Medicine Bag – Free Crochet Pattern

I’m calling this a medicine bag, but, traditionally, Native American medicine bags are made of leather/tanned hide skin and are used by shaman to carry around precious items of power, used for protection. You certainly don’t have to carry around herbs and crystals in your bag. But you can!

There is a small loop on the back of the bag, perfectly sized to fit on a chain or cord of generous thickness. It’s super easy to turn into a pendant, or into a keychain (with a small carabiner perhaps).

If you’ve never worked with small thread before, be patient with yourself. The hardest part, as with most projects, is the beginning. There’s not much to hold on to. Once you get past the first few rows, though, it’s smooth sailing. Maybe you’ll need to use one a pair of reading glasses or one of those magnifying glasses attached to a lamp. No shame in your game!

Variegated thread lends itself beautifully to this pattern. I worked up two of them (the one in the title photo and this one. They both worked up really pretty.

Medicine Bag – Free Crochet Pattern

Help support the blog by sharing this pattern with your friends!
Add this pattern to your ravelry queue here: Medicine Bag – Free Crochet Pattern

Supplies:

1.5mm Hook
1.75 Hook (for drawstring)
Size 10 crochet thread

Clover Soft Touch Steel Crochet Hooks

Aunt Lydia’s® Classic Crochet Thread Size 10 Purple

Gauge and Sizing:

2” = 24 st and 26 rows in single crochet
Finished bag measures approximately 1-1/2” wide by 2-1/2” tall

Notes:

Stitch markers are your friend!
Also, don’t wait until the end to weave in your tail from the beginning, it’s kind of hard to turn the bag inside out once it’s finished.

Abbreviations:
BL – Back Loop
Ch – Chain
FL – Front Loop
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Rep – Repeat
Sc – Single Crochet
Sc2tog – Single Crochet Two Together
Sk – Skip
Sl St – Slip Stitch
St – Stitch

Let’s Begin!

W/ 1.5mm hook:

1. Ch 13
Sc in back bump of 2nd ch from hook and next 10 chains
3 sc in last ch
Rotate, working in free loops of other side of ch,
Sc in next 10 st
2 sc in last st
Join to first sc w/ sl st (26 sc)

2. Ch 1
2 sc in same st
Sc in next 10 st
2 sc in next 3 st
Sc in next 10 st
2 sc in next 2 st
Join to first sc w/ sl st (32 sc)

3. Ch 1
2 sc in same st
* Sc in next 12 st
2 sc in next st
Sc in next 2 st *
2 sc in next st
Rep from * to * 1 time
Join to first sc w/ sl st (36 sc)

4. Ch 1
Sc in BL only of same st and each st around
Do no join (36 sc)

5. Sc in each st around

Place marker in first st and move marker up to first st of each round

6 – 24. Rep round 5

25. Rep round 5
Join to first sc w/ sl st

26. Ch 1
Hdc in same st
Ch 1
Sk 1 st
* Hdc in next st
Ch 1
Sk 1 st *
Rep from * to * across
Join to first hdc w/ sl st
Fasten off

Flap:
1. Ch 15
Sc in back bump of 2nd ch from hook and each st across (14 sc)

2. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in same st and each st across

3-5. Rep row 2

6. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in FL only of each st across (wrong side)

7-10. Rep row 2

11. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in BL only of each st across

12. Rep row 2 (wrong side)

13. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in first 5 st
Ch 4
Sk 4 st
Sc in last 5 st

14. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in first 5 st
4 sc in ch-4 sp
Sc in last 5 st

15. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in first st
Sc2tog
Sc in next 8 st
Sc2tog
Sc in last st (12 sc)

16. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in same st and each st across (12 sc)

17. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in first st
Sc2tog
Sc in next 6 st
Sc2tog
Sc in last st (10 sc)

18. Rep row 16 (10 sc)

19. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in first st
Sc2tog
Sc in next 4 st
Sc2tog
Sc in last st (8 sc)

20. Rep row 16 (8 sc)

21. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in first st
Sc2tog
Sc in next 2 st
Sc2tog
Sc in last st (6 sc)

22. Rep row 16 (6 sc)
Fasten off

W/ right side facing, join new yarn to edge of first row w/ sl st

Sc evenly across
3 sc in corner, rotate
Sc in next 4 st
3 sc in corner, rotate
Sc evenly across
Fasten off

Fold flap over top of bag
Whipstitch row 1 of flap to 6 rows down from top of bag

Hanging Strap:

1. Ch 5
Sc in back bump of 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (4 sc)

2. Ch 1
Turn
Sc in each st across

3-12. Rep row 2

Fasten off, leaving tail for sewing
Sew strap to middle of the bag near the top, leaving 5-6 rows in between

Cinch/Drawstring:

With 1.75mm hook:

Holding 2 strands together, ch for 12-13”.
Fasten off

Starting at front center, weave Drawstring through ch-1 spaces
I used a larger crochet hook to work it back and forth, you could probably use a needle as well.

Pull drawstring ends through opening on flap

Weave in tails