Flora Drawstring

Crochet Pattern
Pouch

Flora Drawstring Pouch

By Brenda K. B. Anderson

© Creative Crochet Corner

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 Flora Drawstring Pouch

This sweet project is the perfect springboard into

learning Tunisian crochet! This design is super-simple,
so that you can complete this pretty bag by learning
only the very basics of this beautiful craft. If you’ve
ever been curious about learning Tunisian crochet,
here is a great chance to try it out; you can even use
just a regular hook - no special tools needed!

Finished Measurements
Finished bag measures approximately 6.25” [16cm]
wide x 3” [7.5cm] deep x 8” [20.5cm] tall (including
drawstring casing. Each Drawstring measures about
24” [61cm] long before knotting ends together. Abbreviations

CC = contrast color
Materials Ch(s) = chain(s)
• Approximately 280 yds [256m] DK weight yarn Flp = front loop
(CYCA#3) for the main color. This project was Lts = last Tunisian stitch (see notes)
designed with a cotton yarn, but other plant- MC = main color
based fibers would make a good substitute RetP = return pass (see notes)
such as linen, hemp, or bamboo. Wool or acrylic Rnd(s) = round(s)
would also work, but keep in mind that these SC = single crochet
fibers would likely make a fabric with more Sl st(s) = slip stitch(es)
stretch. St(s) = stitch(es)
• About 20 yards [18m] DK weight yarn in each Tss = Tunisian simple stitch (see
of the following colors for the cross stitch notes)
embroidery: white or cream, light purple, and WS = Wrong Side
dark teal or green. Note: The DK yarn that was YO = yarn over
used for the cross stitching was held doubled.
Alternatively, a chunky weight yarn could be
used (not doubled). This is a good opportunity
to use scraps from your stash!
• US I/9 [5.5mm] crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge. This hook will be used for the
Tunisian section of the bag. It could be a Tunisian hook (either straight or with a cord) OR it
can be a regular crochet hook that has a slim, unembellished handle, without any ergonomic
modification to it. (Your hook needs to be thin enough for the loops to fill up the shaft of the
hook). If you are using a regular hook, wrap a thick rubber band or elastic hair tie around the
end of your hook in order to keep your loops from sliding off the back end of the hook.
• US H/8 [5.0mm] hook (or one size smaller than the hook used for the Tunisian sections of this
project). This hook is used only for the drawstrings and their casings
• 4 removeable stitch markers
• Yarn Needle
• Large Safety Pin

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 Flora Drawstring Pouch

Yarn Used for Pouch Shown

K + C Essential Lightweight Cotton (DK weight, 100% cotton; 180 yards [165m]/ 3.5 oz [100 grams]:
Golden Coast #19172436 (MC) 2 skeins; less than 20 yards of each of the following colors were
used for the cross stitch embroidery: Rain Forest #19172352 (CC1), Cream #18559799 (CC2), and
Lavender Field #19172428 (CC3).

Gauge
16.5 sts and 13.5 sts = 4” in Tss worked with I/9 [5.5mm] hook.

Notes
Three simple rectangles, made in the most basic Tunisian stitch, can all be made with a regular
crochet hook; no special hooks necessary! Cross stitch embroidery adds a pretty embellishment to
two of these pieces, then they are slip stitched together to form the bag. This project is finished with
a bit of regular crochet to create the drawstrings and their casing.

The drawstring casing is made in continuous rounds, without joining. Use a locking stitch marker to
note the beginning of the round. Turning chains do not count as a stitch in the drawstrings.

Be sure to watch the video tutorial on the Creative Crochet Corner for tips

Special Stitches and Techniques

Last Tunisian Stitch (Lts): This is the standard last stitch of a forward pass and is worked as
follows: insert hook through the center of the “v” at the end of the fabric, making sure that the
shorter vertical bar that resides just behind the “v” (on the back of the fabric) is to the left of your
hook (or to the right if you are left-handed). There should be two vertical strands to the left of the
hook (or to the right if left-handed). Yo and pull up a loop. This counts as the last stitch of the
forward pass.

Tunisian Simple Stitch (Tss): This is the most basic stitch pattern in Tunisian crochet. For more
information, Toni Lipsey has an excellent video on this stitch here on the Creative Crochet Corner.
Forward pass: Beginning with the second vertical bar, insert hook from right to left, yo and pull up a
loop, leave loop on hook and continue across pulling up a loop from each front vertical bar, end the
row by working the Lts (Last Tunisian stitch - see above).

Standard return pass (RetP): Yo, pull through one loop (counts as first st), *yo, pull through next 2
loops on hook, repeat from * until only 1 loop remains on hook (counts as last stitch or return pass).

Slip Stitch Bind Off: You must bind off your stitches in order to complete your Tunisian crochet
piece. This bind off is worked as follows: pull up a loop from the second front vertical bar, yo and pull
through both both loops on hook, *pull up loop from the next front vertical bar, yo and pull through
both loops on hook, repeat from * across until the last stitch remains, Lts (see above), and pull
through both loops on hook, fasten off.

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 Flora Drawstring Pouch

Instructions
Front/Back (make 2):
With MC, ch 26.

Row 1:
Forward Pass: Beginning with the second ch from hook and working into the bottom of the chain,
pull up a loop from each ch. 26 loops on hook.
Return Pass: Yo, pull through one loop (counts as first st), *yo, pull through next 2 loops on hook,
repeat from * until only 1 loop remains on hook (counts as last stitch). This is the standard return
pass (RetP). 26 sts.

Rows 2-24: Work in Tss (see notes) for 23 more rows (remember that each row contains a forward
pass and a return pass).

Work a Slip Stitch Bind off (see notes).

Block if desired.

Sides/Bottom/Thickness (make 1):

With MC, ch 12.

Row 1:
Forward Pass: Beginning with the second ch from hook and working into the bottom of the chain,
pull up a loop from each ch. 12 loops on hook.
Return Pass: Yo, pull through one loop (counts as first st), *yo, pull through next 2 loops on hook,
repeat from * until only 1 loop remains on
hook (counts as last stitch). This is the
standard return pass (RetP). 12 sts.

Rows 2-68: Work in Tss (see notes) for

67 more rows (remember that each row
contains a forward pass and a return pass).
Place a removeable stitch marker in the first
and last stitches of the 24th row and also in
the first and last stitches of the 45th Row. (4
stitch markers placed).

Work a Slip Stitch Bind off (see notes).

Block if desired.

Cross stitch embroidery

Weave in ends, block. Follow the chart to
create the cross stitch embroidery on each
of the Front and Back panels. The colored

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 Flora Drawstring Pouch

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

10 10

11 11

12 12

13 13

14 14

15 15

16 16

17 17

18 18

19 19

20 20

21 21

22 22

23 23

24 24

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Background Color (no stitch)

CC2

CC1

CC3

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 Flora Drawstring Pouch

squares in the chart represent an “x” and the

lines represent a backstitch. Using the DK yarn
held doubled, take your time to make sure that
the strands do not twist around each other as
the stitches are being made. A chunky weight
yarn can be used instead, single stranded. If you
are having trouble knowing where to place the
“x”s within the fabric, hold the fabric in front of
a bright window or light to see the holes in the
fabric between stitches.

Tip: when cross stitching, be sure to make each

“x” cross in the same way. You need to decide
whether the left leaning line OR the right leaning
line will be the line on the top layer of the “x”.
This uniformity really helps to create a tidy
piece.

Seaming
Match the marked rows of one edge of the
Sides/Bottom piece to each of the two bottom
corners of the Back piece with WS together.
Use the stitch markers to “pin” these corners in
place. With the Back piece in facing you (and
sides/Bottom piece held behind), slip stitch the
edges together along the sides and bottom.
There is a 1:1 ratio between rows along the
side seams (there are 24 rows). However, it is
important to note that there are only 20 rows
from the Sides/Bottom piece that correspond
to the 26 stitches across the foundation edge
of the Back piece. This is because Tunisian
simple stitches are taller than they are wide.
This means that as you work the slip stitches
across the bottom seam you will end up working
through some of the rows along the Sides/
Bottom piece twice in order to work into each of the stitches across the bottom edge of the Back
piece once.

After seaming the Back to the Sides/Bottom, pin the Front piece to the other edge of the Sides/
Bottom piece, matching the stitch markers to the bottom corners of the Front. Seam pieces together
using a slip stitch as for the Back.

Drawstring casing

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 Flora Drawstring Pouch

Rnd 1: Using a hook that is one size smaller than the Tunisian hook, and working into the front loops
of the bound off edge at the top opening of the bag, pull up loop of MC near any seam, ch 1 (does
not count as a st), SC Flp into each stitch around the bound-off edge. 76 sts around.
Rnd 2: SC Flp into each stitch around.
Rnd 3: In this round, the holes for the drawstrings are created at each side of bag. *SC Flp into each
stitch until working loop is near the side of bag, ch 2, skip each of the 2 stitches at the side of bag
(these skipped stitches should be centered above the 6th and 7th stitches in the Sides/Bottom
piece), repeat from * once more to make a hole in the opposite side of casing, SC Flp to end or rnd.
Rnd 4: [SC Flp into each st around to ch-2 space. SC into each of the next 2 chs] twice, SC in each st
to end of rnd.
Rnds 5-7: SC Flp into each st around.
Do not fasten off.

Seaming the Casing

With WS together, fold the casing downward
toward the inside of the bag, matching the last
rnd worked with the un-used back loops of
the bound off edge (from the top edge of the
Tunisian portion of the bag). Insert hook through
the back loop of the next st (from the last rnd
worked) and then the back (unused) loop from
the bound off edge, yo and pull up loop, continue
pulling loop through loop on hook to complete
the first sl st. Continue making sl sts around,
working through the back loops of each edge,
to seam the casing edge to the bound off edge.
Fasten off after all sts have been worked.

Drawstrings (make 2)
Using the smaller hook and MC, ch 85.
Row 1: Using smaller hook and working into the bottom of the ch, SC into each ch. 84 sts.
Rows 2-4: Ch 1 (does not count as a st), turn, SC into each st across.
Fasten off.
Use yarn needle and yarn tail to close tip of drawstring. Weave the yarn tail through the stitches at
the edge of the drawstring and pull tight to close the end of the drawstring. Use yarn tail and yarn
needle to sew foundation row to last row worked. This creates a narrow tubular shape. Use a strand
of MC and yarn needle to repeat this process for the opposite end of the drawstring.

Finishing
Weave in ends, block if desired. Fasten a large safety pin to one end of a drawstring. Feed
drawstring through one of the holes in the casing, and all the way around inside the casing and back
out the same hole. Repeat for other drawstring, making sure to enter and exit through the opposite
hole. Tie the 2 drawstring ends from each side of the bag together in an overhand knot. There should
be about 1” [2.5cm] of drawstring past each knot.

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 Flora Drawstring Pouch

My Notes

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