Crocheted Owl Pencil Bag

Back in August before school started I shared patterns for several different crocheted pencil bags all based on a basic pencil bag pattern. This one I originally shared as a contributor post on Craftaholics Anonymous but I thought it would be good to share it again here. Especially because although I originally made it thinking of back to school time, it would make a fun Christmas gift as well and it is time to start working on those. I have made lots of owl hats to give as gifts or to sell and they are always a big hit so when I was trying to come up with pencil bag ideas an owl seemed like an obvious choice.

This bag is pretty easy to make, you make it the same way as my basic bag pattern, the only difference being that you change colors in the middle. The eyes and beak are crocheted separately and crocheted on afterward. Then the little ear tufts, I don't really know what to call those, are added on as well. Two buttons on the back keep the bag closed.

The finished bag measures about 9 x 5 inches. You can use any worsted weight yarn to make these bags. This one is made with Red Heart Super Tweed (the purple section- Pinkberry) and Deborah Norville Everyday (the pink section- Grenadine). The eyes and beak are made with scraps of leftover yarn. I have also used Red Heart Super Saver and Vanna’s Choie yarns for these bags so anything similar in weight to those will work fine.

How to make Crocheted Owl Pencil Bag

Finished Size: 9" x 5"

You will need:

• Worsted weight yarn in 2 colors for the bag

• Small amount of worsted weight yarn in white, black, and yellow for the face

• H crochet hook

• 2 buttons- 3/4″-1″

• sewing thread and needle for attaching buttons

• yarn needle

• scissors

Bag:

Start with color that will be the top half of the body (pink on my bag)
ch 31
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch to the end (30 sc)Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in each stitch to end (30 sc)
Row 3-10: repeat row 2 (30 sc)
Change to second color (purple on my bag)Row 11-26: repeat row 2 (30 sc)
Change back to first color (pink)
Row 27-38: repeat row 2 (30 sc)
Row 39: ch 1, turn, sc dec, sc in next 26, sc dec (28 sc)Row 40: ch 1, turn, sc dec, sc in next 24, sc dec (26 sc)
Row 41: ch 1, turn, sc dec, sc in next 22, sc dec (24 sc)
Row 42: ch 1, turn, sc dec, sc in next 20, sc dec (22 sc)
Row 43: ch 1, turn, sc dec, sc in next 18, sc dec (20 sc)
Finish off

You should now have a piece that looks like this:

It will look like a big rectangle that is slightly angled in on one end

Rows 1-18 will be the back of your bag, rows 19-36 will be the front of your bag and rows 37-43 (the last two straight rows and the angled portion) make the flap.

Fold the bag wrong sides together so that the first 18 rows are on one side and match up with rows 19-36. The pink and purple sections should match up.

Starting in one corner, I always start so that I am working on the front of the bag, sc up the side of the bag through both layers, once you reach the end of the double layers sc in the next two rows and continue up the angled portion, sc in corner stitch, ch 4, skip 1, sc in next 14, ch 4, skip 1, sc in corner, sc down the side of the flap and bag making sure to go through both layers once you reach the bag portion, finish off and weave in ends

Now make the face

Eyes:

make 2Round 1: with black yarn make a magic ring, ch 1, 8 sc in mr (8 sc)Round 2: change to colored yarn, 2 sc in each stitch (16 sc)Round 3: change to white yarn, (2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next) around (24 sc)Round 4: (2 sc in first stitch, sc in next 2) around (32 sc)finish off leaving long end for sewing

Beak:

with yellow yarn, ch 5Row 1: sc in second ch from hook and each ch to the end (4 sc)Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc dec, sc dec (2 sc)Row 3: ch 1 turn, 2 sc (2 sc)Row 4: ch 1 turn, sc dec (1 sc)Row 5: ch 1, turn, sc (1 sc)Finish off leaving long end for sewingSew eyes and beak to front of bag making sure to sew through only one layer.

To make ear tufts:

Cut 4- 8 inch lengths of yarn from each of your 2 main colors

Using 2 of each color, hold in a bundle and fold in half, insert your hook from back to front at the point where the back edge of the bag ends, grab the loop of folded strands with your hook and pull through until you have a loop big enough to pull the end through, pull all of the loose ends through the loop to create a knot, pull to tighten and trim to the desired length

Fold flap down to determine button placement, sew on buttons. I find that it is usually best to use sewing thread and a sewing needle to be able to get through the small holes on the buttons.

I hope you enjoy this owl pencil bag and be sure to check out my other pencil bag variations:

Basic Pencil Bag
Monster Pencil Bag
Ninja Turtle Pencil Bag
TARDIS Pencil Bag