Captain America Shield backpack/toy/pillow

A pretty easy pattern for a simple Captain America shield backpack/bag that could also be easily made into a toy or throw pillow instead. Shoulder strap is removable so shield can be worn on arm to facilitate jumping about your home and feeling pretty badass. As a bonus shield is soft and can be thrown without causing too much collateral damage.



Materials:

*blue worsted yarn
*red worsted yarn
*white worsted yarn
*brown worsted yarn
*gray worsted yarn (or whatever color you want for the back)
*metal snaps for bag closure, I used 2
*large button for shoulder strap
*yarn needle for sewing
* H hook
*stuffing if you want to make this a pillow instead

Note: there is no gauge for this pattern. The only thing that is important is that you have a tight stitch when crocheting. If you use the recommended hooks it should be fine but if you are someone who crochets more loosely you may want to reduce the hook size accordingly.
 
 
This pattern is worked in rounds (unless otherwise noted) and may use any the following techniques/abbreviations:
Sc- single crochet
inc- increase
dec- decrease, particularly you should use the invisible decrease if you know how to do it
sc in each sc or work even- single crochet in each single crochet, don't add any increases or decreases
R- round or row
Ch- chain
hdc- half double crochet
Trpl- triple crochet
# sc or sc #- for example 5 sc or sc 5 both mean to crochet in the next 5 sc, with one single crochet in each.
Repeat (*)- repeat what is between the asterisks * until you come to the end of the round, unless otherwise indicated
ring- magic ring. If you cannot do this technique then you may substitute this: ch 2 and sc however many were supposed to go in the ring into the second ch. However this will leave a small hole in the piece, this is why the magic ring is preferred, it leaves no visible hole. Many tutorials on how to do the magic ring are available online.
 
The numbers in parenthesis at the end of each row are the number of stitches you should have when that row is done. Mark the start of each round with a marker and move this marker as you complete rows/rounds.

IMPORTANT NOTE! 
All pieces (unless otherwise indicated) are worked with TWO strands of yarn together. You may do this by taking the strand on the outside of the skien and the one which comes from the inside of the skien together. Crochet with two strands the same way you would crochet if you had only one, hold them both together as you crochet. 

Star (use white and H hook, 2 strands held together as one)
Round1- 10hdc in ring (10)
Round2- inc all (20 hdc)
Making points: ch 8, slp stitch in 2nd ch from hook, sc, hdc, hdc, dc, dc, trpl, skip two stitches and slp stitch to join to circle, slp stitch in next stitch and repeat all. (make 5 points)
 Finish off, leave long tail for sewing.

Shield front: Use H hook, start with Blue, 2 strands held together as one
Note that I worked in the round/spiral so you can see my color changes a little. If you want invisible color changes you can join rounds instead (I hate joining rounds so I did mine in a spiral)
Round1- 6 sc in ring (6)
R2- inc in each sc (12)
R3- *sc, inc * (18)
R4- *2sc, inc* (24)
R5- *3 sc, inc* (30)
R6- *4sc, inc* (36)
R7- *5sc, inc* (42)
R8- *6sc, inc* (48)
R9- *7sc, inc* (54) chg to red at end of round
R10- *8sc, inc* (60)
R11- *9sc, inc* (66)
R12- *10sc, inc* (72)
R13- *11sc, inc*(78)
R14- *12sc, inc* chg to white at end (84)
R15- *13sc, inc* (90)
R16- *14sc, inc* (96)
R17- *15sc, inc*(102)
R18- *16sc, inc*(108)
R19- *17sc, inc* chg to red at end(114)
R20- *18sc, inc*  (120)
R21- *19sc, inc*(126)
R22- *20sc, inc*(132)
R23- *21sc, inc*(138)
R24- sc in all (138)

For back piece use gray yarn, h hook, 2 strands held together as one
Follow instructions for front of shield, ignoring color changes. Make last 2 rounds red if you like (I only did this because I ran out of gray yarn)

Larger shield straps (to be used as hand/arm straps) Make 2 in brown, 2 strands held together with H hook
Worked in rows
Row 1-Ch 23, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each after (22 hdc total)
R2-4 hdc in each hdc (22)
Finish off, leave tail for sewing

Smaller shield straps (to thread shoulder strap through) Make 3 with brown, 2 strands held together as one with H hook)
Worked in rows
Row1- ch 11, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each after (10 hdc)
R2- hdc in each hdc (10) 
Finish off, leave tail for sewing

Shoulder strap (make 1 or 2 of these, if you think you will be carrying heavier things make 2 and sew them together. Use brown yarn, 2 strands held together, H hook)
Worked in rows
Row 1-ch 6, hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each after (5 hdc)
R2-?- hdc in each hdc ( I made mine about 3 feet long, yours will be different as it needs to fit tightly across your chest, this helps hold the shield up in the middle of your back. Crochet as many rows as you need to  in order to get a correct fit.)
Once you have about the right size make the button hole:
ch 2, dc, dc, ch1, skip next stitch, dc, dc
Now work 2 rows of 5 hdc and finish off.
Sew the button on the side opposite the button hole and test the size and add or remove rows as needed.

Assembly
*Sew star in center of shield 
*Hold front and back of shield together with right sides facing out and sc around, sc through both front and back to join. You can  also sew them together instead. (leave an opening if you want this to be a bag, see picture below for how big I made the opening in mine. sc all the way around if you are making a toy or stuff it and sew all the way around if you are making a throw pillow.)
*sew small and large straps on back, use picture as a reference for position relative to opening
*sew snaps on inside of opening to close if making a bag
*thread shoulder strap through all straps on shield and go fight for justice!

Back side of shield. Crochet hooks indicate where opening is for bag

shoulder strap