How to Crochet a Cable Bag Pattern + Video Tutorial

Can You do Cables with Crochet?

Cables aren’t just for knitting, you can do a cable stitch in crochet too! Crochet Cables are easy and beautiful. They can be worked in the round or in back and forth rows. Cabling in crochet can be done with any yarn for many projects like blankets, bags and sweaters! Just make sure to do a few test swatches so you have a comfortable hook size!

How to do Cable Stitch in Crochet.

Crocheted cables are made by working double crochet front post stitches into previous rows or rounds. There are many styles of crochet cables and you can even create your own cable stitch in crochet! Think of crochet cables as stitches being worked over the surface of single crochet stitches that make a pattern or design. You can very easily lay out your own crocheted camel pattern!

Materials

• 4.00 mm Crochet Hook
• 4 Skeins of Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton in Hay Bale [761-173AA]
• #4 Worsted Weight Yarn – 744 yards
• Minimum 5 Stitch Markers

Gauge

• 20 sts x 24 rows is 4”x4” in sc in the round with turns.

Stitch Descriptions and Abbreviations

• Chain Stitch – ch 
• Slip Stitch – sl st 
• Stitch(es) – st(s)
• Skip – sk
• Stitch Marker – SM
• Single Crochet – sc
• Half Double Crochet – hdc
• Double Crochet – dc
• Single Crochet Two Together – sc2tog – Work two sc stitches together into one stitch for a decrease.
• Front Post Double Crochet – FPdc –Work a double crochet as you normally would by placing your hook from front to back to front around the post of the designated stitch. 
• Foundation Single Crochet – Fsc – Chain 2, insert hook into 2nd chain from hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 1 loop, (2 loops on hook with 1 ch created), yarn over, draw through all loops (1 loop on hook, 1 foundation single crochet with chain at the bottom). *Insert hook to the bottom of the stitch you just made, it will look like the top or “V” of a stitch, yarn over, pull up 1 loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 1 loop (2 loops on hook with 1 ch created), yarn over, draw through all loops;* repeat from * to * for desired amount of stitches.
• Surface Slip Stitch – Surface Sl St – Pull up a loop in the designated stitch with working yarn on backside of piece (one loop on hook), *insert your hook into the next stitch or space, pull up a loop through stitch or space and through loop on hook (one loop on hook), repeat from * to end creating your sl st on the surface of your previously created stitches.

Pattern Notes

• One Size – 16.5” across x  12” deep with 18” straps making a 5.5” opening.
• * Designates a repeat.
• Each repeat (rounds 2 – 13 in “Cables” section) is creating one cable for a total of 4 cable repeats.
• Turn at the the end of each round, place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of rounds.
• Be mindful of when it is noted to work behind or in front of a FPdc when crossing sts,
• When a FPdc is created you must make sure to skip the stitches behind in the round you are working. For Example: When you “FPdc 2” you must skip the next 2 sts in the round you are creating, leaving them unworked, so each round has the same number of sts.
• Round 1 of the Cables notes when to skip stitches after making FPdc sts as a reminder. Apply skipping the same number of sts as FPdc sts made in all FPdc rounds.
• You will have the same number of stitches in all cable rounds.
• “sc 1” means to single crochet in the next stitch.
• “sc 2” means to single crochet in each of the next 2 stitches.
• “2 sc” means to single crochet twice in the next stitch to create an increase.

Crocheted Cable Tote Bag Pattern

Round 1 – Fsc 50, place SM in first st, 4 sc in base of last Fsc, place SM in 4th sc st, sc 49 by working in every base of Fsc across, place SM in last sc, 3sc in same st as last st, sl st to first Fsc.[106 total stitches]

• There should be 50 sts from SM to SM on both sides and 3 sc between both sets of SM’s to create a half circle at each end.
• Move SM up to first and last stitch on both sides to mark your place before and after the half circles.

Round 2 – Turn, ch 1, 2 sc in each of next 3 sts, sc 50, 2 sc in each of next 3 sts, sc 50, sl st to first stitch in round.  [112 total stitches]
Round 3 – Turn, ch 1, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 1) over next 6 sts, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 1) over next 6 sts, sl st to first stitch in round. [118 total stitches]
Round 4 – Turn, ch 1, (2 sc, sc 2) over next 9 sts, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 2) over next 9 sts, sc 50, sl st to first stitch in round. [124 total stitches]
Round 5 – Ch 1, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 3) over next 12 sts, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 3) over next 12 sts, sl st to first stitch in round. [130 total stitches]
Round 6 – Turn, ch 1, (2 sc, sc 4) over next 15 sts, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 4) over next 15 sts, sc 50, sl st to first stitch in round. [136 total stitches]
Round 7 – Turn, ch 1, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 5) over next 18 sts, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 5) over next 18 sts, sl st to first stitch in round. [142 total stitches]
Round 8 – Turn, ch 1, (2 sc, sc 6) over next 21 sts, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 6) over next 21 sts, sc 50, sl st to first stitch in round. [148 total stitches]
Round 9 – Turn, ch 1, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 7) over next 24 sts, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 7) over next 24 sts, sl st to first stitch in round. [154 total stitches]
Round 10 – Turn, ch 1, (2 sc, sc 8) over next 27 sts, sc 50, (2 sc, sc 8) over next 27 sts, sc 50, sl st to first stitch in round. [160 total stitches]
Next 4 Rounds – Turn, ch 1, sc 160, sl st to first stitch in round. [160 total stitches]
Do not cut yarn and continue to “Cables” section.

Cables

Round 1 – Turn, ch 1, *sc 4, in previous round come down to corresponding stitch and count over 2, FPdc in that stitch, FPdc in next stitch of previous round, sk 2 sc in working round, sc 2, FPdc in each of next 2 sts of previous round, sk 2 sc of previous round, FPdc in each of next 2 sts of previous round, sk 4 sc in working round, sc 2, FPdc in each of next 2 sts of previous round, sc 4, repeat from * to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]

Note: Reference Stitch Chart below for proper stitch placement. The stitch placement on this first cable round is crucial to set up each cable section. 

Round 2 – Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 3 – Turn, ch 1, *sc 3, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, sc 3, sk 2-FPdc, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, FPdc 2 in previous 2-FPdc working behind the last 2 FPdc just created, sc 3, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, sc 3, repeat from * to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 4 – Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 5 – Turn, ch 1, *sc 3, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, sc 3, FPdc 4 in each of next FPdc, sc 3, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, sc 3, repeat from * to end, sl st to first sc.[160 total stitches]
Round 6 – Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 7 –  Turn, ch 1, *sc 4, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, sc 2, sk 2-FPdc, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, FPdc 2 in previous 2-FPdc working behind the last 2 FPdc just created, sc 2, FPdc in each of next FPdc, sc 4, repeat from * to end, sl st to first sc.[160 total stitches]
Round 8 – Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 9 – Turn, ch 1, *sc 5, FPdc 4 in each of next FPdc, sc 2, FPdc 4 in each of next FPdc, sc 5, repeat from * to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 10 – Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 11 – Turn, ch 1, *sc 5, sk 2 FPdc, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, FPdc 2 in previous 2-FPdc working behind the last two just created, sc 2, sk 2-FPdc, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, FPdc 2 in previous 2-FPdc working in front of the last two just created, sc 5, repeat from * to end, sl st to first sc.[160 total stitches]
Round 12 – Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 13 – Turn, ch 1, * sc 4, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, sc 2, FPdc 4 in each of next FPdc, sc 2, FPdc 2 in each of next FPdc, repeat from * to end, sl st to first sc.[160 total stitches]
Rounds 14 to 49 – Repeat Rounds 2 to 13. [160 total stitches]
Rounds 50 and 51– Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc. [160 total stitches]
Round 52 – Turn, ch 1, sc 9, sc2tog, *sc 18, sc2tog, repeat from * 7 more times, sc in remaining sts, sl st to join. [152 total stitches]
Round 53 – Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc. [152 total stitches]
Round 54 – Turn, ch 1, sc 8, sc2tog, *sc 17, sc2tog, repeat from * 7 more times, sc in remaining sts, sl st to join. [144 total stitches]
Round 55 – Turn, ch 1, sc around in each stitch to end, sl st to first sc, finish off. [144 total stitches]

Straps – Make 2

Row 1 – Fsc 10
Row 2 – Turn, sc across. [10 total sts]
Row 3 – Turn, sc2tog, sc 6, sc2tog. [8 total sts]
Row 4 – Turn, sc across. [8 total sts]
Row 5 – Turn, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog. [6 total sts]
Rows 6 to 88 – Turn, sc across. [6 total sts]
Row 89 – Turn, 2sc, sc 4, 2sc. [8 total sts]
Row 90 – Turn, sc across. [8 total sts]
Row 91 – Turn, 2sc, sc 6, 2sc. [10 total sts]
Rows 92 and 93 – Turn, sc across, finish off. [10 total sts]

1. With your bag laid flat, place the end of each strap between the cables so that the first and last rows (10 sts) aligns with the 10 sts between the first and last FPdc of the Final Cable Round.
2. Using your crochet hook and remaining yarn surface sl st along row ends and sts to attach the straps to the body of the bag, creating a symmetrical trapezoid shape.
3. Finish off and weave in your ends. 

More Crocheted Bags

Just click on the photos below to make some of my other beginner friendly crochet patterns!