Sandsend Bag in Rowan Summerlite DK - Downloadable PDF

Sandsend Bag by Lisa Richardson in Rowan Summerlite DK – Crochet Pattern Summary

About This Pattern

The Sandsend Bag is an original crochet design by Lisa Richardson, published by Rowan as a downloadable PDF pattern (reference ZB372-00005-EN). It produces a stylish, structured everyday bag with a distinctive woven check decoration worked in three coordinating colours. The finished bag measures 32 cm (12½ in) wide and 39 cm (15¼ in) deep, making it a generous, practical tote suitable for everyday use. The pattern is rated Advanced Beginner, meaning it is accessible to those who have mastered basic crochet stitches but are ready to develop their skills with simple shaping and decorative techniques.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a single design: a crocheted tote bag complete with two tubular handles and an all-over woven check surface decoration. The body of the bag is worked in the round from a foundation chain, while the handles are crocheted separately as long tubes and then attached to the top edges. The decorative check pattern is added after the main structure is complete, giving the finished piece a woven textile appearance that elevates it beyond a simple solid-colour bag.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: Rowan Summerlite DK (50 g balls), a lightweight DK-weight yarn well suited to structured accessories and warm-weather projects.
• Colour A – Lemon 484: 5 balls (used for the main bag body and handles)
• Colour B – Blue Haze 485: 2 balls (used in the woven decoration)
• Colour C – Fresh Green 486: 2 balls (used in the woven decoration)
• Crochet Hook: 3.50 mm (no. 9 / US E4) crochet hook throughout

Tension

Achieving the correct tension is important for this project, particularly because the decorative weaving slightly adjusts the fabric density. Before decoration: 23 stitches and 11 rows to 10 cm over pattern using a 3.50 mm hook. After decoration: 22 stitches and 10 rows to 10 cm over pattern using a 3.50 mm hook. Checking tension before and after the decorative stage ensures the bag holds its intended dimensions.

Stitches Used

• Chain (ch) – used for the foundation, throughout the pattern structure, and extensively in the decorative weaving lines
• Double crochet (dc) – used in the construction of the bag body
• Treble (tr) – used in the handle construction, worked in combination with chain spaces to create an open, tube-forming fabric
• Slip stitch (ss) – used to join rounds and to anchor the decorative chain lines during weaving
• Chain spaces (ch sps) – integral to the handle pattern, creating the mesh structure that forms the tubular handles when folded flat

Techniques Used

• Working in the round – the bag body is begun with a foundation chain of 71 stitches and worked continuously in the round, building the main fabric from the base upward
• Joining with a slip stitch to form a ring – used when starting the handles, where a chain of 22 stitches is joined into a ring and then worked in rounds to create a long mesh tube
• Repeating rounds for length – the handle pattern round is repeated 75 times to achieve the required length, a straightforward but satisfying process ideal for building rhythm and confidence
• Folding and seaming – the completed handle tubes are folded flat and their ends are attached to the top sides of the bag, a simple finishing technique that gives the handles their neat, structured appearance
• Surface crochet and woven chain decoration – after the bag is assembled, a decorative check pattern is added using chains woven vertically and horizontally through the existing fabric. Vertical lines are worked by attaching yarn at the base and working a sequence of