Free Crochet Cat Bag Pattern – Crazy Cat Lady Tote

Looking for a fun crochet cat bag pattern? This Crazy Cat Lady tote is made with two C2C panels: the front features a wide-eyed cat with a funny frazzled look, while the back shows the cat from behind.

The finished bag makes a playful tote or purse for cat lovers, and you can easily customize the colors to match your style.

Crochet cat bag pattern details

Here’s a quick overview of the materials, sizing, gauge, and pattern notes before you begin.

Skill level

Advanced beginners. This free crochet pattern is made with basic crochet stitches using the C2C crochet method. It involves color changes.

Materials needed

G-6 (4 mm) crochet hook
Worsted weight yarn (#4) in tan, white, and black. My finished bag weighs 298 grams/10.5 ounces.
Yarn needle
Scissors
Stitch markers (optional)

Finished measurements

My crochet tote bag measures just over 13 inches wide and long. The strap measures 25 inches long.

Gauge

C2C Squares: 8 squares (ch 3 + 3 dc) = 4 inches

Strap: 5 rows = 1 inch

My guide to crochet gauge explains how to measure your stitches and adjust your hook size.

Crochet abbreviations

dc = double crochet
sc = single crochet stitch
ch/chs = chain/chains
st/sts = stitch/stitches
sl st = slip stitch

C2C crochet technique

The square bag is made in the C2C technique. You make “squares” in diagonal rows starting in the bottom right corner and ending in the top left corner.
Each square is made of a chain 3 + 3 double crochet.
Chain 6 to start a new row and chain 3 to start a new square.
You can follow the picture graph or the written pattern.
The written pattern tells you how many squares to make of each color and in what order.

Pattern notes

The pattern is written in US terms.
You will make two C2C cat squares separately and then sew them together.
The strap is added last.
↙ You are working on the “right side”.
↗ You are working on the “wrong side”.

Crazy cat lady bag crochet pattern instructions

Crochet the front and back cat squares following the picture graphs or the written instructions.

Front of the cat bag

Download the graph for the front of the bag.

↙ Row 1: tan x 1 (1 square)
↗ Row 2: tan x 2 (2 squares)
↙ Row 3: tan x 3 (3 squares)
↗ Row 4: tan x 4 (4 squares)
↙ Row 5: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 1 (5 squares)
↗ Row 6: black x 3, tan x 3 (6 squares)
↙ Row 7: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 1, black x 2 (7 squares)
↗ Row 8: black x 1, tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 3 (8 squares)
↙ Row 9: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 4, black x 1 (9 squares)
↗ Row 10: black x 2, tan x 4, black x 1, tan x 3 (10 squares)
↙ Row 11: tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 4, black x 3 (11 squares)
↗ Row 12: black x 4, tan x 4, black x 2, tan x 2 (12 squares)
↙ Row 13: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 4, black x 5 (13 squares)
↗ Row 14: black x 5, tan x 9 (14 squares)
↙ Row 15: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 6, black x 5 (15 squares)
↗ Row 16: black x 6, tan x 5, black x 1, tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 2 (16 squares)
↙ Row 17: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 7, black x 5, tan x 1 (17 squares)
↗ Row 18: tan x 1, black x 6, tan x 3, black x 4, tan x 4 (18 squares)
↙ Row 19: tan x 4, black x 6, tan x 1, black x 6, tan x 2 (19 squares)
↗ Row 20: tan x 3, black x 5, tan x 1, black x 7, tan x 4 (20 squares)
↙ Row 21: tan x 4, black x 10, tan x 2, black x 1, tan x 4 (21 squares)
↗ Row 22: tan x 9, black x 5, white x 3, black x 3, tan x 2 (22 squares)
↙ Row 23: tan x 2, black x 3, white x 4, black x 5, tan x 9 (23 squares)
↗ Row 24: tan x 9, black x 5, white x 5, black x 4, tan x 1 (24 squares)
↙ Row 25: tan x 1, black x 5, white x 5, black x 5, tan x 9 (25 squares)
Corner: Start decreasing on both ends
↗ Row 26: tan x 9, black x 5, white x 1, black x 1, white x 3, black x 4, tan x 1 (24 squares)
↙ Row 27: tan x 1, black x 4, white x 2, black x 1, white x 2, black x 5, tan x 8 (23 squares)
↗ Row 28: tan x 7, black x 6, white x 2, black x 1, white x 1, black x 4, tan x 1 (22 squares)
↙ Row 29: tan x 2, black x 2, white x 4, black x 1, white x 2, black x 3, tan x 7 (21 squares)
↗ Row 30: tan x 6, black x 3, white x 3, black x 1, white x 3, black x 2, tan x 2 (20 squares)
↙ Row 31: tan x 3, black x 2, white x 1, black x 1, white x 4, black x 2, tan x 6 (19 squares)
↗ Row 32: tan x 4, black x 3, white x 2, black x 1, white x 2, black x 3, tan x 3 (18 squares)
↙ Row 33: tan x 4, black x 1, white x 2, black x 1, white x 2, black x 2, tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 3 (17 squares)
↗ Row 34: tan x 4, black x 2, white x 5, black x 1, tan x 4 (16 squares)
↙ Row 35: tan x 4, black x 1, white x 4, black x 3, tan x 3 (15 squares)
↗ Row 36: tan x 2, black x 1, tan x 1, black x 1, white x 5, black x 1, tan x 3 (14 squares)
↙ Row 37: tan x 3, black x 1, white x 4, black x 1, tan x 4 (13 squares)
↗ Row 38: tan x 4, black x 1, white x 2, black x 2, tan x 3 (12 squares)
↙ Row 39: tan x 3, black x 4, tan x 4 (11 squares)
↗ Row 40: tan x 3, black x 5, tan x 2 (10 squares)
↙ Row 41: tan x 2, black x 4, tan x 3 (9 squares)
↗ Row 42: tan x 2, black x 4, tan x 2 (8 squares)
↙ Row 43: tan x 2, black x 3, tan x 2 (7 squares)
↗ Row 44: tan x 2, black x 3, tan x 1 (6 squares)
↙ Row 45: tan x 1, black x 2, tan x 2 (5 squares)
↗ Row 46: tan x 1, black x 2, tan x 1 (4 squares)
↙ Row 47: tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 1 (3 squares)
↗ Row 48: tan x 2 (2 squares)
↙ Row 49: tan x 1 (1 square)

Back of the cat bag

Download the graph for the back of the bag.

↙ Row 1: tan x 1 (1 square)
↗ Row 2: tan x 2 (2 squares)
↙ Row 3: tan x 3 (3 squares)
↗ Row 4: tan x 4 (4 squares)
↙ Row 5: tan x 5 (5 squares)
↗ Row 6: tan x 6 (6 squares)
↙ Row 7: tan x 7 (7 squares)
↗ Row 8: tan x 8 (8 squares)
↙ Row 9: tan x 9 (9 squares)
↗ Row 10: black x 2, tan x 8 (10 squares)
↙ Row 11: tan x 8, black x 3 (11 squares)
↗ Row 12: black x 4, tan x 8 (12 squares)
↙ Row 13: tan x 8, black x 5 (13 squares)
↗ Row 14: black x 5, tan x 9 (14 squares)
↙ Row 15: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 6, black x 5 (15 squares)
↗ Row 16: black x 6, tan x 5, black x 1, tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 2 (16 squares)
↙ Row 17: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 7, black x 6 (17 squares)
↗ Row 18: black x 7, tan x 3, black x 4, tan x 4 (18 squares)
↙ Row 19: tan x 4, black x 6, tan x 1, black x 6, tan x 1, black x 1 (19 squares)
↗ Row 20: black x 1, tan x 2, black x 5, tan x 1, black x 7, tan x 4 (20 squares)
↙ Row 21: tan x 4, black x 10, tan x 2, black x 1, tan x 2, black x 1, tan x 1 (21 squares)
↗ Row 22: tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 7, black x 11, tan x 2 (22 squares)
↙ Row 23: tan x 2, black x 12, tan x 7, black x 1, tan x 1 (23 squares)
↗ Row 24: tan x 2, black x 1, tan x 6, black x 14, tan x 1 (24 squares)
↙ Row 25: tan x 1, black x 15, tan x 5, black x 1, tan x 3 (25 squares)
Corner: Start decreasing on both ends
↗ Row 26: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 5, black x 14, tan x 1 (24 squares)
↙ Row 27: tan x 1, black x 14, tan x 4, black x 1, tan x 3 (23 squares)
↗ Row 28: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 3, black x 14, tan x 1 (22 squares)
↙ Row 29: tan x 2, black x 12, tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 3 (21 squares)
↗ Row 30: tan x 3, black x 1, tan x 2, black x 12, tan x 2 (20 squares)
↙ Row 31: tan x 3, black x 10, tan x 2, black x 1, tan x 3 (19 squares)
↗ Row 32: tan x 2, black x 1, tan x 1, black x 11, tan x 3 (18 squares)
↙ Row 33: tan x 4, black x 8, tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 1 (17 squares)
↗ Row 34: tan x 4, black x 8, tan x 4 (16 squares)
↙ Row 35: tan x 4, black x 8, tan x 3 (15 squares)
↗ Row 36: tan x 2, black x 1, tan x 1, black x 7, tan x 3 (14 squares)
↙ Row 37: tan x 3, black x 6, tan x 4 (13 squares)
↗ Row 38: tan x 4, black x 5, tan x 3 (12 squares)
↙ Row 39: tan x 3, black x 4, tan x 4 (11 squares)
↗ Row 40: tan x 3, black x 5, tan x 2 (10 squares)
↙ Row 41: tan x 2, black x 4, tan x 3 (9 squares)
↗ Row 42: tan x 2, black x 4, tan x 2 (8 squares)
↙ Row 43: tan x 2, black x 3, tan x 2 (7 squares)
↗ Row 44: tan x 2, black x 3, tan x 1 (6 squares)
↙ Row 45: tan x 1, black x 2, tan x 2 (5 squares)
↗ Row 46: tan x 1, black x 2, tan x 1 (4 squares)
↙ Row 47: tan x 1, black x 1, tan x 1 (3 squares)
↗ Row 48: tan x 2 (2 squares)
↙ Row 49: tan x 1 (1 square)

Adding a border to each panel

Using tan yarn, make 2 sc in each square along the sides and in each corner square make (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc).

Assembling the bag

Place the squares back-to-back with the “right sides” facing out. Single crochet three sides together, leaving the top open. Then, single crochet around the top edge opening of the bag.

Adding the bag strap

Start the strap by working into the 6 center stitches on one side of the bag. Crochet the strap in rows, then attach it to the 6 center stitches on the opposite side.

Row 1: Ch 1, sc in 6 stitches, turn (6 stitches)

Rows 2-125: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn (6 stitches)

Fasten off and sew to the 6 center stitches on the opposite side.

Finishing the cat bag

Fasten off and then weave in your ends.

C2C video tutorial

Need C2C help? I have a step by step C2C youtube video tutorial for my mini heart square on my YouTube channel.

Prefer a printable version?

View an ad-free PDF version of this crochet pattern in my Etsy shop: Crazy Cat Lady Crochet Bag Pattern

Lovable Loops Free & Easy Crochet Bag Pattern- Crazy Cat Lady Tote

More crochet bag and tote patterns

Looking for more useful accessories to make? Browse my favorite crochet bag and tote patterns, including market bags, totes, pouches, and other practical handmade projects for everyday use.

You can also visit my full collection of crochet accessory patterns for even more small projects to wear, use, and gift.

Let’s connect!

I’d love to see what you’re making! Share your finished project and follow along for more free crochet patterns and tutorials.

📌 Don’t forget to pin this pattern for later!
Happy crocheting! 🧶
— Melissa