Summer is in full swing and that means pools and beaches! This year I decided my son was old enough to help carry all his toys to the pool and that is where this Crochet Fish Beach Bag was born! This fun backpack is just big enough to hold one giant beach towel or a bunch of pool toys.
I have been wanting to try out the new Red Heart Scrubbie Smoothie and this turned out to be the perfect project for it. Red Heart’s new smooth cotton yarn is extremely soft and does not have a lot of stretch so the fish keeps most of its shape even when full.
Easy Crochet Fish Beach Bag Pattern
This pattern has a few different pieces, but everything uses very basic crochet stitches to create a whimsical fish beach backpack. I would say this is a beginner’s crochet pattern. As long as you know how to increase stitches (2 stitches in the next stitch) and how to sew a running stitch to gather one side of the fins. You are good to go!
Crochet Fish Beach Bag Materials
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Red Heart Scrubby Smoothie Yarn, Caribbean
Red Heart Scrubby Smoothie Yarn, Brite Orange
Red Heart Scrubby Smoothie Yarn, White
Clover Amour Crochet Hook, Size I, 5.5mm
Yarn Needle
Scissors
Dritz Cable Cord, 9/32″ 10 yards – I found this at Joann’s in the curtain accessories section. It is a very soft cotton rope. We used 10 ft of cord for our bag.
Note: I used almost the entire skein of the Caribbean but very little of the Brite Orange and White. I used the leftover cotton yarn to make this handy On-the-Go Water Bottle Carrier.
Stitches and Abbreviations
Ch – Chain
Sc – Single Crochet
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Dc – Double Crochet
Inc – Increase – 2 Double Crochet in the next stitch.
Slst – Slip Stitch
Skst – Skip Stitch
FO – Fasten Off
MC – Magic Circle or Ring
St(s) – Stitch(es)
Gauge
3 rows of Dc = 2 inches
6 Dc = 2 inches
Dimensions
From the tip of the tail to the top of the bag this fish measures 18 inches.
Fish Beach Backpack Pattern
Tail
Make two and sew them together along the smaller side.
Starting with Orange.
Ch 17
R1: Sc in the second Ch from the hook and every Ch across. Ch1, turn. (16)
R2: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (16)
Change Color to Caribbean
R3: In the BLO Sc 14, leave the last two Sts unworked. Ch1, turn.(14)
R4: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (14)
Change Color to Orange
R5: In the BLO Sc12, leave the last two Sts unworked. Ch1, turn. (12)
R6: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (12)
Change Color to Caribbean
R7: In the BLO Sc 10, leave the last two Sts unworked. Ch1, turn. (10)
R8: In the BLO Sc across.
Change Color to Orange
R9: In the BLO Sc 8, leave the last two Sts unworked. Fasten off leaving a long tail.
Sew the two pieces together along the Sc 8 side. Weave in your ends. Sew a running stitch along the flat ends of the piece and pull together to gather the end of the tail. Sew to body of the fish.
Dorsal fin
Starting with Orange.
Ch 15
R1: Sc in the second Ch from hook and every Ch across. Ch1, turn. (14)
R2: In the BLO Sc across, Ch1, turn. (14)
Change to Blue
R3: In the BLO Sc 12, leave the last two Sts unworked. Ch1, turn. (12)
R4: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (12)
Change to Orange
R5: In the BLO Sc 10, leave the last two Sts unworked. Ch1, turn. (10)
R6: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (10)
Change to Blue
R7: In the BLO Sc 8, leave the last two Sts unworked. Ch1, turn. (8)
R8: In the BLO Sc across. FO leavening a long tail.
Weave in all ends except your long tail. Use the long tail to sew a running stitch along the side of your dorsal fin and gather that side as shone in the picture.
Under Fin
Starting with Orange.
Ch 13
R1: Sc in the second Ch from the hook and every ch across. Ch1, turn. (12)
R2: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (12)
Change to Blue.
R3: In the BLO sc 10, do not work the last two Sts. Ch1, turn. (10)
R4: In the BLO sc across. Ch1, turn. (10)
Change to Orange
R5: In the BLO sc 8, do not work the last two Sts. Ch1, turn. (8)
R6: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (8) FO Leave a long tail.
Weave in all ends except the long tail. Use the long tail to sew a running stitch and pull to gather. Sew to main fish body.
Side Fin
Starting with Orange
Ch12
R1: Sc in the second Ch from the hook and every ch across. Ch1, turn. (11)
R2: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (11)
Change to Blue
R3: In the BLO Sc10, do not work the last St. Ch1, turn. (10)
R4: In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (10)
Change to Orange
R5: In the BLO Sc8, do not work the last two Sts. Ch1, turn. (8)
R6: In the BLO SC across. Ch1, turn. FO. (8)
Flip fin over and using blue yarn slip stitch to the other side of the starting chain on the side that is even at the end of the rows.
Ch1, In the BLO Sc10, Ch1, turn. (10)
In the BLO Sc across. Ch1, turn. (10)
Change to Orange
In the BLO Sc8, do not work the last two Sts. Ch1, turn. (8)
In the BLO, Sc across. FO. Leave a long tail.
Use the long tail to sew a running stitch down the straight side of the fin and pull to gather up the edge of the fin. Sew fin to the body on the fish bag.
Fish Beach Backpack Body
In Blue.
Ch 9
R1: Dc in fourth Ch from the hook and in each of the next 5 CH, turn so you are working into the opposite side of the starting chain and Dc into the other side of each of the 6 CH. Sl St to first DC. Ch2, turn. – 12dc total
R2: Inc in each St around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. – 24 dc
R3: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R4: *Dc, Inc* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (36)
R5: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R6: *2Dc, Inc* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (48)
R7: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R8: *3Dc, Inc* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (60)
R9: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R10: *4Dc Inc* repeat form * to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (72)
R11: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R12: Dc around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (72)
R13: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R14: Dc around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (72)
R15: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R16: Dc around. Slst to first Dc. Ch2, turn. (72)
R17: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R18: Dc around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (72)
R19: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R20: Dc around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (72)
R21: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
R22: Dc around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn. (72)
R23: *Dc, Ch1, Skst* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Dc, Ch2, turn.
Change to Orange
R24: Dc around. Slst to first Dc. FO. weave in ends. (72)
Attaching the Backpack Straps
For my four year old I used 2 cord pieces 50 inches long. Each cord needs to be long enough to go from your wearers hip around their shoulders, across their neck and around the other shoulder and down to the other hip. You can trim it later if that is too long.
Lay body on the table with right side (the side with the eye facing you) weave cable cord through row 23 from right to left only on the top side of the bag. Weave another cord through the bottom side of bag, take all the ends of the cord and sew them right above the tail on the backside. Use patch to cover the rope ends and sew in place.
Strap Patch
In Blue.
Ch8
R1: Hdc in third ch from hook and all Ch across. Ch2, turn. (6)
R2: Hdc across. FO. Leave a long tail to use to sew over the ends of the backpack rope straps.
Eye
Note: Inc = 2sc in next st.
In Orange
R1: 6Sc in Mc. Slst to first Sc. Ch1, turn.
R2: Inc in each St around. Slst to first Sc.
Change to white
R3: Ch1, turn. *sc, inc* repeat from *to* around. Slst to first Sc. FO. Leave a long tail to sew eyes to fish bag.
Once everything is sewn into place and the ends are woven in, you are ready to head to the beach!
Let me know how you like this free crochet pattern. If you have any questions leave a comment below and I will try and help the best I can. I hope you decide to make a Fish Beach Backpack of your own. If you do, I would LOVE to see a photo! If you share it on social media be sure to tag me @windingroadcrochet or #windingroadcrochet
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Nice Post. Thanks!
This is awesome! Please list the PDF in your Etsy shop. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Ok I will do that this week.
It has been added. https://www.etsy.com/listing/736798309/crochet-fish-bag-pattern-crochet-fish
Such a fun pattern! I just finished the bag for my nephew and I’m a little confused on how to sew the cable straps..could you go into a little detail for me?
The straps are made from 2 pieces of rope. One piece of rope will weave through one half of row 23. Take the other strap and weave in through the other half of row 23 (as pictured above) Then take all 4 ends of the two rope pieces and bring them to the bottom of the bag (as pictured). Sew them in place, then sew the small crochet rectangle on top of them for a nice finished look.
So freaking cute 🧡💙 love the colors!
Thank you!
I saw this pattern and immediately wrote it down as one of my favorite things of the day! Can’t wait to make them for my sister’s grand kids; I know they will just love them. Thanks so much for the pattern. I look forward to your emails.
Hi
I loved the pattern right away when I saw it. So few things boy-oriented to make. I used the same colors and it turned out fine. Had to give it to my grandson and forgot to take a pix first. 😔. My only issue was tightening the top. That didn’t seem to work well. Pretty sure I did the rope correctly. .
Thanks for the pattern.
You are very welcome.
Thank you for sharing this lovely pattern
You are welcome.
I love this pattern but the yarn is discontinued. Do you have any substitute suggestions?
You can use Lily’s Sugar and Cream and the Peaches and Cream Yarn. Premier yarn makes a worsted weight cotton that would work as well. Really any worsted weight cotton. I am sad they discontinued this yarn because it was the softest 100% cotton yarn I had found and it came in such bright colors.
I am having a hard time understanding R1 of the bag. I understand dc in the 4th chain and continue with the rest. This gives me 6dc total. I’m confused with saying turn and dc in the ch and sl to the 1st dc giving us 12 dc. After the turn what ch and I suppose to be dc into? I’m sorry, I’m very visual and can’t picture this.
You are working DC into both sides of the starting chain. So you are working in a joined round and not in Rows. So we will work 6 DC on one side of the starting CH and another 6 DC into the opposite side of the starting chain to create a round with a total of 12 DC.
I have expanded the wording on Round 1.
R1: Dc in fourth Ch from the hook and in each of the next 5 CH, turn so you are working into the opposite side of the starting chain and Dc into the other side of each of the 6 CH. Sl St to first DC. Ch2, turn. – 12dc total