Granny stitch market bag
Want to learn how to crochet a market tote bag that is eco-friendly, durable, and sustainable? Then you will love this easy and beginner, step-by-step market bag free crochet pattern. Scroll down for the free pattern, or purchase the ad-free printable PDF here.
Why you will love this market bag
Step into a greener, more sustainable world with our beautiful crochet market bag pattern. This isn’t just any bag; it’s a testament to eco-conscious living, a personal stand against unnecessary plastic waste, and, let’s not forget, a stylish accessory that’s sure to turn heads.
When you fill up your crochet market bag, you’re saying a firm ‘no’ to the disposable culture that’s causing harm to our planet.
And the best part? Every time you use your crochet market bag, you get a sense of accomplishment – you made this reliable, sturdy, and utterly charming bag yourself!
What is the best yarn for a crochet market tote bag?
For a market tote bag, you need a yarn that combines strength, style, functionality, and flair.
That’s where cotton yarn truly shines. This all-natural fiber offers exceptional durability, which is crucial for a bag meant to carry weight. Cotton yarn doesn’t stretch out as much as other materials, ensuring your bag keeps its shape even when filled with groceries.
Moreover, cotton yarn is available in many colors, so you can easily personalize your tote bag with the color you love.
It’s also machine washable, meaning you can keep your bag fresh and ready for your next shopping spree.
So, when it comes to the best yarn for a crochet market tote bag, cotton yarn is the clear winner. It’s the perfect blend of strength, sustainability, and style, making it an ideal choice for your crochet project.
If you are a crochet bag lover like me than you should definetely check our other bag patterns like the summer sofia bag, talia bag, our hit bag not your granny bag or the alpine tulip bag patterns.
Yarn substituon for crochet tote bag
You can use whatever yarn you have in your stash, but for durability cotton yarn is the perfect choice. If you cannot find Hobbii Friends cotton yarn which I used for this pattern, you can always substitute it with another brand and here are some suggestion.
Keep in mind that if you substitute the yarn you will need to adjust the hooks size as well. The size of the bag will turn bigger if you use worsted weight yarn instead of lightweight yarn.
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Print this pattern for later
Below you will find the free crochet pattern of the crochet tote bag. But I know some of you prefer a hard copy instead of using a screen.
If so the Premium PDF pattern is just for you!
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Materials needed:
Final measurements: 31 cm x 32 cm without the handles
Stitch Abbreviation ( US TERMS ):
sc- single crochet
dc- double crochet
ch(s)- chain (s)
st(s)- stitch (es)
beg ch- beginning chain
sl knot- slip knot
sl st – slip stitch
sk- skip
rep- repeat
rnd(s)- round(s)
sp – space
ch-1 sp- chain -1 space
prev- previous
YO- yarn over
CL- cluster stitch
PM- Place marker
Dc3tog- double crochet 3 together
**- repeat the stitches in the ** indicated times
() – work the indicated stitches all in the next st or space
{}- work the repetition in the brackets indicated times
Special stitches:
Double crochet Cluster stitch– The cluster stitch is made by three double crochet stitches worked in the same chain space. If you can crochet the double crochet stitch, then you can easily make the market bag because it is made entirely by using cluster stitches.
How to crochet the Cluster stitch
01
Step 1
Start with a Magic ring, secure with a knot, ch2, YO,
02
Step 2
Insert your hook into the magic ring, grab your yarn and
03
Step 3
pull through, 3 loops on the hook,
04
Step 4
YO pull through the first two loops, 2 loops on the hook,
05
Step 5
YO pull through all the loops.
06
Step 6
Repeat steps 1-5 one more time. You will have a cluster stitch of 3 double crochet stitches at the end. Ch3 at the beginning is counted as the first double crochet stitch of the cluster.
Related post: Not your granny bag a free pattern- made of cluster stitches and decorated with colorful stripes for more modern and stylish look.
The other special stitch used is the double crochet three together which we use to decrease in granny stitch pattern, so we can achieve the look of the bag.
For round 14 and round 15 the decrease is the same, but worked a little differently. For round 14 we decrease ( crochet double crochet three together ) over the chain space, the middle double crochet stitch of the cluster, and the next chain space.
For round 15 we decrease over the chain space, the stitch created by the decrease of the previous round and the next chain space. See the step-by-step photo tutorial on how to decrease in granny stitch for rounds 14 and 15.
How to crochet double crochet 3 together for rnd 14
01
Step 1
YO, insert your hook in next ch-1sp, YO, pull through ( 3 loops on the hook ), YO, pull through the first 2 loops ( 2 loops on the hook), YO, insert your hook in the middle st of the granny st, YO, pull through ( 4 loops on the hook ), YO, pull through the first 2 loops ( 3 loops on the hook ), YO, insert your hook in next ch-1 sp, YO, pull through ( 5 loops on the hook ), YO, pull through the first 2 loops ( 4 loops on the hook )
02
Step 2
YO, pull through all the loops.
Round 15 includes more detailed photos because we will repeat crocheting it for the bag’s body. It is important to place your decreases in the right places so the bag turns like mine.
How to double crochet 3 together for round 15
01
Step 1
YO, insert your hook in the next ch-1sp, YO, pull through ( 3 loops on the hook ), YO, pull through the first 2 loops ( 2 loops on the hook),
More free crochet patterns using the cluster stitch
If you like easy patterns and search for easy, beginner-friendly patterns for your next crochet projects, check out these easy baby blanket patterns, which involve some simple stitches and simple shapes to create beautiful baby blankets. They are perfect as scrap yarn as well.
So if you have any leftover balls around the couch, it is time to use them.
02
Step 2
YO, insert your hook in the next st ( which is the dec st from the prev rnd ), YO, pull through ( 4 loops on the hook ), YO, pull through the first 2 loops ( 3 loops on the hook),
03
Step 3
YO, insert your hook in the next ch-1 sp, YO, pull through ( 5 loops on the hook ), YO, pull through the first 2 loops ( 4 loops on the hook),
04
Step 4
YO, pull through all the loops.
The color scheme of the market tote bag:
Rnd 1- 8 – Navy blue
Rnd 9- 12 – Jeans Blue
Rnd 13-15 – Grey
Rnd 16 – 18 – Light jeans blue
Rnd 19- 21 – Light blue
Rnd 22- 24 – Light grey
Rnd 25- 27 – Ice blue
The free crochet Market bag pattern
Rnd 1: Start with MR, ch3, 2dc, ch3, * 1CL, ch3 * rep 2 more times, join on top of first st. ( 4 corners, 4 cluster stitches )
Rnd 2: sl st in each st till the corner sp, ( ch3, 2dc, ch3, 1CL all in the corner sp ), * ch1, sk 3 sts, ( 1CL,ch3, 1CL all in the corner sp ) * rep 2 more times, ch1, join on top of first st. ( 4 corners, 8 cluster stitches )
Rnd 3: sl st in each till the corner sp, ( ch3, 2dc, ch3, 1CL all in the corner sp ), * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp, ch1, sk 3 sts, ( 1CL,ch3, 1CL all in the corner sp ) * rep 2 more times, ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp, ch1, join on top of first st. ( 4 corners, 12 cluster stitches )
Rnd 4: sl st till the corner sp, ( ch3, 2dc, ch3, 1CL all in the corner sp ),{ * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp * rep till the corner sp, ch1, (1CL,ch3, 1CL all in the corner sp ) } rep 2 more times, * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp * rep till the end, ch1, sk 3 sts, join on top of first st. ( 4 corners, 16 cluster stitches )
Repeat round 4, 9 more times, till you have 13 rounds in total. You must have 52 cluster stitches in total at the end of round 13. 13 cluster stitches for each side of the bag.
After you finish round 13, place a marker on the middle stitch of each side. You must have 6 cluster stitches on each side of the marker.
Pro tip:
If you will make your bag bigger or smaller than mine, be careful when placing your stitch markers. They must indicate the middle stitch of each side.
Rnd 14: sl st till the corner, ( ch3, 2dc, ch3, 1CL all in same corner sp ), { * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp* rep 4 more times, dc3tog over the next ch- 1 sp, the middle st of the cluster st and the next ch-1 sp, * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp * rep 4 more times, ch1, ( 1CL, ch3, 1CL all in next corner sp ),} rep 2 more times, * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp * rep 4 more times, dc3tog over the next ch-1 sp, the middle st of the cluster st and the next ch-1 sp, * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp * rep 4 more times, join on top of first st.
After round 14, the bag’s base will start to fold and it is normal. We start to work the sides of the bag and this is the effect we want to achieve.
More free crochet bag patterns
Rnd 15: sl st till the corner, ( ch3, 2dc, ch3, 1CL all in same corner sp ), { * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp* rep 4 more times, dc3tog over the next ch- 1 sp, the next st ( which is the dec st of the prev round ) and the next ch-1 sp, , * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp * rep 4 more times, ch1, ( 1CL, ch3, 1CL all in next corner sp ),} rep 2 more times, * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp * rep 4 more times, dc3tog over the next ch-1 sp, the next st ( which is the dec st of the prev round ) and the next ch-1 sp, * ch1, sk 3 sts, 1CL in next ch-1 sp * rep 4 more times, join on top of first st.
Rep round 15, 12 more times. In the end, you must have 27 rounds. Do not Fasten off.
Rnd 28: sl st to the corner, ch1,( 2sc, ch2, 2sc all in the same corner sp, ), 1 sc in each st and each ch-1 sp till the end of the round placing 2sc, ch2, 2sc into each corner sp, join with sl st on top of first st.
Fasten off. Weave in all the ends.
Market bag’s handles
Work the sts into the ch spaces of the prev round 27 which is the last round with cluster stitches, not into the round with the single crochet stithes.
Row 1: Now insert your hook into the prev ch-1 sp of one of the corners, ch4, sk 3 sts, ( 3dc,ch3,3dc all in next corner sp ), ch1, sk 3 sts, 1 dc in next ch-1 sp,turn.
Row 2: Ch4, sk the next ch-1 sp and the next 3 sts, ( 3dc, ch3,3dc in next corner sp), ch1, 1 dc on top of 3rd ch of ch4.
Rep row 2, 5 more times, or as much as you wish your handles to be. Keep in mind that this is the half of the handle. This mean that if you wish to have 60 cm long handles you must repeat row 2 till you have 30 cm long handle.
Finishing row for each handle:
Ch4, sk all the stitches and make 1 sc into the corner sp, ch4, sk all the stitches and make a sl st on top of dc st.
For the next 3 corners repeat the steps of the prev handles. At the end you must have 4 pieces, 2 pieces for each handle which we will join later.
Joining of the handles:
Now take both of the corresponding handles.
Turn them with the wrong sides facing out and join them with a sc. Place some sc stitches to each ch-space. You can use a tapestry needle to sew both handles if it will be easier for you.
Here is a mini video tutorial – how to make and join the handles:
More Free Crochet Projects to Try
So, you’ve mastered the art of crocheting your own market bag. Bravo! But why stop there? Remember when you first learned to ride a bike? After that first ride, you didn’t just stop at the end of the driveway. The world was your playground.
Let’s expand your horizons with more crochet projects. Ever thought of creating your own crochet hat, scarf, or even a blanket? Each piece is not just a fantastic addition to your personal collection but also makes for a thoughtful, handmade gifts.
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