Crochet Market Bag Pattern

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Crochet Market Bag Pattern

Introduction

Reusable shopping bags are a must these days, and with this pattern you can create a large,

sturdy market bag to keep in your purse or your car, ready to be used when needed. The net

pattern gives it the flexibility to stretch and accommodate bulkier objects or larger loads, while still

being small enough to fold when not in use.

You can make the market bag in just one color or as many colors as you want. Variegated yarn

works very well too.

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Materials

Yarn: cotton crochet cord than can be used with a 4 mm crochet hook. While you can basically

use any kind of cotton yarn, cotton cord makes the bag sturdier (although a little heavier too). For

the bags presented in this tutorial, two rolls or recycled cotton cord were used (shown below).

Each roll weights approximately 200 grams.

Yarn Usage: Approximately 400 grams of cotton cord, although you should have a little leftover.

If you’re using a lighter cotton yarn, adjust the yarn usage accordingly.

Crochet hook: 4 mm

Stitch marker: not absolutely necessary but useful to help keep track of the rows.

Abbreviations (US crochet terms)

 Ch: Chain

 Sst: Slip stitch

 Sc: Single crochet

 Dc: Double crochet

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Size: when made with the yarn above, the bag will have an approximate diameter of 30 cm/12

inches at the top and an approximate height of 50 cm/19.5 inches (70 cm/28 inches when

including the handles). Please note that different yarns may result in different finished sizes.

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Instructions

Row 1: On a magic ring Ch 2 (counts as a double crochet) and then add 11 Dc into the ring (12

stitches in total). Pull the thread to close the ring and join with a Sst.

Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as a double crochet) and then add 1 Dc in the same stitch from Row 1. Add

two Dc over each of the stitches from Row 1 (24 stitches in total). Join with a Sst.

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Row 3: Ch 2 (counts as a double crochet), then add two Dc over the next stitch from previous

row. Alternated *one Dc in the next stitch, two Dc in the following stitch*. Repeat between * until

the end of the row. Join with a Sst (36 stitches in total).

Row 4: Ch 2 (counts as a double crochet), one Dc in the next stitch from previous row, two Dc in

the following one. *One Dc, one Dc, two Dc in the following stitch*. Repeat between * until the

end of the row. Join with a Sst (48 stitches in total).

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Row 5: Ch 2 (counts as a double crochet), one Dc in each of the next two stitches from previous

row, two Dc in the next one. *One Dc, one Dc, one Dc, two Dc in the following stitch*. Repeat

between * until the end of the row. Join with a Sst (60 stitches in total).

Row 6: Ch 2, *Sc in the next stich from the previous row, Ch 1*. Repeat between * until the end

of the row (you will have the same sixty stitches from the previous row, now with a chain space

between each of them).

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From this point onwards it’s useful to use a crochet marker at the first chain of each row so that

you can keep track of the increases. Also, there’s no need to slip stitch at the end of each row,

you can work in spiral and start the next row chains right after the last stitch from the previous

row.

Row 7: *Ch 2, Sc over the next chain from the previous row*. Repeat between * until the end of

the row. Please note that each Sc goes over the chain space from previous row, not the stitches

from previous row.

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The wavy effect is totally normal and will stabilize once the increments are over and enough rows

are added to form the body of the bag.

Row 8: *Ch 3, Sc over the next chain from the previous row*. Repeat between * until the end of

the row.

Row 9: *Ch 4, Sc over the next chain from the previous row*. Repeat between * until the end of

the row.

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It you’re using stitch markers, place one now at the end of this row and leave it there. Since the

next rows are a repetition of row 9, it is much easier to keep track of the number of rows you’ve

finished if you know where row 9 ends and row 10 begins. If you’re not using stitch markers, you

can for example tie a contrasting piece of yarn in place.

Rows 10 to 40: repeat row 9. This is how your stitches will look like as you work:

You can make your bag all in one color, or change colors any time you want. In the case of this

particular bag, I used two colors, so you can see below the color change:

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This is how you can expect your work to look like at row 19:

And this is how it will look at the end of row 40:

Row 41: Ch 2. *One Sc over the Sc from previous row, one Sc over the chain from previous row,

one Sc over the next Sc from previous row, skip the next chain*. Repeat the pattern between *

until the end of the row. Sst over the initial chain to finish the row (90 stitches in total).

Basically you’ll be adding one Sc over each Sc from row 40 and one Sc on alternated chains from

row 40.

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Row 42: Ch 2. Add one Sc over each of the stitches from previous row. Sst to join at the end of

the row (always 90 stitches).

Rows 43 – 46: Repeat row 42. This is what the bag will look like at this point:

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After row 46, you will start to create the bag handles.

Row 47: Ch 2. Add one Sc over each of the next 12 stitches from previous row. Ch 65, skip 20

stitches and then add one Sc over each of the next 25 stitches from previous row. Ch 65, skip 22

stitches, and add one Sc over the next 13 stitches from previous row, to complete the row. Sst

over the initial chain to join.

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Note: as per the instructions above, the handles will have an approximate total length of 47

cm/18.5 inches. If you want your bag handles longer or shorter, increase or decrease the 65

chains in row 47 (make sure the number of chains is the same on both handles). Everything else

remains the same.

Row 48: Ch 2 and add one Sc over each stitch from previous row, including the chains. Sst to

join at the end.

Rows 49-51: Repeat row 48.

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Note: as per the instructions above, the handles will have an approximate total width of 2.5 cm/1

inch. If you want your bag handles wider or narrower, increase or decrease the number of rows

after row 48. Everything else remains the same.

Cut the yarn, weave in ends, and your new crochet market bag is ready to be used.