# Cream and Mocha Granny Backpack Free Crochet Pattern
Granny squares go to school. This two-tone backpack in cream and mocha brown is the coolest way to carry your things — the classic granny square gets a sophisticated makeover in neutrals, with a drawstring top and comfortable straps. I made it for my niece’s first day of school and she hasn’t carried anything else since.
Twenty squares, a drawstring casing, and two straps. The two-tone checkerboard layout is striking but simple — just alternate your colors.
Cream and mocha — timeless neutrals that go with everything. I used sturdy acrylic because backpacks take a beating.
What You’ll Need
- Worsted-weight acrylic yarn in cream (approx. 350 yards) and mocha brown (approx. 350 yards)
- Size H-8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 2 yards of cotton cord for the drawstring
Finished size:
- Approximately 11 inches wide and 13 inches tall
The Pattern
Granny Square (make 20 — 10 cream-centered, 10 mocha-centered)
With your center color, make a magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as DC), work 2 DC into the ring, Ch 2, *work 3 DC into the ring, Ch 2,* repeat 3 times, join. (4 clusters, 4 corners)
Round 2: Slip stitch to the first corner. Change to the second color. Ch 3, (2 DC, Ch 2, 3 DC) in the corner, *Ch 1, (3 DC, Ch 2, 3 DC) in the next corner,* repeat around, Ch 1, join.
Round 3: Slip stitch to the first corner. Ch 3, (2 DC, Ch 2, 3 DC) in the corner, *Ch 1, 3 DC in the next Ch-1 space, Ch 1, (3 DC, Ch 2, 3 DC) in the next corner,* repeat around, Ch 1, join. Fasten off.
Each square measures about 4.5 inches.
Body Assembly
Arrange the squares in a checkerboard: front panel 3 wide × 3 tall (9 squares), back panel 3 wide × 3 tall (9 squares), and 2 squares for the bottom. Alternate cream-centered and mocha-centered squares.
Join the front and back panels with whipstitch. Join the side and bottom edges, sewing in the 2 bottom squares (or crochet a 9 × 4.5 inch base rectangle in mocha).
Top casing: Join mocha at the top edge.
Round 1: Ch 1, SC evenly around (about 64 SC), join.
Rounds 2–3: Ch 1, DC in each stitch around, join. Fasten off. Thread the cotton cord through Round 2’s stitches for the drawstring.
Straps (make 2)
With mocha, Ch 8. Work 55 rows of SC across 7 stitches for sturdy straps. Fasten off with long tails. Sew the top of each strap to the top back edge and the bottom to the lower back, 3 inches apart, with reinforced stitching.
Weave in all ends.
Sophie’s Tips
- The checkerboard only works if you alternate religiously — lay it out and photograph it first.
- Backpack straps take real weight; stitch them down in a full reinforced square with an X.
- A drawstring through double-crochet stitches slides perfectly — single crochet would grip too much.
School cool in granny squares — this backpack is a classic!
