right side of the pouch facing you, pin the straight top edge of the flap to the top edge of the pouch body, centered, overlapping the body by about 0.5 in (1.5 cm). Thread your tapestry needle with Color A and whipstitch the flap in place: bring the needle up through both layers, wrap the yarn over the edge, and come up again, working small, even stitches all the way across. Remove the pins as you go.

Attach the cord: Thread one end of the cord through the top corner of one side of the pouch and the other end through the opposite top corner. Knot each end securely inside the bag and trim the ends. Check the length against your body before knotting — 44 in (112 cm) gives a comfortable crossbody fit.

Weave in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and weave it back and forth through the wrong side of the fabric for about 1 in (2.5 cm), then trim close to the fabric. Never knot your ends on the outside of the bag.

Blocking: Mist the finished bag lightly with water and pin it to the measurements above on a towel or blocking mat. Allow it to dry completely — this settles the overlay waves and evens out the stitches. Do not wring or hang the bag while wet.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap forest green and rust for any two shades you love — cream and terracotta, navy and mustard, or two shades of the same color for a subtle tonal look. Keep one color as the main body and one as the accent.
• Adjust the size: To make the bag wider or narrower, add or remove chains in multiples of 2 when you start the body (keep the stitch count even so the overlay waves line up). For a taller bag, add more plain rows in the repeating sequence.
• Substitute the yarn: Any DK-weight yarn will work — cotton, acrylic, or a cotton-acrylic blend. Just check your gauge again, since different fibers behave differently, and choose a smooth yarn so the overlay waves show clearly.
• Make the strap adjustable: Crochet a longer cord (try ch 180 for a longer strap) and add a simple knot or a small button at one corner so you can shorten it to your perfect length.