This Crochet Trick or Treat Bag will have little ones so excited to go out on Halloween! They’re super fun and fast to whip up in the double stranded yarn, plus extra sturdy too!
My girls are so excited for Halloween! I had the last minute idea to make them each a quick crochet trick or treat bag so they each can have one for Halloween night! To make this jack o lantern trick or treat bag, I held two strands of yarn together. This made it extra sturdy and should help it keep it’s shape (i.e. no stretching with the weight of all of the candy or from the running from house to house)!
I made two sizes of this bag, a smaller one for my 2 year old and a larger one for my 4 year old. You can really make this bag as large as you want it to be just by starting with a longer chain.
Continue reading below for all of the details on the sizes of the bags and how to make your own custom size!
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The Jack O’ Lantern Crochet Trick or Treat Bag crochet pattern is available for FREE on this website. If you’d like an ad-free, printable PDF version, you may purchase it for a small fee from my Etsy or Ravelry shops. Thank you so much for supporting Loops & Love Crochet!
The Jack O’Lantern Treat Bag pattern Tote is featured in the Halloween Delights Blog Hop hosted by Itchin’ For Some Stitchin’! Every day from Oct. 1-28, a new pattern is featured in the blog hop for a free PDF download! On Oct. 11, you can download the Jack O’Lantern Treat Bag pattern for FREE! First, head to the blog hop post to grab the coupon code, than come back here and click the “Download Here” button further down in this post! This will take you to Ravelry where you can enter the coupon code and checkout for free!
Once you have the coupon code, scroll down further in this pattern for the “Download the Free PDF Here” button!
If you’d like all 28 of the blog hop patterns, but missed a few along the way or blog hopping isn’t your thing, check out the Halloween Delights Bundle! It features all of the blog hop patterns for 85% off the regular price!
Materials:
- Worsted Weight #4 yarn – You can use any worsted-weight yarn for this project, cotton or acrylic. The bags pictured were made using Red Heart Soft yarn in Black and Tangerine. The yarn was used doubled for this bag, which means that two strands of yarn were held together. This makes the bag extra sturdy and helps it hold its shape well. You’ll need approx. 180 yds of yarn for the smaller bag and approx. 430 for the larger bag.
- Crochet Hook – 5 mm crochet hook for the smaller bag, or 5.5 mm crochet hook for the larger bag.
- Yarn needle – for sewing on the facial features and weaving in ends.
Stitches Used:
- Ch – chain
- Sl St – slip stitch
- SC – single crochet
- Crab Stitch – also known as reverse single crochet. To make this stitch, just work your single crochet stitches in the opposite direction than you normally would. There are many tutorials and videos for this stitch on YouTube.
Important Notes:
- Joined Rounds – at the end of each round, join the last stitch of the round to the first one with a slip stitch. Be sure to pull your slip stitch and chain 1 a little tighter to help prevent the seam from traveling much. Start the first stitch of the next round in the same stitch as the join and chain 1.
- Two strands together – The yarn was used doubled (two strands held together) for this project. This is easier if you have 2 skeins of yarn to pull from. As an alternative, you can wind your yarn into two separate balls to pull from. Note that only one strand of yarn was used for working up the Jack O’Lantern face details.
- Changing the Bag Size – The two bags in this pattern should be perfect for young trick or treaters, but if you want to make this bag for an older child, you may want to make it larger. To alter this pattern to make a larger bag, you can start with a longer starting chain. Just chain until you are at your desired bag width, and then follow the instructions from there. There are not any multiples to worry about in the starting chain. Keep in mind that the bag width will be a little larger than the length of the starting chain. This is because rounds 1 and 2 will increase the base of the bag a little before you start working on the height. Note: when you make the bag larger, this will affect the placement of the handles. Basically, I just centered the handles equally from the sides of the bag when laying flat. Watch this YouTube Video on placing bag handles to help you, if needed.
Finished Size:
- Smaller Bag – This bag measures approximately 7” wide by 8” tall. A 5mm hook was used for this bag, but a 5.5mm hook would make it a little bit bigger. This little bag is perfect for a toddler trick or treater to carry comfortably. Keep in mind that it’s a smaller bag and is not going to be big enough if you are hitting ALL of the houses in the neighborhood (unless you’re like me and carry a back up bag to unload the smaller one into to keep it nice and light).
- Larger Bag – This bag measures approximately 9”wide by 10” tall. A 5.5mm hook was used for this bag, but going up to a 6mm hook would made it a little bit larger. This one is the perfect size for a 2-5 year old trick or treater. If the bag is for an older child, you may want to make it larger. See the important notes above for modifying the pattern to make a larger bag.
Make your own Crochet Trick or Treat Bag
Smaller Bag Instructions (using a 5mm crochet hook, or your preferred size).
*Remember to work with your yarn double stranded.
Bag Base:
Round 1: Chain 21. SC in 2nd chain from hook and in each chain across, work 4 SC in last stitch. Now continue around so you are working on the other side of the chain. SC the next stitch and in each stitch across, make 3 SC in last stitch (this will be the other side of the same stitch with the first SC of the round). Join with a sl st to first SC, ch 1. (44)
Round 2: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 18 stitches. 2 SC in each of the next 4 stitches (these are the ones at the end of the chain), SC next 18 stitches, 2 SC in each of the last 3 stitches. Join, ch 1. (52)
Bag Body (Height):
Round 3: Work this round in the back loops only. SC in each stitch around. Join, chain 1. (52)
Rounds 4-31: SC in each stitch around. Join, chain 1. (52)
Top of Bag and Bag Handles
In these next two rounds, you will be working the handles/straps for the bag. If you would like a longer or shorter handle/strap, you can add or remove chain stitches as needed to achieve your desired strap length. If you would like a wider strap, repeat round 33 until you have your desired strap thickness.
Round 32: SC in first 8 stitches, chain 35, skip next 11 stitches, SC in next 16 stitches, chain 35, skip next 11 stitches, SC in last 6. Join, chain 1. (The chains will make the handles of the bag.)
*If this handle placement is not lining up in the center of your bag or your handles are not lining up with each other, please see the “How to Crochet Quick and Easy Tote Bag Handles” Video Tutorial for instructions on lining up your handles.
Round 33: SC in each stitch around and in each of the chain stitches. Join, fasten off. Weave in ends.
To make the orange edging, you will be working crab stitches around the top of the bag.
Continue to Crab Stitch Edging Instructions below.
Larger Bag Instructions (using a 5.5mm crochet hook, or your preferred size).
Bag Base:
Round 1: Chain 26. SC in 2nd chain from hook and in each chain across, work 4 SC in last stitch. Now continue around so you are working on the other side of the chain. SC the next stitch and in each stitch across, make 3 SC in last stitch (this will be the other side of the same stitch with the first SC of the round). Join with a sl st to first SC, ch 1. (54)
Round 2: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 23 stitches. 2 SC in each of the next 4 stitches (these are the ones at the end of the chain), SC next 23 stitches, 2 SC in each of the last 3 stitches. Join, ch 1. (62)
Bag Body (Height):
Round 3: Work this round in the back loops only. SC in each stitch around. Join, chain 1. (62)
Rounds 4-35: SC in each stitch around. Join, chain 1. (62)
Top of Bag and Bag Handles
In these next three rounds, you will be working the handles/straps for the bag. If you would like a longer or shorter handle/strap, you can add or remove chain stitches as needed to achieve your desired strap length. If you would like a wider strap, repeat round 38 until you have your desired strap thickness.
Round 36: SC in first 11 stitches, chain 35, skip next 14 stitches, SC in next 17 stitches, chain 35, skip next 14 stitches, SC in last 6. Join, chain 1.
*If this handle placement is not lining up in the center of your bag or your handles are not lining up with each other, please see the “How to Crochet Quick and Easy Tote Bag Handles” Video Tutorial for instructions on lining up your handles evenly.
Round 37: SC in each stitch around and in each of the chain stitches. Join, chain 1.
Round 38: SC in each stitch around. Join, fasten off. Weave in ends.
To make the black edging, you will be working crab stitches around the top of the bag. Continue to Crab Stitch Edging Instructions below.
Crab Stitch Edging Instructions
*Crab stitches are just single crochet stitches worked in the opposite direction.
To make the edging, you will be working crab stitches (reverse single crochet stitches) around the top of the bag in three different places: around the inside of each of the two handles and then around the rest of the bag.
With the outside of the bag facing you, join yarn with a slip stitch in one of the stitches around the top of the bag under one of the handles. Chain 1 and Crab stitch around each stitch under the handle, including on the bottom side of the handle too. When you are all the way around, slip stitch to first stitch and fasten off. Next, repeat this step working under the other handle. Lastly, join yarn with a slip stitch in one of the stitches along the top of the bag. Crab stitch around the top of the bag, including over the top of each of the handles. Slip stitch to first stitch and fasten off. Weave in all ends. Continue to the Jack O’ Lantern Face Instructions below.
Eyes (make 2)
Row 1: Chain 9, SC in 2nd chain from hook and in each across. Chain 1, turn. (8)
Row 2: SC DEC, SC in next 4, SC DEC. Chain 1, turn. (6)
Row 3: SC in each stitch across. Chain1, turn. (6)
Row 4: SC DEC, SC in next 2, SC DEC. Chain 1, turn. (4)
Row 5: SC DEC, SC DEC. Chain 1, turn. (2)
Row 6: SC DEC (1)
Fasten off, leave a long tail to sew onto bag.
Nose
Row 1: Chain 7, SC in 2nd chain from hook and in each across. Chain 1, turn. (6)
Row 2: SC DEC, SC in next 2, SC DEC. Chain 1, turn. (4)
Row 3: SC in each stitch across. Chain1, turn. (4)
Row 4: SC DEC, SC DEC. Chain 1, turn. (2)
Row 5: SC DEC (1)
Fasten off, leave a long tail to sew onto bag.
Place the eyes and nose on the bag and line them up according to your preference. Use your yarn needle to sew each eye and the nose on to the bag. Sew around each eye and the nose by passing your yarn needle through each stitch on the eye/nose and then passing through the front layer of the bag. Be sure not to pass your yarn needle through both bag layers because you won’t be able to open your bag properly. Weave in all ends and cut tails.
Mouth
Use your yarn needle to stitch on the mouth. Start by cutting a long strand of yarn in the same color used for the eyes and nose. Using your yarn needle, make long, diagonal stitches a couple inches long from one side of the bag to the other, approximately the same width as the eyes and centered under the nose. Then work your way back and pass over your stitches again to make them thicker so the mouth stands out more. Secure ends and cut the yarn tails.
That’s it! You’re all done! You will have one happy trick or treater on Halloween! I hope you enjoyed this crochet pattern and love your cute crochet trick or treat bag!
I had to include a couple photos of my little trick or treaters this Halloween (ages 2 and 4)! They are really starting to get into each of the holidays throughout the year, which makes everything so much more fun!
These two sure loved having their own crochet trick or treat bag that their mom made just for them!
If you are looking for more free crochet patterns, check out the ones here on my blog. You’ll find various bags, amigurumi, seasonal, and items for kids!
For another Halloween themed crochet pattern, check out Hazel the Witch Amigurumi!
**You may make and sell any items made from my patterns, but please link back to my blog or Loops & Love Crochet as the designer. Please do not copy and post claiming it as your own. Please do not re-publish my photos as your own. Thank you!**
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