Crochet Another Duffle Bag With Me: How to Do the Side Circles
There is something uniquely satisfying about making a bag that looks like it came from a boutique shelf but was crafted entirely by your own hands. The duffle bag is one of those projects that feels ambitious the first time you attempt it, and then becomes something you want to make over and over again in every color you can find. If you have been following along with my crochet journey, you already know that I am completely obsessed with this style of bag. The structured shape, the sturdy handles, and most importantly, those beautiful circular side panels that give the duffle its iconic form — everything about this project brings me joy.
Today I want to sit down with you and walk through one of the most asked-about parts of the whole duffle bag construction: the side circles. These little rounds are the heart of the bag. They determine the width, they give the finished piece that perfect cylindrical shape, and when worked correctly, they lay completely flat and join seamlessly to the body of the bag. A lot of people feel nervous about this part, and I completely understand that. But I promise you, once you understand what is happening stitch by stitch, it clicks in a way that feels like magic.
So grab your hook, pull out your yarn, and let’s crochet another duffle bag together.
Why the Side Circles Matter More Than You Think
Before we even pick up a hook, I want to talk about why the side circles deserve so much attention. When people first look at a crocheted duffle bag, their eyes go to the color, the texture of the body, maybe the zipper or the handles. But experienced makers and people who really study construction will immediately look at the ends. A flat, smooth, perfectly round side panel signals quality. A side circle that cups, ruffles, or puckers tells a different story.
The side circles set the diameter of your entire bag. If you are making a bag that is meant to hold gym clothes, a change of shoes, or a weekend’s worth of belongings, you want those circles to be wide enough to be genuinely useful. If you are making a mini duffle as a cute accessory or a gift, you can keep them smaller. The math of the bag body — how long it needs to be, how many stitches to pick up for the gusset — all flows from the diameter you establish in those circles.
Getting them right is also how you avoid the dreaded “flying saucer” effect where the sides dome outward, or the “pinched bowl” look where they cave inward. Both of those issues come from stitch count errors, and we are going to make sure that does not happen to you.
Materials You Will Need
For the side circles specifically, and for the duffle bag overall, here is what I am working with in this version:
I am using a chunky weight yarn in black, which photographs beautifully and hides any minor tension inconsistencies — a little trick I love for bag making. A size 6mm or 6.5mm crochet hook works wonderfully with this weight. You want the fabric to be dense and sturdy, so do not be afraid to size down slightly from whatever the yarn label recommends. Bags need structure.
You will also want a locking stitch marker. This is non-negotiable for working in the round. A tapestry needle for weaving in ends. Scissors. And if you are attaching a zipper and handles to the finished bag, have those materials ready to go so you can try on the circles for size as you complete them.
Understanding the Magic Ring Start
Every flat circle in crochet, whether it is a granny square center, a mandala motif, or a bag panel, begins with controlling the center. For bag circles, I always start with a magic ring rather than a chain ring, because a chain ring can leave a visible hole in the center that bugs me endlessly on finished items I want to look polished.
To make the magic ring, wrap the yarn around your fingers, slide it off as a loop, insert your hook through the loop, pull up a loop of working yarn, chain one to anchor the ring, and then work your first round of stitches directly into that center opening. When you pull the tail, the center closes completely. It is a small thing that makes a big difference in the finished look.
Round by Round: Building the Side Circle
Now here is where we get into the specific construction. I will walk you through each round in a way that explains not just what to do but why, so that if you ever need to adjust the size or the stitch pattern, you have the understanding to do it confidently.
Round 1: Work six single crochet stitches into the magic ring. Pull the ring closed. You now have six stitches arranged in a small central cluster. This is your foundation. Slip stitch to join, or if you prefer to work in a continuous spiral, place your stitch marker in the first stitch of the round and keep going without joining. I personally prefer the continuous spiral method for circles because it eliminates the jog that joining can create.
Round 2: Work two single crochet stitches into each stitch around. You now have twelve stitches. This is the fundamental rule of flat crochet circles: you double the stitch count in round two. Your circle should already look like a tiny, flat disc.
Round 3: Work one single crochet in the first stitch, then two single crochet in the next stitch. Repeat this pattern all the way around. You are increasing every other stitch, and you will end with eighteen stitches. Check that your work is still laying flat. If it is already starting to dome, your tension might be a bit tight, and you can try loosening your grip slightly on the yarn.
Round 4: Single crochet in the first two stitches, then two single crochet in the third stitch. Repeat around. You end with twenty-four stitches. The increase pattern here is one increase for every three stitches. Notice the pattern: round two had one increase per stitch, round three had one increase per two stitches, round four has one increase per three stitches. Are you seeing where this is going?
Round 5: Single crochet in three stitches, then two single crochet in the fourth. Repeat around. Twenty-four becomes thirty stitches. One increase for every four stitches.
Round 6: Single crochet in four stitches, two single crochet in the fifth. Repeat around. Thirty becomes thirty-six stitches. One increase for every five stitches.
Round 7: Single crochet in five stitches, two single crochet in the sixth. Repeat around. Thirty-six becomes forty-two stitches.
Round 8: Single crochet in six stitches, two single crochet in the seventh. Repeat around. Forty-two becomes forty-eight stitches.
By the time you reach round eight, you should have a circle that measures roughly six to seven inches in diameter depending on your tension and yarn weight. For a standard medium-sized duffle bag, this is a great target measurement. If you want a larger bag, simply continue the pattern — each additional round adds six more stitches and increases the diameter proportionally. If you want a smaller bag, you can stop a round or two earlier.
The rule is always the same: add six stitches per round, and the flat disc will continue to grow perfectly without cupping or ruffling. If you ever accidentally add too many stitches, you will get ruffling. Too few, and it cups. Six per round is the magic number for single crochet circles.
Checking Your Circle for Flatness
After every two or three rounds, set your circle down on a flat surface and look at it honestly. Does it lay completely flat? Beautiful. Does it have any tendency to dome up in the center or curl at the edges? That is valuable information.
If it is doming, you likely have tension that is slightly tight. Try loosening up on the yarn, or go up half a hook size. If it is ruffling at the edges, you may have added an extra increase somewhere, or your tension is quite loose. Count your stitches carefully to confirm you are hitting the right numbers at the end of each round.
Blocking can help minor imperfections. Wet the finished circle, shape it with your hands, pin it to a blocking mat, and let it dry completely. You will be amazed at how much a little blocking evens things out, especially with natural fiber yarns. Acrylic yarns can be steam blocked, but be gentle — you do not want to kill the fiber.
Making Both Circles Match
This sounds obvious but it genuinely is a step that trips people up: make both circles exactly the same. Same number of rounds, same hook, ideally from the same yarn skein if you are working with a yarn that has any variation in dye lot.
I like to work both circles at the same time on separate hooks if I have two the same size, working the same round on each before moving on. This keeps the tension and the size almost perfectly identical. If you work one circle completely and then start the second days later when your hands are in a different mood, your tension can shift in subtle ways that will be visible when the bag is assembled.
Measure both circles across the diameter before you consider them finished. They should match within a few millimeters. If one is noticeably larger, check your stitch count and see where the discrepancy crept in.
Joining the Circles to the Bag Body
Once your circles are done, the way you attach them to the main body of the bag is what determines whether the whole thing looks seamless and professional or a bit rough around the edges.
I like to use a single crochet join worked through both layers, which creates a visible ridge on the outside of the bag. On a black bag, that ridge looks intentional and structural — it adds a design element. If you want a completely invisible join, you can sew the circles in with a tapestry needle using whip stitch, matching one stitch of the circle to one stitch along the edge of the bag body.
Before joining, pin the circles into place. I use locking stitch markers as pins all the way around the circumference, spacing them evenly. This is the step where you will catch any sizing issues. If the circle is slightly too small for the bag body opening, you can add one more round. If it is slightly too large, you may need to ease it in carefully or frog the last round and redo it.
Working the join round evenly is important. Go slowly, especially if you are single crochet joining. Make sure you are picking up the correct loops from both pieces and that your tension is consistent all the way around.
Troubleshooting Common Side Circle Problems
Even experienced crocheters run into trouble with this part of the construction, so let me address the most common issues directly.
The circle is the right size but it keeps twisting. This is almost always a tension issue or a spiral jog problem. Try blocking more aggressively and pinning it flat. If you are joining in rounds rather than spiraling, make sure your slip stitch join is not pulling one side tighter than the other.
There is a visible line where the rounds start and end. This is the jog that comes from working in joined rounds. Switching to a continuous spiral eliminates this. If you prefer joined rounds, you can use a technique of slip stitching into the next stitch before beginning each new round, which shifts the jog and makes it much less visible.
The circle looks beautiful on its own but puckers when attached to the bag. This usually means the stitch count along the edge of the bag body does not match the stitch count of the circle. Count both before joining, and add or subtract stitches in your final join round if needed to make them match evenly.
The Satisfaction of Getting This Right
I want to take a moment here to acknowledge something that I think matters in the crafting community: the side circles of a duffle bag are genuinely a skill worth celebrating. This is not a beginner-level task. You are working with circular construction, maintaining tension across multiple rounds, matching pieces to each other, and then joining them cleanly to a three-dimensional object. That is intermediate to advanced crochet work, and if you are attempting it, you should feel proud of yourself for showing up for the challenge.
The first time I made a duffle bag, my side circles were terrible. One of them ruffled, the other one cupped, and neither of them matched the bag body the way I wanted. I frogged both of them and started over. The second attempt was better. The third attempt was the one I was actually happy with. This is how crochet works. The process teaches you, and every time you make this bag, your circles will be a little cleaner, a little flatter, a little more perfect.
A Few Extra Tips for This Version of the Bag
Since we are making this bag together and I want you to have the best possible outcome, here are a few things I have learned from making multiple versions of this style:
Working with black yarn is harder on the eyes than working with lighter colors. Good lighting is not optional — it is essential. A daylight lamp makes a huge difference in seeing your stitches clearly and catching any miscounted increases before they become a problem.
Do not skip weaving in your ends on the circles before attaching them. Once the circles are sewn into the bag body, reaching those center tails becomes very difficult, and a loose end inside a bag is annoying at best and a snagging hazard at worst.
If you are adding a base insert or any kind of stiffening to the bag, consider whether you want a fabric circle inside each end panel as well. This takes the structure to another level and makes the bag feel truly boutique quality.
Let’s Keep Making Things Together
The side circles are the part of the duffle bag that most people overthink before they start and then find surprisingly satisfying once they are in the rhythm of it. Round after round, the disc grows, the stitch count climbs predictably, and before long you are holding something that looks like the real thing — because it is.
I am so glad you are crocheting this bag alongside me. Whether this is your first duffle or your fifth, there is always something new to notice, some small improvement in your technique, some fresh color combination that makes the whole project feel exciting again. That is the thing about crochet that keeps me coming back: it is never quite the same twice, even when you are following the same pattern.
Keep your hook moving, trust the math, and remember that every imperfect circle you make is teaching your hands something valuable. I will see you in the next part of the build.
