Crochet Baby Shower Favor Bag Pattern: A Sweet and Handmade Gift Everyone Will Love
There is something undeniably special about handmade gifts. When guests arrive at a baby shower and find a tiny crocheted bag waiting at their seat or tucked into a gift basket, the reaction is always the same — eyes light up, hands reach out, and the conversation turns to where it came from and how it was made. A crochet baby shower favor bag is one of those projects that feels impressive without actually being complicated, and once you learn the pattern, you will find yourself making dozens of them in an afternoon.
This post will walk you through everything you need to know to create these charming little bags from scratch. Whether you are a seasoned crocheter looking for a quick and rewarding project or a beginner who wants to try something beyond simple squares, this pattern is designed to be approachable, customizable, and truly beautiful when finished. We will cover the materials, the stitches, the step-by-step pattern instructions, and plenty of ideas for how to fill and present your finished bags.
Why Crochet Baby Shower Favor Bags Are Worth Making
Before we dive into the pattern itself, it is worth taking a moment to think about why you would choose to crochet favor bags rather than simply buying them. After all, pre-made favor bags are easy to find and inexpensive to purchase. But there are a few very good reasons why the handmade version wins every single time.
First, they are personal. A crocheted bag tells the recipient that someone sat down, picked up a hook and yarn, and spent time creating something just for them. That level of care is impossible to replicate with a printed paper bag or a cellophane wrap. For a baby shower, where every detail reflects love and celebration, this matters enormously.
Second, they are reusable. Unlike disposable favor packaging, a crocheted bag can be used again and again. Guests might keep it as a little jewelry pouch, a coin purse, a small gift bag for future occasions, or even a decorative accent in a nursery. The gift lives on long after the shower is over.
Third, they are surprisingly fast to make. With bulkier yarn and a larger hook, a single bag can be completed in under thirty minutes. If you are making twenty or thirty bags for a larger shower, you can spread the work over a few evenings and still finish well ahead of the event date.
Finally, they are endlessly customizable. You can match the yarn color to the shower theme, add embellishments like ribbon, buttons, or crochet flowers, and adjust the size to suit whatever you plan to put inside. This pattern is a foundation that you can make your own.
Materials You Will Need
One of the best things about this project is how simple the supply list is. You likely already have most of what you need.
Yarn: Choose a soft, lightweight yarn for the most refined look. Cotton yarn is an excellent choice for baby shower favors because it has a clean finish, holds its shape well, and comes in a wide range of colors. A DK weight or worsted weight cotton will give you a sturdy little bag with good stitch definition. If you prefer a softer, more plush texture, an acrylic or acrylic-blend yarn works beautifully as well. For each bag, you will need approximately 30 to 50 yards of yarn, depending on the size you choose to make.
Crochet Hook: For DK weight yarn, a size 3.5mm or 4mm hook is ideal. For worsted weight yarn, reach for a 5mm or 5.5mm hook. The pattern works well with either, so choose based on the yarn you have available.
Scissors: A small, sharp pair for clean cuts.
Yarn Needle: Also called a tapestry needle or darning needle, this is used for weaving in your ends when you finish.
Ribbon or Cord: You will need a length of ribbon, satin cord, or decorative twine to thread through the top of the bag as a drawstring. About 18 to 24 inches per bag is a comfortable amount. Choose a ribbon that complements your yarn color.
Optional Embellishments: Small buttons, crochet flowers, pearl beads, decorative tags, or anything else you want to add to personalize your bags.
Stitch Markers: Optional but helpful for keeping track of your rounds, especially when you are making many bags in a row.
Understanding the Stitches
This pattern uses only a small handful of standard crochet stitches, making it accessible even for newer crocheters. Here is a quick overview of everything you will use.
Chain (ch): The foundation of almost every crochet project. You create a chain by making a slip knot, inserting your hook, and pulling yarn through the loop.
Slip Stitch (sl st): A very tight, flat stitch often used to join rounds or move across stitches without adding height. You insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.
Single Crochet (sc): One of the most fundamental stitches. Insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over again and pull through both loops.
Half Double Crochet (hdc): Slightly taller than a single crochet. Yarn over, insert your hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all three loops.
Double Crochet (dc): The workhorse of many patterns. Yarn over, insert your hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over and pull through two loops, yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops.
If you know these five stitches, you have everything you need to complete this pattern.
The Crochet Baby Shower Favor Bag Pattern
This pattern creates a bag approximately 4 inches wide and 4 inches tall, which is the perfect size for small favors like a handful of chocolates, a lip balm and lotion set, a bath bomb, a small candle, or a packet of tea. If you would like a larger bag, simply add more starting chains and additional rounds of the body.
Finished Size: Approximately 4 inches wide, 4 inches tall (not including drawstring)
Gauge: 14 sc x 16 rows = 4 inches in single crochet with worsted weight cotton and a 5mm hook. Gauge is not critical for this project, but working at a tighter tension will give you a sturdier bag.
Starting the Bottom of the Bag
Begin with a magic ring, or if you prefer, chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a small ring.
Round 1: Work 6 single crochet into the ring. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. You will have 6 stitches.
Round 2: Chain 1. Work 2 single crochet in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch. You will have 12 stitches.
Round 3: Chain 1. Work 2 single crochet in the first stitch, single crochet in the next stitch. Repeat from to around. Join with a slip stitch. You will have 18 stitches.
Round 4: Chain 1. Work 2 single crochet in the first stitch, single crochet in the next 2 stitches. Repeat from to around. Join with a slip stitch. You will have 24 stitches.
Round 5: Chain 1. Work 2 single crochet in the first stitch, single crochet in the next 3 stitches. Repeat from to around. Join with a slip stitch. You will have 30 stitches.
If you want a slightly wider bag, continue this increase pattern for one or two more rounds before moving on to the body.
Building the Body of the Bag
Now you will begin working in the back loops only (BLO) for one round to create a clean edge where the bottom of the bag meets the sides, then continue in both loops for the rest of the body.
Round 6 (Transition Round): Chain 1. Single crochet in the back loop only of each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch. You will have 30 stitches.
Rounds 7 through 15: Chain 1. Single crochet in both loops of each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch at the end of each round. Continue working these rounds until the bag measures approximately 3.5 to 4 inches from the bottom.
If you prefer a little more texture in the body of your bag, you can substitute half double crochet for single crochet in these rounds. It will create a slightly taller bag with a subtle, attractive texture. You can also try a simple shell stitch or popcorn stitch variation for a more decorative look, but the basic single crochet body is clean and classic.
Creating the Drawstring Channel
This is the round that creates a row of eyelets through which you will thread your ribbon or cord. It is much simpler than it sounds.
Round 16 (Eyelet Round): Chain 1. Single crochet in the first stitch, chain 1, skip 1 stitch. Repeat from to around. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. You will have 15 single crochets and 15 chain-1 spaces.
Round 17: Chain 1. Single crochet in each single crochet and in each chain-1 space around. Join with a slip stitch. You will have 30 stitches.
Round 18: Chain 1. Single crochet in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch. Fasten off.
Weave in your ends with your yarn needle.
Adding the Drawstring
Cut a length of ribbon or cord approximately 20 to 24 inches long. Using a yarn needle, a bobby pin, or a small safety pin, thread the ribbon through the eyelet round, weaving it in and out of each chain-1 space until you have gone all the way around and both ends of the ribbon emerge from the same space or adjacent spaces. Tie the ends together in a bow or a simple knot to close the bag. You can also thread two separate ribbons from opposite sides of the bag so that pulling both tails closes it from both directions, which some people find more satisfying to use.
Customization Ideas and Variations
Once you have the basic pattern down, the possibilities for variation are nearly endless. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
Color Themes: Match your yarn to the shower’s color palette. Soft mint and white for a gender-neutral shower, blush pink and cream for a girl, soft blue and gray for a boy. Alternating colors in stripes by switching yarn every few rounds is also striking and easy to do.
Textured Stitches: Replace the single crochet body rounds with a moss stitch, a linen stitch, or a simple shell pattern. Each creates a completely different look while using the same basic structure.
Crochet Flowers: A small crocheted flower attached to the front of the bag before you add the ribbon is an elegant finishing touch. You can make a simple five-petal flower in minutes using a contrasting color, then sew or slip stitch it onto the bag.
Button Embellishments: A single decorative button sewn to the center front of the bag looks charming and polished. Choose buttons in pearl white, soft gold, or a color that matches the shower theme.
Personalized Tags: Cut small cardstock tags, write a thank-you message or the baby’s name on them, punch a hole in the corner, and tie them to the drawstring ribbon before you tie it closed. This adds a personal touch that guests will appreciate.
Size Variations: For a smaller bag to hold just a few candies or a single macaron, work only through Round 4 for the base (stopping at 24 stitches) and reduce the body to 8 or 9 rounds. For a larger bag that can hold a candle or a small book, continue the base increases to 36 stitches and add more body rounds.
What to Fill Your Favor Bags With
The right filling turns your crochet bag from a lovely craft project into a complete, memorable favor. Here are some popular and well-received options.
Miniature chocolates, truffles, or a few pieces of high-quality candy are always welcome. A small tube of hand lotion and a lip balm make a practical and indulgent pairing. Bath salts or a small bath bomb in a complementary scent is a luxurious option. Two or three individually wrapped tea bags, especially in calming or celebratory flavors like chamomile or hibiscus, feel thoughtful and elegant. A small packet of mixed seeds, with a tag that says something like “watch her grow,” has become a popular trend for baby showers with a garden or nature theme. A small candle, a sachet of dried lavender, or a pretty compact mirror are other lovely choices.
Whatever you choose to fill the bags with, wrap items in tissue paper first if needed to prevent them from showing through the crochet stitches, and make sure everything fits comfortably without stretching the bag out of shape.
Tips for Making Many Bags Efficiently
If you are making a large number of bags for a bigger shower, a few strategies will save you time and keep the project enjoyable rather than exhausting.
Work in assembly-line fashion. Complete all the bottoms first before moving on to the bodies. This way your hands stay in a rhythm and you are not constantly switching between techniques.
Wind your yarn into small center-pull balls before you begin. This prevents tangling and makes it easy to grab a new ball when one runs out.
Weave in ends as you go rather than saving them all for the end. Sitting down with thirty bags worth of loose ends is far more tedious than spending thirty seconds finishing each bag as it comes off the hook.
Use stitch markers to mark the beginning of each round. When you are making many repetitive rounds, it is easy to lose track of where you started, and a marker eliminates any doubt.
Set up a small production station with your yarn, hooks, scissors, needle, ribbon, and embellishments all within reach. Minimizing the time you spend searching for supplies keeps momentum high.
Storing and Presenting Your Finished Bags
Once your bags are made, filled, and tied, you will want to store them carefully until the shower. Keep them in a single layer in a shallow box or basket, away from direct sunlight, which can fade yarn colors over time. If you are making them weeks in advance, store them without the ribbon so they keep their shape, then thread the ribbon through and add the filling closer to the shower date.
For presentation at the shower itself, you can arrange the bags in a large basket lined with tissue paper, set one at each place setting if the shower includes a seated meal or tea, hang them from a ribbon garland as part of the decorations, or display them on a small table near the entrance so guests can pick one up when they arrive.
However you choose to present them, these little handmade bags are sure to become one of the most talked-about details of the entire event. People may even ask if you teach crochet, because once someone holds one of these bags in their hands, the desire to make their own is almost irresistible.
Final Thoughts
A crochet baby shower favor bag is much more than a container for a small gift. It is a piece of handmade love, a tangible reminder that someone cared enough to create something by hand in celebration of a new life. The pattern is simple enough to be approachable, but the finished product looks like something that took far more skill and time than it actually did — which is always the best kind of craft project to have in your repertoire.
Whether you are making them for your own baby shower, a friend’s celebration, or as a side project to sell at markets and boutiques, this pattern will serve you well. Save it, share it, and come back to it again and again. The more you make, the faster and more intuitive the process becomes, and before long you will be customizing freely and making each bag uniquely your own.
Happy crocheting, and congratulations to whatever new little one is being celebrated.
