Ludlow Basket Bag pattern by Two of Wands

Get that downtown it-girl look with this high-end faux leather tote ready for the city streets. Tightly crocheted for extra structure and functionality, this is an everyday bag built to be used. It was so much fun to try out this new Faux Leather yarn by Lion Brand, and now I have so many more bag ideas for it! In the meantime, scroll down for the free Ludlow Basket Bag pattern, click here to purchase an ad-free PDF, or click here to shop the full yarn kit.

Back in the early aughts when I first landed on the scene in NYC, one of the hotspots was the Lower East Side (LES). This neighborhood was full of bars, restaurants, indie music venues, and unique storefronts boasting all kinds of emerging designers. It was the place to hang out for all of the cool kids, and Ludlow Street was the epicenter of it all. This bag is an ode to all of this - a sophisticated handmade piece, both chic and edgy, and built to be worn.

I absolutely love the way Lion Brand’s new Faux Leather yarn worked up in this project. The colorway I used - Moto Jacket - is a matte black with an almost rubbery vibe to it. There’s another back in the palette (Night Sky) with more of a patent leather vibe that has a lot more shine to it, but Moto Jacket is smooth and flat with an edgy appeal. The yarn has a tape/ribbon-like construction, with a fabric backing on one side and the faux leather coating on the other. It’s extremely durable and perfect for structured bags like this.

When I shared the WIP on Instagram, I got several questions on the difficulty or ease of working with this yarn and whether or not it hurt my hands to work with. The yarn itself is super smooth with a cool-to-the-touch feel, and it didn’t hurt my hands at all! That being said, I used a small hook and crocheted this bag very tightly, so it can get a bit tough on the wrists or hand muscles if you work on it for long periods. A couple breaks here and there should do the trick, and the end result is totally worth it.

I had some friends and family in town as I was working on the Ludlow Basket Bag, and every one of them continued to remark how “store bought” and chic it looks. Honestly, I could see this bag in a high end department store with a price tag to match - it really is so expensive and sophisticated looking! The structured nature of it makes it feel even more professional.

While I’m partial to the edgy black Moto Jacket color, I could totally envision this bag in any of the Faux Leather colors. There are 12 colors in the palette, and my other top contenders would be these:

This is an easy level crochet pattern and the techniques involved are single crochet, half double crochet, slip stitch, working in turned joined rounds, and crocheting along a side edge.

MATERIALS

9 skeins Lion Brand Faux Leather in Moto Jacket (341-150AG)
(super bulky, weight 6; 39yds/36m per skein)

Size US J/10 (6mm) crochet hook
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle

GAUGE

10 sts + 10.5 rows = 4”/10cm in single crochet

FINISHED DIMENSIONS

Length: 12.25”/31cm
Depth: 5”/13cm
Height: 11”/28cm
Strap length: 16”/40.5cm

ABBREVIATIONS
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms.

Ch(s) – chain(s)
Dec – decrease
Hdc – half double crochet
Rep – repeat
Rnd(s) – round(s)
RS – right side
Sc – single crochet
Sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
Sk – skip
Sl st – slip stitch
Sl st tbl – slip stitch through the back loop only
St(s) – stitch(es)

NOTES

Bag begins with a rectangular base worked flat in back and forth rows. The body is then crocheted around all four sides of the base and continues from the bottom up in joined, turned rounds. The sides of the bag are extended in back and forth rows. Finally, the straps are worked seamlessly in un-joined spiral rounds. Turn at the end of each round and row.

BASE

Ch 13.

Row 1 (RS): Starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc across row. (12 sts)

Rows 2-32: Ch 1, sc across row.

Fasten off.

BODY

Turn work so that the working tail is to the right as if to begin another row. Sk 6 sts along top row and rejoin in the 7th st.

Rnd 1 (RS): Ch 1 and starting in same st as join, sc in remaining 6 sts of top row, then rotate work to begin working down side, sc into the end of each of the 32 rows to foundation ch, then rotate work to begin working across foundation ch, sc in each of the 12 chs across to next side, rotate work to being working up side, sc into the end of each of the 32 rows to last row of base, sc across remaining 6 sts of top row of base, sl st to 1st sc of rnd to join. (88 sts)

Remember to turn here and at the end of each rnd.

Rnds 2-20: Ch 1, sc around, sl st to 1st sc to join. Note: to keep “seam” straight, place 1st sc in the last sc of the previous rnd, not the sl st that joined the rnd. It can be difficult to determine where the last sc of the rnd should be placed, so count your sts on the first few rnds to ensure there aren’t any skipped or added as you get used to the placement.

Fasten off.

Extended sides:

With RS facing and starting in the last sc of the previous rnd (not the sl st that joined the rnd), sk 26 sts along top row and rejoin in the 27th st.

Row 1 (RS): (dec) Ch 1 and starting in same st as join, sc2tog, sc 32, sc2tog, turn. (34 sts)

Rows 2-4: (dec) Ch 1, sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts of short row, sc2tog. (28 sts)

Rows 5+6: Ch 1, sc across row.

Row 7: Ch 1, hdc 8, sc 12, hdc 8.

Row 8: Ch 1, hdc 5, sc 18, hdc 5.

Fasten off.

To begin opposite extended side, starting in 1st available st along top edge where row 1 of the first extended side turned, sk 8 sts and rejoin in the 9th st.

Row 1 (RS): (dec) Ch 1 and starting in same st as join, sc2tog, sc 32, sc2tog, turn. (34 sts)

Rows 2-4: (dec) Ch 1, sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts of short row, sc2tog. (28 sts)

Rows 5+6: Ch 1, sc across row.

Row 7: Ch 1, hdc 8, sc 12, hdc 8.

Row 8: Ch 1, hdc 5, sc 18, hdc 5.

Do not fasten off.

STRAPS

Handles are worked in un-joined spiral rnds without turning. Turn so that RS is facing.

Rnd 1 (RS): Ch 1, sc across top edge of extended side, ch 40 for strap, sc across top edge of opposite extended side, ch 40 for strap, sl st to join to 1st sc of rnd. Place marker for beginning of rnd.

Next 2 rnds: Sl st tbl around.

Fasten off.

Rejoin yarn at the top inner right corner of one of the extended sides where the strap meets to begin working down the inner edge of the extended side.

Rnd 1: Ch 1 and sc into the end of each of the 8 rows of the extended side, then sc in the same st along the top edge that the 1st sc2tog of the extended side is worked into, then sc across the 8 available sts along the top row of the body, then sc in the same st along the top edge that the 1st sc2tog of the opposite extended side is worked into, then sc into the end of each of the 8 rows of the opposite extended side, then sl st in the bottom of each of the 40 foundation chs of the strap. Place marker for beginning of rnd.

Next rnd: Sl st tbl around.

Fasten off.

Rep inner rnds on opposite side of bag.

Secure and weave in all ends.

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