How to Crochet a Bag: Market Tote

You can never have too many bags, right?! Iuliana, Creative Team, is here to show us how to crochet a bag. You’re going to love her crochet market tote tutorial! Super easy and great pictures! Enjoy! Linda

A crochet bag is a very simple and fairly fast project to make. It took me just one evening to make, while I was watching Arrested Development (forgive me, friends that have strongly recommended this show, I just can’t seem to get into it).  I love this bag because you can pretty much do your own thing and it’s hard to mess it up. If you use cotton yarn, it is machine washable and dryable.

It’s also pretty versatile in it’s use – take it for a stroll at the farmer’s market and it’ll fit right in with all those hipster/boho farmer’s market shopping people. It works really well as a beach bag, as all the sand can just seep through the mesh. Ok…ok…you caught me…I don’t go to the beach that often and actually use this bag for my daughter’s sand toys when we go to the play ground. Classy…I know.

How to Crochet a Bag

how to crochet a bag


To learn basic crochet stitches and for more ideas, head over to Hip2Thrift and check out all my crochet and other DIY goodness. Here’s how to crochet a bag!

Supplies:

  • worsted weight cotton yarn (you can use any cotton or acrylic yarn. I wouldn’t recommend wool, as it will shed and get all fuzzy)
  • Size H crochet hook
  • Tapestry needle for weaving in

Crochet Bag Pattern

Step 1: Start with a magic loop. Ch 3 and work 11 DC into the loop.Ch 3 counts as first DC throughout. DO NOT TURN. Do not join. Use a stitch marker and work in the round.

crochet bag tutorial

Step 2: HDC in the ch3. DC in the same stitch. 2DC in next DC and all around.

crochet tutorial

Step 3: *1 DC, 2DC* all around. Place stitch marker.
Step 4: *1 DC in next 2 DCs, 2DC in next DC* all around. Place stitch marker.
Step 5: *1 DC in next 2 DCs, 2DC in next DC* all around. Place stitch marker.

You can stop here or make the bottom as big as you want. I added a couple of more rows before working on the body.

Step 6: *1 DC in next 3 DCs, 2DC in next DC* all around. Place stitch marker.
Step 7: *1 DC in next 4 DCs, 2DC in next DC* all around. Place stitch marker.

Step 8:  Here I’m stopping the round work just for this row. To join, make a HDC, then a SC and then Sl St.

Step 9: Ch 5. Skip 2 stitches, SC in the third stitch from hook. Repeat Ch 5, sk 2st, SC in third stitch all around. (working in the round again)

free crochet bag pattern

Step 10: Join with a Sl St in the beginning Sl St.  * Ch 5, SC in previous Ch 5 space* repeat all around until your bag is the desired height.

crochet bag

Step 11:  CH 2;  HDC in next CH5 sp, HDC in next SC  * HDC in next CH 5 sp, HDC in next SC;  repeat from * around, join with a Sl ST to top of CH 4
Step 12: CH 2; HDC  in each HDC all around, join with SL St to top of  CH 2
Step 13:  CH 1; SC in each HDC around, join with Sl ST to first SC, CH 2

First Handle

Row 1: Ch 1, SC in each of first 2 sts leaving remaining sts unworked, turn (2 SC).
Row 2: Ch 1, SC in first st leaving last st unworked, turn (1).
Row 3: Ch 1, SC in next st, turn, until Handle measures 10″ or whatever length you like. Fasten off.
Skip next 38 sts on last rnd of  the Body, sew end of Handle to next 2 sts.

Second Handle

Row 1: Skip next 38 sts on last rnd of Body after beginning of First Handle, join with SC in next st, SC in next st leaving remaining sts unworked, turn (2 SC).
Row 2: Ch 1, SC in first st leaving last st unworked, turn (1).
Row 3: Ch 1, SC in next st, turn, until Handle measures 10″, fasten off.

Fasten off, leaving tail long enough for sewing.

crochet market bag

Make one of these and take it to the beach, since it looks like mine is getting the toddler treatment this summer.

What would you put in a crochet bag? How would you use it?

Hugs, Iuliana

 

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