We need to talk about velour and chenille yarn. Like, we seriously need to discuss it right now. I do not know about you, but this yarn has been wavering between being the absolute love of my life (it looks gorgeous when it is crocheted up tightly, for example, just look at those bags) and my mortal enemy (the fluff, oh my goodness, the fluff) for quite a while now. Not so long ago, I over-ordered for a sponsored campaign and ended up with a shedload of velour yarn that I hadn’t used, mistakenly thinking it would make a good blanket. Instead of getting crocheted, it just sat on my yarn shelves looking rather sad. Pretty, but sad.
However, chenille yarn does make spectacularly good bags if they are crocheted tightly. As a designer who adores making bags and has a colossal amount of velvet filling my shelves, I thought I would design a very simple, very demure, very classic, and very sparkling Y2K-vibes bag that will only take you an hour or so to make. All you need is a couple of balls of chenille yarn held double, a hook, and a bit of patience, and you will end up with a really dense, satisfying handbag that you can customise as you wish.
Table of Contents
About The Huggy Bag
This compact bag is wonderfully practical, big enough to fit a standard-sized smartphone, makeup, a paperback, and your keys all at once. Be careful, though, because you will likely want to make one in every colour of the rainbow. I really love the texture that working single crochet with a yarn-under technique makes; combined with this velour yarn, it looks like a sea of squishy bobbles that you will want to stroke all day long.
At A Glance: The Huggy Bag · Free Y2K Chenille Crochet Bag Pattern
- Skill Level: Confident Beginner
- Materials and Tools: Two 100g balls of Super Bulky Chenille or Velour yarn (approx. 240 metres total), a 6.0 mm crochet hook, a magnetic snap bag fastener, a yarn needle, scissors, and a stitch marker.
- Finished Size: 7.5 inches wide by 6 inches high (19 cm by 15.5 cm).
- Technique: Yarn held double, worked bottom-up in the round.
- Time to Make: Approximately 1 to 2 hours.
- Gauge: 11 stitches by 11 rounds equals 10 cm / 4 inches in single crochet using the yarn-under technique.
- Key Texture Secret: This pattern uses single crochet worked yarn-under rather than yarn-over, creating a dense, bobble-like aesthetic that screams Y2K style.
| At A Glance: The Huggy Bag Confident Beginner | |
|---|---|
| Materials & Tools |
|
| Size | 7.5″ wide x 6″ high (19 cm x 15.5 cm) |
| Technique | Yarn held double, worked bottom-up |
| Time to Make | ~1 to 2 Hours |
| Gauge | 11 sts x 11 rounds = 10 cm / 4″ in sc (yarn under) |
| Key Texture Secret This pattern uses Single Crochet worked “Yarn Under” rather than yarn over. Combined with the velour yarn, it creates a gorgeous, dense sea of squishy bobbles that give it that perfect Y2K aesthetic. | |
The Free Crochet Pattern
The Base Layer and Body
- Foundation: Holding your yarn double, chain 40 and join to work in the round. Ensure you do not twist your chain before joining. Leave a tail of approximately 60 cm for closing the bottom of the bag. Use a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.
- Body: Work 14 rounds of single crochet, ensuring you use the yarn-under technique throughout.
- Final Round: Work 1 slip stitch into every stitch around the top edge. Bind off and weave in your ends.
- Closing the Base: Flatten the bottom of the bag so the stitches align. Sew the base closed using your preferred method, such as a slip stitch seam or a simple whip stitch using your starting tail.
The Strap
- Foundation: Chain 51, leaving a 30 cm tail for sewing.
- Construction: Skip the first chain. Work 1 row of single crochet into the remaining 50 chains. Chain 1, turn, and work 1 more row of single crochet.
- Attachment: Break the yarn, leaving a long tail. Position the ends of the strap on the inside edges of the bag and attach securely using a yarn needle.
Finishing Touches
Sew a metal snap fastener to the centre of the inside opening of the bag. Your project is now complete and ready to wear out on the town.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute velvet yarn for standard acrylic? You can use super bulky acrylic, but you will lose that signature plush, squishy texture and the distinct Y2K velour sheen that makes this specific bag design pop.
How do I prevent chenille yarn from shedding while working? Chenille can sometimes shed at the cut ends. You can pop a tiny dot of fabric glue or clear nail polish on the very cut tips of your yarn tails to lock the fibres in place before weaving them in.
Is this bag durable enough for daily use? Because the pattern calls for holding the yarn double and working tightly with the yarn-under single crochet stitch, it creates a remarkably sturdy fabric that holds its shape wonderfully.
If you loved this free pattern, please consider donating and sharing your finished project so I can see your work and spreading the word.
Happy crafting,
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