Hi everyone! Welcome to the first post of September here on Divine Debris. Seeing as how it’s still warm and not feeling like Fall at all, I decided to keep it simple this week and share a fun bag! Say hello to the Azuma Bukuro Bag crochet pattern.

You may have seen this bag on my Instagram account, I believe I started making it months ago. In fact, it has been ready for a while! I originally planned to release it last month but I had to shuffle around some things so I could release the Winterberry Throw. But that’s why I plan, you know? 😀 Anyway…

This bag is named after the folding style of the bag, the Azuma Bukuro or Japanese Market Bag and I love how cool it is when you fold it up. You just need a piece of fabric that’s 3 times as long as it is tall, boom so easy. And when you pair it with a fun variegated yarn, like Chroma Twist, you’ve got something fancy.

And don’t be nervous about this design, it’s very easy! It’s just repeated texture until you get the right length of your piece – which does make blocking your piece pretty important. You want to make sure your piece is the correct size.

I hope where ever you are you’re having a great time and being safe and healthy. Hugs friends. Wash your hands and masks

Please note: I was provided the yarn for this pattern by We Crochet for the purposes of making this design, with compensation. I wasn’t provided the yarn with the expectations of positive or negative reviews but I did enjoy using this yarn, I’ve used it many times and it’s always a great worsted acrylic yarn.

Level

Advanced Easy

Materials

• US H (5.00 mm) crochet hook
  • I used this Furls hook
• Size #4/ light worsted/ sport weight yarn
  • 7 oz/ 436 yds
  • I used Chroma Twist in Lupine from WeCrochet.
• Notions: scissors, measuring tape, yarn needle

Gauge

• 18 rows x 20 SCC = 4”

Terms/ Stitches used

• Ch: chain
• St: stitch
• Sc: single crochet
• Scc: single crochet cluster (explained below)

Notes

• Scc (single crochet cluster): (this stitch is worked into two stitches) insert the hook into the first st, pull up a loop, insert the hook into the next st, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through all 3 loops on the hook, ch 1. This stitch is worked like a sc2tog and a ch 1 that count together as one stitch. When working into this stitch, you will work into the sctog and the ch-1 spaces.
• This pattern is worked in 3 sections: the Body, the Strap Loops, and the Strap. All 3 sections are worked in rows, back and forth, with a turn at the beginning of the row.
• The ch 1 at the beginning of the rows does not count as a stitch.
• This bag is folded in an Azuma Bukuro Bag style, where the length is 3x the width of the height. There is a photo tutorial below to see how to fold the bag.
• The measurements for this bag are from the corner to where the handles start for the height and from one corner to the other for the width.
• This design was made with 2 skeins of Chroma Twist in Lupine by Knit Picks.

Approx finished product dimensions (measurements may vary by gauge and yarn used)

13.5” x 13.5” (approx, not including the straps)

Body

Row 1: Ch 51, sc into the second ch from the hook, Scc into the next 48 sts, sc into the last st – 2 sc, 24 Scc
Rows 2 – 135: Ch 1, turn, sc into the first st, Scc into the next 24 sts, sc into the last st – 2 sc, 24 Scc
Fasten off. Block your project so that your piece measures 10” x 30”.

Begin with your main Body piece laid flat.

Take the bottom left corner and fold it toward the top edge so that the row lines up with the row edge.

Next, take the Top right corner of and fold it toward the bottom edge so that the row lines up with the row edge.

Next, take your left corner point and fold it back over the rest of the Body so that both of the points of your bag are facing the same direction (see photo above for assistance).

When your bag looks like the photo above, seam along the row ends in your preferred method of seaming (see photo to the below for assistance).

Repeat this seaming on the other side of the bag.

Strap Loop

Row 1: Starting 8 sts from the corner, create a slipknot on your hook, sc into the next 5 sts, ch 8, skip the 3 sts to the corner, rotate your piece so you’re working along the row ends, skip the next 3 row ends, sc into the next 5 row ends – 10 sc, 1 ch-8 space
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc into the next 18 sts (this counts sc and ch spaces) – 18 sc
Fasten off, weave in your ends.
Repeat the Strap Loop on instructions on the other corner.

Strap

Row 1: Ch 6, sc into the second ch from the hook and into the next 4 sts – 5 sc
Rows 2 – ?: Ch 1, turn, sc into the next 5 sts – 5 sc
Repeat row 2 until your strap measures 35” (or shorter if you’d prefer). Leave a long tail on each end.

Assembly

Wrap one of the Strap ends through the ch-8 space on the Strap Loop until it overlaps with the rest of the Strap, use the tail to secure it to itself. Repeat on the other Strap Loop. Weave in your ends.