Patchwork Messenger Bag Review

The lovely Amanda of Crafty Barista Crochet let me test her Patchwork Messenger Bag pattern before release. It was my first time fully committing to making a crochet bag because I always worry about the sturdiness of the bag, risk of stretch and generally the gaps and holes that are associated with crochet. I can say that this bag does not have those problems. The combination of different surface stitches and textures gives this pattern a lovely aesthetic which does not contain any holes! The risk of stretching can also be combated with shortening the bag strap, making those stitches tighter or by adding a lining. I will be later adding a lining to allow the bag to be safe in those sudden April Showers.

I learnt a few lessons during this pattern test. The first lesson I learnt here was colour choice is just as important as fiber choice. As you can see in the picture above using black yarn may give an overall feel to the bag and may work with the whole colour scheme, but it does not do justice to the stitch definition. Because of this I chose to do the panels in a different set up on the other side of the bag. Switching the black out for the navy just gave a little more depth to the stitch, allowing you to see the design more clearly.

The second lesson is yarn choice. The pattern Recommends Caron Simply Soft, which although you can use comparable yarns, I think a pattern such as this should use the yarn it was made for. If you do use a comparable yarn however, it is definitely important that you choose something which will; a, be sturdy enough to hold a tight structure, and b, not over textured (fluffy or loopy, like an eyelash yarn) to help you show through those stitches. To recreate the combination I made I used Caron Simply Soft in the colours, Black, Dark Country Blue and Country Blue Ombre.

The thing I loved about this bag is that although it looks super complicated it really is not. If anyone else is like me and HATES seaming garments together or just dreads the sewing in ends aspect it really isn’t as much as it seems. It is made from very simple construction and only requires beginners stitching skills.

I really recommend getting your own copy of this pattern. You can get the pattern here, and  also remember to follow Crafty Barista Crochet on Instagram for more patterns.

Don’t forget to subscribe to be the first to hear about new blog content and patterns from myself, and follow me on Instagram (@bearrye), Facebook and Pinterest for exclusive sales and content.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply