Crochet Rat Tote Bag Pattern | Amigurumi Animal Bag Tutorial

If you’ve been searching for a crochet project that’s equal parts quirky, functional, and absolutely show-stopping, this crochet rat tote bag pattern is exactly what you need. This amigurumi-inspired animal bag combines the charm of a classic crochet character with the practicality of an everyday tote, giving you something you can carry to the farmer’s market, a crafting event, or honestly anywhere you want people to stop and ask, “Wait, did you make that yourself?”

The answer, of course, is yes. And you’ll have this pattern to prove it.

Whether you’re an experienced crocheter looking for your next statement piece or an intermediate maker ready to level up from scarves and dishcloths, this rat tote bag tutorial will walk you through every stitch, every round, and every tiny little ear. Let’s get into it.

Why a Rat Tote Bag?

Before we dive into the pattern itself, let’s talk about why this particular animal has captured the hearts of so many crafters lately. Rats have had a serious renaissance in popular culture. From beloved fictional chefs to the internet’s obsession with “little guys,” the humble rat has become a symbol of charm, resourcefulness, and slightly chaotic energy — which honestly describes most crocheters perfectly.

A rat tote bag made in amigurumi style brings together the best of two beloved crochet worlds: structured bag-making and the soft, round, expressive character work that defines amigurumi. The result is a bag that looks like a plushie but functions like a real, usable tote. It’s roomy enough to carry your yarn stash, your groceries, or your entire emotional support water bottle collection.

This pattern is also a fantastic gift. Whether you’re making it for a fellow rat enthusiast, a friend who unironically loves weird things, or yourself (the best reason), a finished rat tote bag is the kind of handmade item that people genuinely treasure.

Materials You’ll Need

To complete this crochet rat tote bag, gather the following supplies before you begin. Having everything on hand before you start will make your crocheting experience much smoother.

Yarn: You’ll need a bulky weight yarn (size 5 or 6) for the main body of the bag. Choose a main color for the rat’s body — classic gray is always adorable, but cream, brown, pink, or even pastel shades work beautifully. You’ll also need a small amount of a lighter pink or peachy tone for the inner ears, nose area, and paw details, plus a tiny bit of black or dark brown for the eyes if you’re not using safety eyes.

Hook: A 5.0mm to 6.0mm crochet hook works well for the body of the bag. If your tension runs tight, go up half a size.

Safety Eyes: Two 18mm black safety eyes give the rat its iconic amigurumi expression. If you’re making this bag for someone under three years old or prefer not to use safety eyes, you can embroider the eyes with black yarn instead.

Lining Fabric (Optional but Recommended): A coordinating cotton fabric cut to size and hand-stitched or machine-stitched inside the bag will reinforce the structure and prevent small items from poking through the stitches.

Stitch Markers, Yarn Needle, Scissors: Standard tools for any crochet project.

Fiberfill: A small amount of polyester fiberfill is used to stuff the head and ears of the rat so they hold their rounded shape.

Wire or Bag Handles (Optional): If you want a more structured handle, you can thread your crocheted strap over a piece of nylon webbing or attach D-rings for a more purse-like finish.

Gauge and Sizing

Gauge matters more in bag-making than in many other crochet projects because you want the fabric to be tight enough to hold its shape and sturdy enough to carry weight. Aim for approximately 13 stitches and 15 rows per 4 inches in single crochet using your chosen yarn and hook.

The finished rat tote bag measures approximately 12 inches wide, 13 inches tall at the body (not including the head), and 4 inches deep when worked in the round. The strap, when finished, adds about 22 inches of length on each side, making it comfortable as a shoulder bag or crossbody depending on your preference.

If you want a larger or smaller bag, you can easily scale the pattern up or down by adjusting your starting chain and increasing/decreasing proportionally throughout. Just note that the head and features are designed to proportion with the body as written, so adjust those elements accordingly.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology. Here’s a quick reference for the abbreviations you’ll encounter:

ch — chain, sl st — slip stitch, sc — single crochet, hdc — half double crochet, dc — double crochet, inc — increase (two single crochets in the same stitch), dec — decrease (invisible decrease using front loops), MR — magic ring, BLO — back loop only, FLO — front loop only, st — stitch, rep — repeat, pm — place marker, RS — right side, WS — wrong side.

Pattern Instructions

The Bag Body

The body of the rat tote is worked from the bottom up in joined rounds, giving it a clean, structured shape with a flat base.

Foundation (Flat Oval Base): Chain 20. Starting in the second chain from the hook, work one single crochet in each of the next 18 chains. Work 3 single crochets in the last chain to round the end. Now work back along the other side of the foundation chain, placing one single crochet in each of the next 18 stitches. Work 2 single crochets in the last stitch to complete the oval. Join with a slip stitch to the first stitch. You should have approximately 42 stitches.

Round 2: Work one single crochet in each stitch around, working 3 increases evenly spaced at both rounded ends. Join. You should have approximately 50 stitches.

Round 3: Repeat the increase pattern, adding 2 more stitches at each end. Join. You should have approximately 58 stitches.

Rounds 4 through 6: Work even (no increases) around. Join each round.

Rounds 7 through 30: Continue working single crochet in every stitch around, joining at the end of each round. This creates the tall, straight sides of the bag. If you want a taller bag, simply add more rounds here before continuing.

Top Edge Rounds: Work two rounds of half double crochet around the top opening of the bag for a slightly thicker, more polished edge. Slip stitch to join. Fasten off and weave in ends.

The Rat’s Head

This is where the magic happens. The head is worked separately in the round and then attached to the front of the bag so it protrudes slightly, giving the bag its three-dimensional amigurumi character.

Magic Ring: Work 6 single crochets into a magic ring. Pull tight to close.

Round 1: Increase in every stitch. You should have 12 stitches.

Round 2: Alternate one single crochet and one increase around. You should have 18 stitches.

Round 3: Work 2 single crochets, then increase. Repeat around. You should have 24 stitches.

Rounds 4 and 5: Work even around with no increases.

Round 6: Work 3 single crochets, then increase. Repeat around. You should have 30 stitches.

Rounds 7 through 10: Work even around.

Round 11: Attach safety eyes between Rounds 6 and 7, spacing them approximately 8 stitches apart. Begin decreasing: work 3 single crochets, then decrease. Repeat around. You should have 24 stitches.

Round 12: Stuff the head firmly with fiberfill now, before the opening gets too small. Work 2 single crochets, then decrease. Repeat around. You should have 18 stitches.

Round 13: Work one single crochet, then decrease. Repeat around. You should have 12 stitches.

Round 14: Decrease around. You should have 6 stitches. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew the head shut and weave the tail through to use for attaching to the bag.

Snout: Using your pink yarn, work a small oval shape by chaining 4 and working single crochets around both sides of the chain, increasing at the ends. Work 2 rounds even. Fasten off and sew to the lower front of the head in a slightly protruding position.

Nose: Embroider a small upside-down triangle or “Y” shape in dark yarn on the tip of the snout.

Whiskers: Thread a long piece of stiff thread or thin yarn through the snout from left to right, trimming to your desired whisker length on both sides. Repeat with two more threads for a total of 6 whiskers.

The Ears

Make 4 pieces (2 outer ears in main color, 2 inner ears in pink):

Magic Ring: Work 6 single crochets into a magic ring.

Round 1: Increase in each stitch. You should have 12 stitches.

Round 2: Alternate one single crochet and one increase. You should have 18 stitches.

Round 3: Work even around. Fasten off.

Hold one outer ear and one inner ear together with wrong sides facing and whipstitch around the edges using the main color, leaving a small gap at the bottom. Do not stuff. Close the gap and fasten off. Pinch the base of each ear slightly and stitch to hold the pinch before sewing to the head.

Attach ears to the top of the head, approximately 5 stitches apart, angling them very slightly outward for that classic rat look.

The Tail

The tail is one of the most charming details of this bag and can be worked in two ways depending on your preference. For a looped, decorative tail, chain 60 in your main color and slip stitch back along the entire length of the chain to create a rounded cord. Attach to the back exterior of the bag body near the base, letting it loop or curl naturally. For a thinner, more delicate tail, you can work a crochet cord using the magic cord technique instead, which produces a tight, round spiral naturally.

The Arms and Paws

Work two small arm/paw shapes to attach to the front of the bag near the head, giving the impression that the rat is “holding on” to the top of the bag.

Magic Ring: Work 6 single crochets. Work even for 6 rounds in the round. Fasten off, leaving a tail. Stuff lightly. Sew the open end closed in an oval shape to create a little paw, and embroider 3 small toe lines with dark yarn. Attach to the front upper portion of the bag, one on each side of the head.

The Strap

Chain 200 (or adjust for your desired length). Single crochet back across the entire chain, then single crochet a third row. This creates a flat, three-row strap. For extra strength, work a fourth and fifth row or fold the strap in half and seam it together lengthwise. Attach securely to both side seams of the bag using multiple passes of yarn for reinforcement. If you’re lining the bag, you can also sew the strap attachment points to the lining fabric for extra security.

Assembly and Finishing

With all of your pieces complete, assembly is the moment everything comes together. Position the head on the front of the bag centered horizontally, with the bottom of the head sitting about 2 inches below the top edge of the bag opening. Sew firmly all the way around using mattress stitch or whipstitch and your yarn needle, making sure there are no gaps.

Attach the arms below and on either side of the head. Attach the tail to the back. Give your rat a final fluff and shape, adjusting the ears and snout as needed. If you’re adding a fabric lining, now is the time to cut your fabric, fold the edges under by about half an inch, and slip stitch it into the bag’s interior, being careful not to let stitches show on the outside.

Tips for the Best Results

Working in the back loop only on alternating rounds of the bag body creates a subtle ribbed texture that looks polished and helps the fabric hold its structure better than working through both loops. If you’re using a single-ply yarn, consider going down half a hook size to tighten your stitches and prevent items from slipping through gaps in the fabric. Blocking the bag body by lightly misting it with water and letting it dry on a flat surface or over a large round bowl can help it hold its shape beautifully.

When attaching the head, work slowly and check frequently from a distance to make sure it’s centered. A slightly crooked head is charming on a stuffed animal but slightly less so on a bag you’ll be wearing. Use pins or locking stitch markers to hold the head in place before committing to sewing.

For the whiskers, using stiff fishing line or thin wire covered in thread will help them hold their horizontal position without drooping over time.

Variations and Customizations

One of the most joyful parts of this pattern is how much room it leaves for creative interpretation. You can swap the gray for a warm brown and add a slightly shorter snout to turn your rat into a mouse. Use cream or white yarn with pink accents for an albino rat look that’s absolutely striking. Add a little graduation cap to the rat’s head using a square of black felt and a bit of embroidery floss for a perfect gift for a student or teacher.

The bag body itself can be worked in stripes, color blocks, or even tapestry crochet if you want to add a pattern to the exterior. A small interior pocket, worked in cotton fabric and hand-stitched inside, is a practical addition for keeping your phone or keys accessible.

If you’re an advanced crocheter, try adding a zipper closure to the top of the bag using a standard zipper and a whipstitch attachment method for a more secure everyday bag.

Sharing Your Finished Rat Tote Bag

Once you’ve finished your rat tote bag, the crochet community absolutely wants to see it. Share your finished project on Instagram or Pinterest using hashtags like #crochetbag, #amigurumianimals, #rattotebag, and #crochetanimalbag so other crafters can find inspiration from your work. If you’ve made any modifications or improvements to the pattern, leaving a note in the comments or in your post caption helps other makers who are following along.

This pattern is available as a downloadable PDF so you can save it to your device, print it out, or pull it up on a tablet while you work. The PDF version includes all pattern instructions in a cleanly formatted layout with stitch count reminders at the end of every major section, a materials checklist, and a visual guide for the ear and snout shaping.

Crafting something this unique takes time, patience, and a whole lot of love for the craft — and for rats. When you carry your finished bag out into the world for the first time and someone does a double-take on the street because they think there’s a rat peeking out of your bag, just smile. You made that. You made something that made a stranger smile and look twice, and that’s what handmade really means.

Happy crocheting.