Easy Laptop Bag Pattern (crochet)

I have been waiting on some yarn to be shipped to finish my sweater. In the meantime I didn’t want to start another big project. It all started with one laptop bag for a girlfriend, and turned into a bag marathon. I discovered that this pattern is good, not only for laptops, but a knitting bag, papers for work, magazines and books, and I’m thinking of making it smaller for a cute lunch bag and/or clutch.
I’ll include the pattern for anyone that needs a fast, and fun bag.
Bag is made holding two strands of yarn throughout, I use worsted weight. I’ve tried everything from acrylic to wool and cotton.
Great for stash busting, make a striped bag!
Single crochet, this tight stitch, allowing for a sturdy bag.
If using cotton yarn, it makes the bag very sturdy.
I go around the handle opening with slip stitch, and/or a sewn backstitch around each stitch, this makes a decorative handle that is very sturdy, and doesn’t stretch too much.
Also think about lining your bag, I haven’t lined any of mine, but I’ll included rough directions, think about adding pockets, to organize your things inside.
Crochet Laptop Bag
(easy)This is a good project for scraps
Stitches used: slip stitch, chain stitch, single crochet, (optional sewn backstitch), click on stitch to see tutorials, thanks to thecrochetside, and knitwitch, and needlerific on YouTube for the great tutorial videos!
Yarn: Worsted weight, may be anything from wool to acrylic, two strands held together
Stitch: chain, and single crochet
Hook: size J
Measure your Laptop or magazine, book etc...size that you want it to be, this bag can also be made smaller for a kindle, ipad, small clutch, lunch bag, and of course knitting bag.
Consider using two different colors, one solid and one variegated, or transitioning colors in stripes. I like to keep one color and change one, this gives an interesting progression of stripes.
With two strands held together chain until your chain is the length of the desired bag, now add two more chain stitches (this will be to turn, or your first sc stitch on the next row).

bottom of bag started (photo)
Bottom of bag:
row1: sc in the 3rd chain stitch from hook, sc in this stitch 2x, sc all along your chain, until you get to the last 3 stitches, now sc x2, sc, sc x2, the last stitch will push you around the end of the chain, now you will pick up your stitches along the other side of your chain.
other side: sc, sc x2, sc all along your chain until you get to the last 2 stitches, now sc x2 and sc, now you should be back to the beginning of row 1
row2: sc x2, sc, sc x2, sc, sc x2, sc all along the flat part of the row, now find the center stitch of each end, place a marker there.
You will continue knitting the bottom of the bag, 3 stitches before each stitch marked sc x2, sc, sc x2, sc, sc x2, continue until the bottom of the bag is as big as you desire, I usually make it several rounds.

Starting the sides, this is crochet in the round (photo)
Sides of bag:Sc, all around until your bag is tall enough to add the hand holds. (Or your laptop height measurement)

Handles:
To figure where to place your handles lay your bag out, mark your end stitches, and count the number of stitches on each side, or total of stitches divided by two, sides should have even number (if it isn’t don’t worry, one stitch won’t be noticed)
Take your number of side stitches, you want your handle to be 10 stitches long, so subtract 10 stitches, and now divide by 2.
Example: My bag is a total of 64 stitches, 64/2=32 per side, now I’ll take the 32-10=22, this is the number of stiches per side minus the handle stitches, 22/2=11.
Handle: using the example numbers above, we will sc along 11 stitches from our side marker. Now chain 10 stitches (this is our handle), now count 11 stitches from the other marker and this is where we will sc 11 stitches to the side, now sc 11 stitches on the other side, chain 10 stitches, and sc 11 more stitches. The handle is created.
Continue sc in each stitch around for about 3 or 4 more rows, until you like how your handle feels.
Break yarn and weave in.
Now attach your yarn to an inside stitch on your handle, and slip stitch all around, this is to reinforce the handle and make it resistant to stretching. Break yarn and weave ends in.
Ta da, now insert your Laptop or magazines and your ready to go....

Want to line your bag?

Lining the Bag:

Figure out how much fabric you need, measure the height of your finished bag, mine is 12 inches, now add about 4 inches for hems etc.… this comes to about 16 inches. (this is how much fabric you need, half a yard is 18, so I usually  get that, this will be enough fabric for added pockets, if you want  them.
Fold the lining fabric in half and lay it flat on the table. Lay the bag on top of the fabric and trace around the bag onto the fabric.
Cut out any square that you want for your pockets, allow for a hem on each one, all around, or to make it super easy make your pocket twice the size and sew it together, right sides facing each other. turn, and you have a fully lined, sturdy pocket. Pin these down in the location you want them, and sew around all sides but the top. I usually stitch around twice for good measure.
Pin the two sides of the fabric together around the tracing, allowing about 1/2 inch for the seam.
Sew the fabric together along the traced lines, leaving one side open.
Insert the fabric lining into the bag so that the seams of the lining are unseen. Fold the top edge of the lining down between the bag and the lining and pin in place. Sew around the edge to secure the lining in place. I would sew mine in directly below the handle hole.
Have fun!