New Year's Gift Bag

Free New Year's Gift Bag crochet tutorial by Ekaterina Shustrova @_igryshkiotkatushki_.

Using this pattern, you can crochet a tiger-shaped drawstring bag. Any plush yarn will work for this amigurumi project, including Wolans Bunny Baby, Himalaya Dolphin Baby, YarnArt Dolce, and others.

You can add the tiger cub's stripes and whiskers with soft pastels or a fabric marker. You can also embroider them with cotton thread if you prefer.

The finished bag is about 16 x 15 cm (6.3 x 5.9 in).

Materials and tools

• Wolans Bunny Baby plush yarn: color 10037 (85 g), color 10001 (for the muzzle and ears)
• 4 mm crochet hook
• 12 mm safety eyes
• 18–20 mm safety nose
• Thread for embroidering the muzzle
• Fiberfill
• 55 cm (21.7 in) cord
• Cord lock
• Cord end caps
• 8 x 14 cm (3.1 x 5.5 in) piece of cardboard or plastic
• Pins
• Marker for shading
• Glue
• Needle
• Scissors

Abbreviations

• MR — magic ring
• ch — chain stitch
• sl st — slip stitch
• sc — single crochet
• dc — double crochet
• hdc — half double crochet
• inc — increase
• dec — decrease
• (...) x n — repeat n times

New Year's gift bag amigurumi crochet pattern

Bag

Use the main color yarn. Marker placement is not important. Do not stuff.

1: ch 13; starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: inc, 10 sc, 4 sc in the last ch; continue along the other side of the chain: 10 sc, inc (28)
2: 2 inc, 10 sc, 4 inc, 10 sc, 2 inc (36)
3: (1 sc, inc) x 2, 10 sc, (1 sc, inc) x 4, 10 sc, (1 sc, inc) x 2 (44)
4: (2 sc, inc) x 2, 10 sc, (2 sc, inc) x 4, 10 sc, (2 sc, inc) x 2 (52)
5: 52 sc (52)

Using the prepared material for reinforcing the bottom, cut out an oval that matches the circumference of row 5. Do not glue it in place yet.

6: crochet in the back loops only: (5 sc, inc, 6 sc, inc) x 4 (60)
7–21: (15 rows) — 60 sc (60)
22: (2 sc, ch 2, skip 2 stitches) x 15 (60)
23: (2 sc, 2 sc under the chains) x 15 (60) — work the stitches under the chains
24: (1 sc, ch 1) x 60, sl st in the first stitch of the row. Fasten off and cut the yarn.

Glue the bottom insert inside the bag. You can work additional rows of 60 sc to make the bag taller and roomier.

Muzzle

Begin with white yarn. The marker runs along the side of the piece.

1: ch 7; starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: inc, 4 sc, 4 sc in the last ch; continue along the other side of the chain: 4 sc, inc (16)
2: 2 inc, 4 sc, 4 inc, 4 sc, 2 inc (24)
3: 24 sc (24)
4: (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
Change to the main color yarn.
5: 18 inc (36)
6: 1 sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) x 5, 19 sc (42)
7–8: (2 rows) — 42 sc (42)
9: work a partial row: 21 sc

Fasten off and cut the yarn. Insert the safety eyes in row 6, 8 stitches apart (4 stitches on each side of the center).

Ears

Crochet the first piece with white yarn. Marker placement is not important.

1: 6 sc in MR (6)
2: 6 inc (12), sl st in the first stitch of the row. Fasten off and cut the yarn.

Crochet the second piece with the main color yarn. Marker placement is not important.

1: 6 sc in MR (6)
2: 6 inc (12), sl st in the first stitch of the row, ch 1

Place the two pieces together with their wrong sides facing each other. Holding the white piece toward you and working through both layers, crochet:

3 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 2 dc inc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 3 sc (14), sl st

Fasten off and cut the yarn. Mark the last stitch—this is the bottom of the ear. Make the second ear the same way.

Finishing and assembly

Use a ready-made cord about 55 cm (21.7 in) long, or crochet a chain of the same length (for example, with YarnArt Jeans yarn). Thread it through the openings in the bag. Pass the ends through the cord lock, then attach end caps to the cord ends.

Pin the muzzle to the center of the bag, 1–2 rows above the bottom. Sew it on with strong matching thread. Stuff the muzzle firmly as you sew so the fiberfill holds the shape of the piece well.

Needle-sculpt the muzzle slightly to add definition.

Place point 1 (mouth) at the bottom center, between rows 4 and 5. Place points 2 and 3 (eyes) 2 stitches to either side of the center, also between rows 4 and 5.

Work the needle sculpting beneath the inserted eyes. Insert the needle at point 1, leaving a long thread tail for tying a knot. Bring it out at point 2, insert it again 3 stitches to the side, and bring it out at point 1. Pull tightly and tie a knot. With the same thread, sculpt the other side: insert the needle at point 1, bring it out at point 3, insert it again 3 rows to the side, and bring it out at point 1. Pull until it matches the first side, then tie a knot. Hide the thread ends inside the piece.

• Embroider the muzzle with thread that matches the nose.
• Glue the eyes into the sculpted indentations. Glue on the nose.
• Pin the ears to the head, leaving 7 stitches between them, and sew them on with matching thread.
• Embroider the eyebrows. Draw or embroider dots to suggest whisker follicles.

Mouse-shaped bag

With a little imagination, you can crochet many different versions of this bag, including bears, bunnies, mice, and more. Simply change the ears, facial details, and yarn color. You can also use the pattern to make a child's purse—just add a strap in the desired length.