Ready to add a twist to your crochet game? Look no further than the Free Pattern Granny Square Pucker Purse, a Free Crochet Bag Pattern! With its vibrant colors and eye-catching design, this bag is sure to turn heads.

And the best part? Even if you’re new to crocheting, you’ll have no trouble whipping up this beauty.

The secret to this purse’s unique texture? Long double crochet stitches worked into the row below. Such a brilliant way to have colors meld from one row into the next.

Crochet Texture…

For even more texture I joined or seamed the squares together on the public side of the work. Therefore, the seams are not hidden but part of the overall look of the purse. This makes the purse very look and feel great!

Finish off this purse with a fabric lining, plastic canvas, and some great handles. You’ll have a purse that’s as functional as it is fabulous. Best of all, you can find a free crochet purse pattern below. Trust us, you’ll be the envy of all your friends with your new granny square bag!

A Vintage Throwback: The Granny Square Pucker Purse

In the world of crochet, some patterns hold a special place in our hearts. Evoking memories of cherished moments and reminding us of the loved ones who first introduced us to this wonderful craft. Today, we dive into the past as we explore one of Marly Bird’s earliest patterns: the Granny Square Pucker Purse. With its captivating texture and a touch of nostalgia, this pattern pays homage to the hand-me-down scrap granny square blankets that adorned our lives. It’s like the iconic blanket on the back of Roseanne’s couch.

There’s something magical about revisiting the classics. The free pattern Granny Square Pucker Purse is one that Marly Bird created years ago. It reflects her deep connection to crochet traditions passed down through generations. It harkens back to a time when handmade treasures held a special place in our homes and hearts.

Crochet Heirlooms

Drawing inspiration from her Auntie’s cherished heirlooms, Marly recalls the vibrant scrap granny square blankets from childhood. These beautifully mismatched creations were crafted with love and care, pieced from leftover yarns, each square a story in itself. As Marly embarked on her crochet journey, those cherished blankets became her source of inspiration. They guided her to create something reminiscent of their undeniable charm.

Free Granny Square Bag Pattern with Texture that Tells a Tale

By adding a twist to the classic granny stitch pattern, Marly infuses this purse with an abundance of texture. The result is a visually captivating accessory that instantly grabs attention and sparks crochet heritage conversations.

As your hands work their magic, you’ll rediscover the joy of watching the granny squares come to life. Each color round overlaps with the next, forming a stunning mosaic of colors and stitches. The long double crochet adds depth and dimension, mirroring the warmth and character of the blankets from yesteryears.

Old Granny Square with A Modern Twist

The free pattern Granny Square Pucker Purse brings back nostalgic memories and captures the spirit of contemporary crochet fashion. Marly Bird’s design seamlessly blends old and new, allowing you to carry a piece of history while staying on-trend.

With its compact size and versatile handle, this purse is perfect for today’s busy lifestyles. Use it while running errands, or heading out for a night on the town. If you simply want a unique accessory to express your style, the Granny Square Pucker Purse fits the bill.

More Than Just A Bag…

You know, the Granny Square Pucker Purse is more than just a free crochet granny square bag pattern. It’s a journey back in time. It’s a tribute to the hand-me-down scrap granny square blankets that shaped Marly Bird’s crochet story. Through her design, Marly captures the essence of nostalgia and infuses it with a contemporary twist.

So grab your yarn and crochet hook! Let’s embark on this delightful adventure combining history, texture, and the timeless beauty of the granny square.

Ready to make your own Granny Square Bag?

Materials

This Yarn has been discontinued: Caron, “Simply Soft Brites” (100% acrylic, 315 yds/170g) But there are many alternative colors in the general Caron Simply Soft Yarns.

• Color A One 6 oz skein Rubine Red
• Color B One 6 oz skein Mango
• Color C One 6 oz skein Lemonade
• Color D One 6 oz skein Lime Light
• Color E One 6 oz skein Blue Mint
• Color F One 6 oz skein Purple
• Color G One 6 oz skein Black

Gauge

Individual Granny Square Motif Square: 5.5″ x 5.5″ [14 cm x 14 cm] in Long Double Crochet Granny Stitch Motif

Set of 4 Granny Squares Panel: 11″ x 11″ [28 cm x 28 cm]

Sides and Bottom: 2.6″ wide x 33″ long [6.5 cm by 84 cm] in single crochet stitch

Hook

Size H-8 (5mm) crochet hook or size to obtain gauge

Notions

One pair of purse handles, one yard of cotton fabric, thread to match fabric, sewing needle, two 18-inch plastic canvas, tapestry needle

Crochet Abbreviations

• ch – chain
• dc – double crochet
• Ldc- long double crochet
• sc – single crochet,
• sl st – slip stitch
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• ( ) – information in parenthesis is worked in one stitch
• [ ] – information in brackets is worked the number of times after the bracket
• * – indicates the start of a repeat in a pattern round or row

Special Stitches or Techniques (see also crochet definitions for more help)

⭐️ Long Double Crochet (LDC): YO once, insert hook in stitch or space or post indicated, YO and pull up a loop. Bring your hook (stretching the loop you just pulled through) back up to the row you started. YO and pull through 2 loops, YO pull through 2 loops. Just as you would a regular double crochet (DC).

⭐️ Stacked Double Crochet (optional to use in place of the ch 3 at start of round): (Do not ch 1 prior to making the first sc) Sc in first stitch, insert hook in between the two legs of the base of the sc, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook. >> Click to watch the video tutorial <<

⭐️ Seaming Crochet >> Click to watch video tutorial <<

Notes

• Mix and match colors in any sequence you wish for the bag >> Get Inspired by Frida <<
• Gauge isn’t super important. As long as each square is the same size and both panels are the same size the bag instructions will work.
• Highly recommended that you weave or bury ends in as you go >> Click to see video tutorial <<
• Granny Square motifs are made individually then seamed together in groups of 4 to create 2 panels
• Two panels are joined together with a single crochet strip of fabric which forms the sides and base of the purse.
• Fabric lining is not a must but it does add some stability to the hand-crocheted yarn bag.
• Using interfacing instead of the plastic canvas is also possible. At the time of making this bag, Marly did not know of the existence of this magical stuff!

Color Sequence for Free Pattern Granny Square Bag

Make a total of 8 squares. Two each of the following:

1. E,F,D,E,F,G
2. B,C,A,B,C,G
3. F,A,B,F,A,G
4. D,E,C,D,E,G

Block Placement Diagram for Free Granny Square Bag

Free Pattern Granny Square Bag | Granny Square Pucker Purse

Long Double Crochet Granny Stitch Motif (make 8 total in various color sequences)

With first color Please refer to the color sequence

Set-up Round: Ch 4 and join to first ch with a slip stitch to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as first double crochet now and throughout), 2 dc in ring, ch 1, [3 dc, ch 1] three times in ring. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the first ch-3. Fasten off.

With second color

Round 2: join yarn with a slip stitch to any ch-1 space, (ch 3, 2 dc, 1 Ldc in ring below, 3 dc, ch 1) in same ch-1 space, [(3 dc, 1 Ldc in ring below, 3 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space] 3 times, join with a SL ST to top of first ch-3. Fasten off.

With third color

Round 3: join yarn with a slip stitch to any Ldc stitch, (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1) in same Ldc stitch, * skip next 3 dc, (1 dc, 1 Ldc around the post of the center dc of the 3 dc set of round 1, 1 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space, (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1) in next Ldc; repeat from * two times more, skip next 3 dc, (1 dc 1 Ldc around the post of the center dc of the 3 dc set of round 1, 1 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space, join with a slip stitch to top of first ch-3. Fasten off.

With first color

Round 4: join with a slip stitch to any corner ch-1 space, (ch 3, 2 dc, Ldc around post of Ldc on round 2, 3 dc, ch 1) in same ch-1 space, * skip next 3 dc, [(3 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space] two times, (3 dc, 1 Ldc around post of LDC on round 2, 3 dc, ch 1) in next corner ch-1 space; repeat from * two times more, skip next 3 dc, [(3 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space] two times, join with a slip stitch to the top of first ch-3. Fasten off.

With second color

Round 5: join yarn with a slip stitch to any Ldc, (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1) in same Ldc stitch, * skip next 3 dc, (3 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space, (1 dc, Ldc around post of Ldc of round 3, 1 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space, skip next 3 dc, (3 dc, ch 1) in ch-1 space, (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1) in next LDC stitch; repeat from * two times more, skip next 3 dc, (3 dc, ch 1) in ch-1 space, (1 dc, Ldc around post of Ldc of round 3, 1 dc, ch 1) in next ch 1 space, skip next 3 dc, (3 dc, ch 1) in ch-1 space, join with a slip stitch to the top of first ch-3. Fasten off.

With main color (black in the sample)

Round 6: join yarn with a slip stitch to any corner ch-1 space, (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1) in same ch-1 space, * skip next 3 dc, [(3 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space] four times, (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc, ch 1) in corner ch-1 space; repeat from * two times more, skip next 3 dc, [(3 dc, ch 1) in next ch-1 space] four times; join with a slip stitch to the top of first ch-3. Fasten off.

Sides and Bottom of the Granny Square Pucker Purse

The sides and bottom are worked in one long strip of SC. The amount of rows is dependent on your gauge. Make strip long enough to reach from top corner of one panel, down one side, along bottom, and up other side to other top corner of panel.

Set-up Row: Ch 11, sc in 2nd stitch from hook and in each stitch across, ch 1, turn — 10 sc.

Row 1: Sc in first sc and in each sc across, ch 1, turn.

Repeat row 1 until desired length. (Sample was approx. 33 inches)

First Finishing

Seaming the Granny Square Pucker Purse Panels

Make two panels of four granny squares each

Seam the granny square motifs into 4 motif panels. Instructions are as follows:

Hold two granny squares together with NON-PUBLIC sides together. Working through both loops, slip stitch join or seam the blocks together.

The suggested placement diagram for the blocks is listed at the top of this pattern after the color sequence.

❣️By seaming it up in this manner it WILL put your seams on the PUBLIC side of your purse. This is exactly what you want. This purse is meant to have a LOT of texture with the LDC and the seaming on the outside of the bag.

After the 4 motifs have been seamed together you now have a panel.

Make the second panel the same as the first.

Edging of Panels

Adding an edging to each panel will make for a better finish for the overall free granny square bag. Work the following instructions for each panel individually:

With main color yarn, join with a slip stitch into any corner of the panel, ch 1, * 3 sc in corner, sc evenly to next corner; repeat from * 3 time more, join with a slip stitch to first sc. Fasten off.

Second Finishing

Seam Panels to the Single Crochet Side Strip

When the panels are complete take the long strip you made for the sides and bottom and place the NON-PUBLIC side of both panel and the strip together.

Working with one panel at a time, match up the long edge of the strip to the side of the panel. Line up the strip with the center double crochet of the top corner and with the main color yarn. Join the long edge of the strip to the side edge of the panel with a slip stitch join (same as used to join the squares to form the panel).

Joining Tips…

As you join the single crochet side strip in place, don’t pull or over-stretch the fabric or it’ll bunch and pucker up. You want a nice, even join down the side of the panel, around the bottom of the panel, and up the opposite side ending at the center double crochet of the opposite top corner of the panel. Meaning, you are joining the strip to 3 sides of the panel leaving the top open.

After joining one panel to the strip, take the other panel and line it up to the strip making sure that the sides of the granny squares are all lined up across it (you don’t want one square higher than another). Pin the pieces together at this point to make sure everything is where you want it to be before seaming.

Now that you have everything in place, let’s join the panels and complete the crochet portion of the bag. Begin by locating the center double crochet of the top corner on the second panel. From here, we’ll repeat the slip stitch joining to connect the second panel to the opposite long edge of the single crochet strip. This visible seam joining technique will create a beautiful crochet granny square bag, with an approximate base and side measurement of 2.5 inches.

Handle Suggestions

The crochet portion of the bag is finished, however you need a way to carry the bag. This is not a crochet clutch. You have a couple of options for the handle. You can hand stitch a handle directly to the bag as it is, or you can extend the single crochet side strip to make a longer cross-body purse strap. The choice is entirely up to you and your personal style.

Add A Lining?

As Marly created this crochet granny purse, she decided to add a fabric lining to give the bag a more polished look and add structure to help it stand. Now, Marly isn’t a seamstress by trade, but she gave it her best shot and documented the process with some helpful pictures. Perhaps you’d like to do the same and enhance your bag with a lining and insert?

Below, you’ll find detailed instructions to guide you through the process. Let’s take your crochet granny square purse to the next level!

Follow the instructions below:

How to add a Lining and Plastic Canvas and Handles to a Granny Square Crochet Bag

This is really the EXTRA finishing.

The Granny Square Pucker Purse wouldn’t be the GRANNY SQUARE PUCKER PURSE without the eye-catching lining! Take the time to do this little extra touch and your Granny Square Pucker Purse will be unforgettable!

I wanted to make the bag sturdy enough to stand up on its own. Because a crochet bag all by itself can’t do this I added Plastic Canvas (see note about interfacing). It’s sealed on the inside of the bag between the lining and the granny squares.

Lining Your Bag

The lining is just some fabric I got at my local fabric store. I thought it was really cool and made the inside of the bag pop. Even though it’s black the inside of the bag is not too dark because of the bright flowers on the fabric.

Lining…what I did…

• For the lining, I just cut a piece of fabric 25″ long by 12.5 inches wide.
• Pin the pieces together and stuff it inside your purse to see if it is a good fit. Adjust it if needed but it is okay to sew up the side seams. (I am trying to make this as easy as possible for those crocheters who don’t sew).
• Again, put the lining inside the bag, fold the top edge of the fabric down just below the top inside edge of the bag, and use straight pins to hold the fabric in place (do not pin to the bag at this time).
• Once everything is pinned in place, pull the lining out of the bag and sew the fold you just created. At this point, you can also add an interior pocket to the lining.

❣️ Little Tip I had made one extra granny square and added it to the lining to use as a pocket. You could also use some contrasting fabric to make the pocket visually appealing. Just a thought.

• At this point, you need to decide what kind of handles you want. Decide if you need to stitch them to the lining or the purse itself before stitching the lining in place. Or maybe you want the handles attached on the outside of the lining after it is stitched to the purse. LOTS of decisions 🙂 Have fun with it!
• Mine are a pair of plastic handles I purchased at my local fabric store. I sewed them to the bag lining before stitching the lining to the panels and the side of the purse.
• Put the plastic canvas in the purse (don’t forget to add it to the bottom and the sides). Then place the lining inside the bag and use a needle and thread to backstitch the lining to the purse.

Note: Don’t worry about doing anything more to the plastic canvas. It’ll stay in place with the lining and the purse.

Voila, you have completed the Granny Square Pucker Purse!

Check out other patterns by Marly Bird