If you are looking for a crochet pattern for an adorable tote bag, made with a modern take on a sunburst square motif, then this bag featuring my signature double front post double crochet stitch is for you! Made with 13 Garden Party Squares, this crochet bag pattern has a whole lot of texture and makes a great stash buster project. Plus, it has an unlimited number of color possibilities (just check out my tester’s versions at the end of the post!).
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Patch of Asters Bag Crochet Pattern Inspiration
When I first designed this square, it reminded me of a flower. Several flowers, in fact. When I look at this sunburst-style square motif, I see zinnias, dahlias, sunflowers, marigolds, and mums. So, I named it the Garden Party Square!
Once I had that square motif established, I knew I wanted to make one of those granny square patchwork bags with it. Perhaps you’ve seen this style of crochet bag floating around the internet. They’ve been quite popular over the last few years, often made with traditional granny squares or a sunflower motif. I knew this motif would be perfect in this style and I absolutely LOVE how it came out!
When naming it, I found out that most of the flowers I associated with the square motif are in one family, the Asteraceae family, which is why they have similar characteristics. So, with a patchwork style, the bag became the Patch of Asters Bag in honor of the family classification.
Granny Square Bag Construction
If you have never made one of these bags before, you first make 13 squares individually by first making the central circle, then crocheting around the circle to square it off. Squares are then laid out in the pattern seen below and seamed together to create the general bag shape. Finally, trim and straps are added to the open top to finish the bag.
Now, before you think, “This is genius!”, I cannot take credit for this layout. No one seems to know who originally figured out this layout created this bag shape, but thank you, whoever you are and I wish I could properly credit you.
Now, if the construction seems a little complicated, don’t worry. The PDF for the Patch of Asters Bag pattern not only includes instructions for the Garden Party Square, but also walks you through the construction step-by-step (with photos!), showing you exactly how to seam the bag for the least number of ends to weave in, and making sure you always know what you are doing.
Yarn Suggestions
This pattern calls for #4/worsted weight yarn, and while you can use any yarn fiber, I highly recommend cotton or a cotton blend for the best results. If you scroll through this post, you’ll see 2 versions of this granny square bag – one with solid circles, and one with the color changing every round.
The bag with the solid circles was made using Dishie Cotton from WeCrochet. Dishie is one of my all-time favorite cotton yarns to work with as it soft, but sturdy, and comes in a wide variety of colors, so I highly recommend it.
The bag with the multicolored circles used Re-Up Bonus Bundle from Lion Brand. What I like about this yarn is that is a cotton/polyester blend made from recycled materials, and I love when things can be reused or recycled into something new. It is a little harder to work with though. Because of the polyester, I find that this yarn is a little stiffer and doesn’t stretch as much, making it a bit harder on the hands. But, also because of that, it makes for a sturdy bag.
So whether you go with solid central circles, or with each round in a different color, this pattern is perfect for using up what is left in your stash (which, if like mine, is probably overflowing and could stand some cleaning out)!
So if you are ready to get your copy of the pattern, keep reading for purchase options, or to add this pattern to your Ravelry queue or Pinterest board.
Check out Etsy or Ravelry for pattern purchase options!
Perks: The premium PDF includes not only the directions for the square motif, but also detailed step by step directions for assembly of the bag including lots of photos!
Other Patterns You May Be Interested In
Patch of Asters Bag Crochet Pattern
Pattern Difficulty
Intermediate
Skills used: working in the round, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, post stitches, standing stitches, increases, decreases, zig zag slip stitch join
Materials
*Crochet Hook: H/5.0mm
*Yarn: Approximately 595 yards of weight 4 cotton yarn, such as Dishie from WeCrochet or Re-Up Bonus Bundle from Lion Brand
- 235 yards of the main bag color
- 320 yards for the central circles
- 40 yards of the trim color
*Yarn needle for weaving in ends
*Scissors
*Measuring tape
*Stitch markers
Special Stitches Used
standing dc: standing double crochet (directions here!)
dfpdc: double front post double crochet (directions here!)
Want some color inspo? Check out the bags my testers made!
Ready to make yours? Get the ad-free, printable pattern PDFs on Etsy or Ravelry:
When you make one, I want to see it! When posting on social media, be sure to tag @fromnicolescreations and use hashtags #patchofastersbag or #gardenpartycollection and #fromnicolescreations.
Happy stitching!