Crochet Festive Christmas Gift Bag For Everyone

Hi, it is Amy! Every Christmas I run out of cute ways to wrap the little things — gift cards, candies, tiny trinkets — and this striped crochet gift bag solved that for me. It starts with a flat circle, grows into a sweet striped pouch, and closes with a drawstring tipped with two tiny flowers.

The construction is wonderfully straightforward. The base widens from 12 to 48 stitches in four rounds, then the sides rise straight up at 48 stitches while you alternate your festive stripes. An eyelet round near the top is where your cord goes through, so the bag gathers closed in the prettiest way.

Make it in classic red and white, or try forest green or candy-cane shades. You can add or remove stripe rounds between Rounds 6 and 16 to make your pouch taller or shorter — just keep that 48-stitch count and you cannot go wrong.

Materials

• 4-ply acrylic yarn or milk cotton yarn in two contrasting festive colours, such as red/burgundy and white
• 3.5 mm crochet hook
• Elastic hair tie
• Yarn needle
• Scissors

Abbreviations

• CH: chain
• SC: single crochet
• DC: double crochet
• DC INC: double crochet increase, 2 DC in the same stitch
• SL ST: slip stitch
• ST(S): stitch(es)
• BLO: back loop only

Gauge & Size

• Base: 48 stitches around after Round 4
• Body height: adjustable — add or remove rounds between Rounds 6 and 16
• Best for: holiday treats, small trinkets, or gift cards

Gift Bag Base Pattern

Round 1: Begin with a magic ring using the main colour. CH 2, work 12 DC into the magic ring, and join with a SL ST.

Round 2: Switch to white yarn. CH 2, work a DC INC in every stitch around, then join with a SL ST. [24 sts]

Round 3: CH 2, work (DC, DC INC) repeating around, then join with a SL ST. [36 sts]

Round 4: CH 2, work (2 DC, DC INC) repeating around, then join with a SL ST. [48 sts]

Lay the piece flat before starting the side rounds. The circle should sit reasonably flat, and the important count at this point is 48 stitches.

Gift Bag Body Pattern

Round 5: CH 1, work SC in each stitch around in BLO, then join with a SL ST. [48 sts]

Rounds 6 to 16: CH 2, work DC in each stitch around, then join with a SL ST. [48 sts]

Alternate your colour stripes every couple of rounds to create the festive striped pattern. There are no increases in these rounds, so the 48-stitch count stays the same while the bag gains height.

Round 17: CH 1, work (2 SC, 2 CH, skip 1, 2 SC) repeating around to form the eyelet holes for the drawstring cord.

Check the eyelets before moving on — the chain spaces should appear as a series of open holes around the top edge.

Round 18: CH 2, work (2 DC, 2 DC in chain space) repeating around, then join with a SL ST. [64 sts]

Round 19: CH 2, work SL ST in each stitch all the way around, fasten off, and weave in all loose ends.

Drawstring and Flowers

Drawstring cord: Using white yarn, chain 100 CH to make the drawstring cord. Fasten off, then thread the cord through the eyelet holes created in Round 17.

Make 2 flowers, one for each end of the drawstring.

Flower Round 1: Make a magic ring, work 6 SC, and join with a SL ST.

Flower Round 2: CH 1, work 6 INC (6 SC INC), and join with a SL ST.

Flower Round 3: Work (2 CH, skip 1, SL ST) repeated 6 times.

Flower Round 4: Work (SL ST, 2 CH, 2 DC, 2 CH, SL ST) into each chain space around to form the flower petals. Fasten off.

Finishing & Assembly

Sew one finished flower to each end of the drawstring cord, keeping the cord tip tucked inside the flower rather than exposed.

Pull the drawstring to gather the top of the bag closed, fill with treats or a gift card, and your pouch is ready to give.

Tips

Check your base is flat and at 48 stitches before Round 5 — every body round depends on that count.

Alternate stripes every couple of rounds for the classic festive look.

Make sure the Round 17 eyelets stay open and are not accidentally worked closed, so the cord threads through easily.