Crochet this roomy belt bag with pattern by Molla Mills—the two-color bag is easy to assemble from pieces

Size: 25 × 15 × 7 cm (width × height × depth) (10 × 6 × 3 in).

Belt bag by Molla Mills—materials:

Gauge: 14 sc and 14 rows = 10 cm (4 in).

Crocheted belt bag by Molla Mills—pattern:

Intarsia crochet

Work sc back and forth in two colors, following the pattern and chart. Read odd-numbered (RS) rows from right to left and even-numbered (WS) rows from left to right. Always leave the strands at the back on RS rows and at the front on WS rows. When switching colors, complete the final yarn over of the previous stitch with the new color. Note: Color changes create floats that cross one row on the WS. When starting a new color, fasten off the yarn tail inside the stitches. After the design is done, cut the yarn and fasten it off inside the stitches on the next row. These help you avoid having to weave in a huge number of ends. Use a separate ball for each color section.

Crochet eight pieces flat: front piece, back piece, pocket, side piece, 2 zipper pieces, and 2 belt pieces.

Front and back pieces

Make two identical pieces. Wind the black yarn into two equal balls and the white yarn into three. Make the foundation chain with both colors: chain 8 in white, then switch to black and chain 23.

Row 1 (RS): With black, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, then work 21 sc. At the end of the last stitch, switch to white, leave the black strand at the back, and work 8 sc. Turn.

Row 2 (WS): With white, ch 1 and work 8 sc. Switch to black, passing the white strand below the black strand to the front of the work, and work 22 sc in black. Turn.

Row 3: With white, ch 1, work 4 sc while carrying black inside the stitches. Switch to black, leave white at the back, work 18 sc, then switch back to white (leaving black at the back) and work 8 sc in white.

Row 4: With white, ch 1 and work 8 sc, then 18 sc in black, then 4 sc in white.

Row 5: With white, ch 1 and work 4 sc, then 4 sc in black. Take a second white ball and work 10 sc, a second black ball and 4 sc, then 8 sc in white.

Rows 6–8: Continue following the chart.

Row 9: With black, ch 1 and work 8 sc, then 10 sc in white, 4 sc in black, then another 4 sc in black while carrying white to shift the color change. Finally, work 4 sc in white.

Rows 10–19: Continue following the chart.

Row 20: With black, ch 1 and work 6 sc, then 10 sc in white, 8 sc in black, and 6 sc in white while carrying black.

Finally, to edge the piece on three sides: work 6 sc in white, carrying black, 8 sc in black, carrying white, 4 sc in white, 2 sc in black. Along the bottom edge, 22 sc in black, 8 sc in white. Along the other short side, 14 sc in white, 6 sc in black.

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Pocket

With white, chain 6 for the foundation chain, then switch to black and chain 18, and finally switch to a second ball of white and chain 2 more.

Row 1 (RS): With white, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, then 1 sc. Switch to black (leaving white at the back) and work 18 sc in black, then switch back to white and work 6 sc.

Rows 2–14: Follow the chart, then edge three sides in the colors indicated by the pattern: 14 sc on the short sides and 26 sc along the bottom. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Zipper piece

Make two identical pieces. With black, chain 45 for the foundation chain.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, then 25 sc. Bring in white and work 8 sc, then another black ball and 10 sc, turn = 44 sc total.

Rows 2–6: Follow the chart. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Side pieces

Make two identical pieces. With black, chain 46, switch to white, and chain 15.

Row 1 (RS): With white, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and then 13 sc. Switch to black and sc across.

Row 2 (WS): With black, ch 1 and work 45 sc, then 14 sc in white.

Row 3: With white, ch 1 and work 13 sc, switch to black and 10 sc. Take another white ball and work 8 sc, another black ball and work 20 sc, and finally a third white ball and 8 sc.

Rows 4–8: Continue following the chart. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Belt pieces

Make 2 pieces. With black, chain 6.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and then 4 sc, turn = 5 sts.

Row 2: Ch 1, 5 sc, turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, 3 sc, 2 sc in the same stitch, 1 sc, turn = 6 sts.

Row 4: Ch 1, 6 sc, turn.

Row 5: Ch 1, 4 sc, 2 sc in the same stitch, 1 sc, turn = 7 sts.

Row 6: Ch 1, 7 sc, turn.

Rows 7–18: Continue following Chart 1, making increases on every second row. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Finishing

Place the WS of the pocket on top of the front piece and match the patterns (see the red lines on the charts). Sew or slip stitch the pocket in place using strong black thread. Leave about 30 cm (12 in) of extra thread at each end of the seam and use it to reinforce the seam edges so the pocket edge won’t stretch during use.

Next, run the yellow cord through the top edge of the pocket and the front piece, about 10 sts away from the pocket sides and 1 row from the top edge. Thread the cord stopper on, then finish with the cord ends.

Place the starting edges of the zipper pieces together and sew the zipper by hand or machine between them, leaving one row as the seam allowance (which folds to the inside). Then sew the inner edges of the seam allowance with strong cotton thread to the first-row stitches of the zipper pieces.

After that, place the RS of the zipper piece and the side piece together, and sew their short edges with a one-stitch seam allowance, forming a ring.

Place the RS of the ring and front piece together, and join them with sc. Make sure the zipper opens in the right direction: right-handed crafters might want it opening to the right, left-handed crafters to the left.

Turn the piece inside out and attach the back piece and belt pieces to the ring as follows: pin the belt pieces to the upper edges of both sides of the back piece, then crochet these three pieces together over 13 sts.

Cut the leather belt in half. Make three adjacent holes at both ends about 5 cm (2 in) apart, and sew the straps to the inside of the belt pieces with strong thread.

Yarn and pattern inquiries: Lankava.