💖 The "Coastal Cord" Drawstring Bag Pattern: Textured Elegance

Welcome to the ultimate guide for creating the beautiful “Coastal Cord” Drawstring Bag! Inspired by the sophisticated texture and structured shape from SANG DEWI CRAFT, this bag uses a unique combination of Half Double Crochet (HDC) mesh and subtle slip stitch texture to create a woven, basket-like fabric. It is designed to be sturdy, seamless, and finished with an elegant drawstring closure.

This pattern is designed for intermediate crocheters or confident beginners ready to tackle working in turned rounds and managing stitch counts for a defined structure. The finished bag is generously sized, measuring approximately 27 cm wide by 20 cm high.

🧶 Materials & Key Tools

The structure of this bag relies heavily on using durable, non-stretchy cord yarn to maintain its shape.

Icon	Item	Details
Hook	Crochet Hook	4.0 mm (or size needed to achieve very firm tension).
Yarn	Main Color (MC)	Approximately 150g of sturdy cord yarn (Nylon or Polyester cord) for the base and body.
Yarn	Contrast Color (CC)	Approximately 50g of the same yarn type for the top casing/drawstring area.
Hardware	Shoulder Strap	A separate crocheted cord, leather strap, or chain (approx. 120 cm long) for the shoulder strap.
Hardware	Drawstring Cord	A finished cord or thin crocheted I-cord (approx. 80 cm long) for the closure.
Notions	Markers & Needle	Stitch Markers (especially for the base), Scissors, and a Yarn Needle.
Size	Finished Bag	Approx. 27 cm (Length) x 20 cm (Height) x 7 cm (Depth).
Weight	Finished Weight	Approx. 200 grams.

📝 Abbreviations & Special Stitches (U.S. Terms)

Familiarize yourself with these standard U.S. crochet terms. Note that all body rounds are turned to eliminate a noticeable seam line.

Abbreviation	U.S. Terminology	Description
ch	Chain
sl st	Slip Stitch
sc	Single Crochet
hdc	Half Double Crochet
st(s)	Stitch(es)
rep	Repeat
MC	Main Color
CC	Contrast Color

📐 Part 1: The Rigid Foundation Base

We start with a flat, rigid base worked in rows of Single Crochet, then edged in the round to set up the body’s stitch count.

Initial Chain (MC):

Make a slip knot and ch 45. Chain 1 more for turning.

Rows 1 – 16 (Base Core):

Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, and sc in each ch across. (45 sc).
Ch 1 (does not count as st), turn. Sc in the first st and in each st across. (45 sc).
Repeat Row 2 until you have completed a total of 16 rows.

Edging (SC in the Round):

After Row 16, do not turn. We work SC around the entire perimeter. The final stitch count must be an even number (a multiple of 2) for the body pattern.

Corners: Work 2 sc into the corner stitches (total 4 corners).
Long Sides (Row Ends): Sc evenly down the side edge, placing 1 sc per row end. (16 sc total per side).
Top/Bottom Edges: Sc across the 45 SC of the top and bottom rows.
Count & Join: Count your total stitches (approximately 110-114 sts). Ensure your final count is even. Sl st to the first sc to join.

🌟 Part 2: The Basket-Weave Body Motif (MC)

This motif is created by repeating a two-round sequence: a mesh round for gaps and a textured round for stability.

Round 1 (HDC Mesh Round):

Ch 1 (does not count as st), turn the work. Hdc in the same st.
*Ch 1, sk 1 st, hdc in the next st*.
Repeat from * to * around the entire round.
Sl st to the first hdc to join.

Round 2 (Textured Slip Stitch Round):

Ch 1 (does not count as st), turn. Hdc in the same st (the first hdc from R1).
Sl st into the next ch-1 space.
*Hdc into the next hdc from R1. Sl st into the next ch-1 space***.
Repeat from * to * around.
Sl st to the first hdc to join.

Body Motif Repetition (MC):

Repeat Round 1 and Round 2 sequence a total of 12 times (24 rounds total) for the suggested height, or until the bag is 2-3 cm from the desired final height.

🔗 Part 3: The Drawstring Casing & Top Border

We now switch colors to create a contrasting, sturdy casing for the drawstring and a final smooth border.

Drawstring Casing (CC):

Join CC (Contrast Color) at the start of the next round.

Casing Rounds 1 – 8 (HDC Mesh – CC):

Ch 1 (does not count as st), turn. Hdc in the same st.
*Ch 1, sk 1 st, hdc in the next st*.
Repeat from * to * around the entire round.
Sl st to the first hdc to join.
Repeat this single HDC Mesh Round for a total of 8 rounds. This creates a deep, secure casing for the drawstring.

Top Border (CC):

Ch 1 (does not count as st), turn. Sc in the same st.
Sc into the next ch-1 space. Sc into the next hdc.
*Sc into the next ch-1 space. Sc into the next hdc***.
Repeat from * to * around, working one sc into every stitch and chain space.
Sl st to the first sc to join.
Repeat this SC Border Round for a total of 2 rounds.

Fasten off and weave in all ends securely.

🎀 Part 4: Accessories (Straps & Drawstring)

The bag is completed with a shoulder strap and a functional drawstring closure.

Drawstring Insertion:

Take the separate 80 cm cord.
Using a yarn needle, weave the cord through the large gaps created in the second round of the Drawstring Casing (Round 2 of the CC section).
Weave it in and out, ensuring it comes out at the same side of the bag (either front or back) so that you can pull the drawstring closed easily.
Secure the ends of the cord with a knot.

Shoulder Strap Attachment:

Lay the bag flat and locate the approximate center of the top SC border on both the front and back panels.
Mark a 4-stitch wide area at these center points.
Using the ends of your finished 120 cm shoulder strap, securely sew or tie the strap ends to the inner side of the top border, ensuring they are firmly fastened to the dense SC stitches. The strap is positioned to create a loop, similar to a traditional shoulder bag.

Video Tutorial:

✅ Final Touches & Dimensions

Weave in Ends: Use your yarn needle to securely weave in all remaining yarn tails.
Block (Optional): Give the bag a light steam or spray block to further set the shape and flatten the base.
Lining & Zipper (Highly Recommended): For a professional finish and to prevent small items from slipping through the woven texture, it is highly recommended to sew a custom fabric lining and a zipper into the bag.

Your final “Coastal Cord” Drawstring Bag should be a structured, beautiful, and functional piece, measuring: