How cute is the mini backpack! And it’s practical – important little things like keys, lipsticks and coins fit in perfectly. It’s really easy to make too.
Below you will find my video tutorial and written pattern to crochet mini backpack.
Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback, I’d love to hear from you!
Also check out my tutorial of bigger backpack that you can carry around: how to crochet backpack
VIDEO TUTORIAL OF MINI BACKPACK
SITI RAHMAH You’re very talented teacher, enjoy watching your crochet tutorial, I shall try out this mini backpack, it’s so cute 😍Patricia Phillips This is the best tutorial I’ve seen for this bag. I am so glad that you made this video.Nielly I’m making one right now (already made the “pouch”, now I’m on the flap) and I just had to stop and tell you this is one the best tutorials on YouTube. Very clear instructions, the speed is perfect, not too fast, not too slow, you skip exactly what you need to skip and do on camera exactly what you need to do on camera. Your voice is nice and clear and the angle you shoot is perfect too, with good lighting. I’m definitely checking your other tutorials and I hope you keep them coming! Thanks for posting!
WRITTEN PATTERN OF MINI BACKPACK
The mini backpack measures about 3 inches wide and 4 inches long.
Materials:
- 3.75 mm crochet hook
- DMC denim light blue and Lion Brand Jeans brown
Abbreviations: R = round sc = single crochet sl st = slip stitch ch = chain
- R1 – make a magic ring and sc 8 in the ring, sl st in 1st sc.
- R2 – ch 1 and sc 2 in each st = increase in each st – total 16 sc, sl st in 1st sc.
- R3 – ch 1 and sc 1 in 1st st, sc 2 in 2nd st = increase in every other st, repeat all around – total 24 sc, sl st in 1st sc.
- R4 – ch 1 and sc 1 in each next 2 st, sc 2 in 3rd st = increase in every 3rd st, repeat all around – total 32 sc, sl st in 1st sc.
- R5-17 – ch 1 and sc in each st around – 32 sc on each round, sl st in 1st sc.
- R18 – ch 1 and sc 1 in each next 3 st, ch1 and skip 1 sc, sc 1 in each next 3 st, ch1 and skip 1 sc, repeat all around, you will have 8 string holes, sl st in 1st sc.
- R19 – ch 1 and sc in each st around – total 32 sc, sl st in 1st sc.
- R20 – sl st in each st around, fasten off and cut off the yarn.
- Backpack flap – repeat rounds 1-3, then sl st in next 6 sc, (sc 1 in each next 2 sc and sc 2 in the next) three times, ch 5 to make a buttonhole, (sc 1 in each next 2 sc and sc 2 in the next) three times, sl st in first st.
- Optional: you can add another round to the flap like my dark blue and brown backpacks have – sl st in each st and sc 5 in buttonhole chain space (I wanted to skip this row on light blue bag for different look).
- Attach the flap to bag with 6 slip stitches, don’t cut off the yarn.
- Handle – ch 8 and sl st in stitch through main part and flap where you started attaching the flap, turn and sc 8 in ch space, sl st through flap and main part where you ended attaching the flap, fasten off, cut off.
- Braided string – cut 3 strands each 30 cm (appr. 12 in) long, make a knot and braid strings, make an end knot, the braid should measure appr. 8 inches from one knot to the other.
- Insert the string through the holes of the bag on R18.
- Backpack straps – with brown yarn ch 13, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across – total 12 sc, turn and sl st in each st.
- Use beginning and end tails to sew the strap on the back of the bag.
- Sew the button on 5th row from the top.
- Weave in all ends.
Check out my pink and red mini backpacks: https://handmadebyraine.com/more-mini-backpacks/
Happy crocheting!
DISCLAIMER: I take no credit for this FREE pattern as it is not my design. DO NOT try to sell the pattern or pass it off as your own. However, you are welcome to sell your products made with the pattern. Thank you to the designer of this free pattern!
I used the same DMC Natura Just Cotton Denim yarn for my XOXO bags and denim bag. Read more about them here:
Some links are affiliate, meaning I’ll make a small commission if you make a purchase, but this is at no cost to you.
28 Comments
Hi, certainly! I use WordPress and I like it a lot. I definitely recommend it.
i’ve done two of these the past 2 days, but mine seem to appear a tad bit larger than yours. i’ve followed to the T, can you please give me your measurements, as it may just be the way it appears online. mine measures approx. 4 1/4 inches long, and 3 1/2 ” wide. thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Stacy, I’m so glad to hear from you! I just measured my bags and in flat position I get almost the same measurements as you, about 3.5 in wide and 4.5 in long. If you want a smaller bag I would use smaller hook and finer yarn. Sometimes just using smaller hook helps too! I hope this helps! Thank you for your feedback! Best, Raine
hello raine, l love these little bags, but…english is not my mothertongue and l cant find out whot shorts you use…what is st?..and sl ? can you give me a list? please??
Hi Andrea! Absolutely, I just added the explanation of abbreviations and I hope this help! Happy crocheting!
I cannot day enough good things about this pattern. I’ve made over 100 for my kiddos’s high school fundraiser. They were a big hit! The kiddos use them for ear bud storage and attach it to their chromebook case.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, Colleen! I am so happy to hear that my pattern was so inspirational to you. This is a huge amount of mini backpacks! And for a worthy cause like that, I’m so touched by it! You have done so well! Raine
Do you think it’s possible to make these on a bigger scale to fit a toddler? Not for actually using for backpacking but for more “playing” around the house. Just curious!
Hi Tanya! Absolutely, you can add rounds and stitches to make this bigger. I also have a tutorial for bigger backpack (about 11 inches long and wide) and I just added the link to my mini backpack post. Maybe you want to give this a try! https://handmadebyraine.com/how-to-crochet-backpack/ Happy crocheting!
Hey there, I love the pattern, thanks for sharing! I found it all over Pinterest but yours is the first with a written pattern <3
When you talk about stringing the braid through the holes, how are you doing that exactly?
Hi Jaime! I’m glad to hear my written pattern is helpful to you! I weave the braid through the 8 holes. I start with inserting the braid from front to back through the 1st hole and then from back to front through the 2nd hole, etc, until the braid comes out from back to front through the last hole. I hope this helps and I also recommend watching my video for illustration! Happy crocheting!
Hi Raine made several, but I am having difficulty with the backflap which comes out crooked. (I followed every instruction)
Hi, yes I find the flap part most challenging too. Especially when I start attaching it to the bag. How exactly is your flap crooked? It needs to have that flat (not round) edge part for attachment. You can also adjust the stitch count. Maybe your crocheting tension is different and you need either less or more stitches to make the flap smooth. Let me know if I can help more.
Love you pattern. Is the yarn A #2 weight . I don’t have the yarn you used.
What can I substitute it with.
Thank you
Hi Mary, it’s light yarn.
I have used different yarns, one of my favorites is Bernat Softee Baby Cotton (light size 3) https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-softee-baby-cotton-yarn–cotton/16605252001.html
And I also used Lion Brand Jeans yarn (medium size 4) for the brown bag, this yarn is so soft that even though the label says to use crochet hook 5.5 mm I still used 4mm hook and I got a good size backpack.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have more questions.
Happy crocheting!
Raine
My written pattern actually recommends hook size 3.75 mm, so it’s good to experiment whether hook 4mm or 3.75mm fits better your crocheting tension.
Why can I get pattern to print?
What is the worst weight of the yarn?
DMC Natura Just Cotton is medium weight in Aran category.
Written instructions say to sl st at the end of each round but the video shows no sl st just crochet in the round. Which is correct ? Thanks
Hi Sue, you can do it either way, depending how you prefer.