Create a wonderful reusable crochet market bag with this easy and free pattern.

Design Story and Inspiration for this Easy Crochet Bag

We love going to the Farmer’s Market and would often just take reusable bags we got from the grocery store, but sometimes I would find that they didn’t work the best for our produce.

I’d seen a lot of open, airy french market bag patterns and decided I wanted to try a crochet market bag pattern of my own. I love it! It sure beats using a grocery bag or plastic bag handed out at the Farmer’s Market!

Yarn Options for this Crochet Bag Pattern

I used a 100% cotton yarn for this bag and it has worked very well. The yarn I chose is Yarn Bee Sugarwheel Cotton (and it only took 1 skein!), but if you’ve got some Caron cotton cake yarn in your stash it would work very well as a substitute.

Any worsted weight yarn could be used, but I do think cotton would hold up the best. Gauge isn’t really that important with a bag pattern, but I’ve included it here if you’d like your bag to turn out just like mine.

Market Bag Crochet Pattern Details

To make the bottom of this bag roomy, I created it as a large square motif with a more decorative circle in the middle. Once the square is to the required size, you switch to working in the round in a single crochet mesh.

The single crochet mesh gives the bottom a lot more stability than filet crochet made from double crochet stitches. In this bag pattern, you only change to double crochet mesh after the bottom section has been worked.

Finally, the top band around the bag is constructed using the thermal stitch, which is one of the thickest and sturdiest stitches out there. The handles are also made with the thermal stitch to minimize the chance of stretching out.

How to Customize this Market Crochet Tote Bag

You can choose to make the square base of the bag as large or as small as you’d like. Then, just switch to the single crochet mesh pattern and follow the directions for the rest of the bag, ignoring the stitch counts since they will be different.

If you’d like an even tighter mesh try using a smaller hook – this will tighten up the stitches. I found this gauge gave just the right amount of stretch, but if you start the project and want to make it tighter just change your hook size.

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Sugarwheel Crochet Market Bag

What You’ll Need

Yarn: Yarn Bee Sugarwheel Cotton, 1 skein Forever Fruity

Crochet Hook: US G (4.00mm)

Notions: Yarn needle, scissors, stitch marker (optional, to mark first stitch)

Gauge: 27 sts and 18 rows = 4” (10cm) in single crochet mesh (sc, ch3)

Finished Size: Approximately 11” tall and 12” wide (not including handles)

Stitch Descriptions and Abbreviations
Chain (ch)
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Single Crochet (sc)
Double Crochet (dc)
Two Double Crochet Cluster (2dc cluster) -(yarn over, insert hook into stitch or space indicated, yarn over and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through two loops on hook) two times (three loops on hook), yarn over, draw through remaining three loops on hook.
Three Double Crochet Cluster (3dc cluster) – (yarn over, insert hook into stitch or space indicated, yarn over and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through two loops on hook) three times (four loops on hook), yarn over and draw through remaining four loops on hook.

Pattern Notes

Rows 1-5 form a circle for the base of the bag (seen here in the darker color), then rows 6-20 are worked as a square.  Then the bag is worked even in sc mesh, then dc mesh, finally in a solid thermal stitch for stability at the top.  The straps are also worked in the crochet thermal stitch, which is a firm, thick stitch to give strength to the handles.

Market Crochet Tote Bag Pattern

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 3, dc in magic ring (ch-3 plus dc counts as a 2dc cluster), *ch 3, 2dc cluster; repeat from * four times more, ch 3, join to top of first dc with sl st. <6 ch-3 sps>

Round 2: Sl st into first ch-3 space, ch 1, *(sc, ch 3, sc) in ch-3 space, ch 3; repeat from * four times to last ch-3 space, (sc, ch 3, sc) in last ch-3 space, ch 1, hdc in first sc of round. <11 ch-3 sps, 1 hdc-sp>

Round 3: Ch 3, 2dc cluster in side of hdc, ch 3, sc in next ch-3 space, *ch 3, 3 dc cluster in next ch-3 space, ch 3, sc in next ch-3 space; repeat from * four times, ch 3, sl st in top of first 2dc cluster. <12 ch-3 sps, 5 3dc clusters, 6 sc>

Round 4: Ch 1, *sc in ch-3 space, ch 3; repeat from * around, join to first sc with sl st. <12 ch-3 sps>

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in ch-3 space, *ch 4, sc in next ch-3 space, (ch 3, sc in next ch-3 space) two times; repeat from * around omitting final sc, join to first sc with sl st.

Rounds 6-20: Ch 1, sc in ch-4 space, *ch 4, sc in same ch-4 space, (ch 3, sc in next ch-3 space) to next ch-4 space, ch 3, sc in ch-4 space; repeat from * around omitting final sc, join to first sc with sl st. <60 ch-spaces>

Rounds 21-28: Ch 1, *sc in next ch-space, ch 3; repeat from * around, join to first sc with sl st.

Round 29: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2), *dc in next ch-space, ch 2; repeat from * to end, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch.

Rounds 30-39: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2), *dc in next dc, ch 2; repeat from * to end, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch.

Rounds 40-44: Ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), *dc in next dc, ch 1; repeat from * to end, join with sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch.

Round 45: Ch 1, *sc2tog in dc and ch-1, sc in next dc, sc in next ch-1 space; repeat from * to last 2 sts, sc2tog; join with sl st to first sc2tog – 100 sts.

Round 46: Ch 1, sc blo in each st around; turn.

Rounds 47-50: Ch 1, working into blo of current row and front loop in previous round, sc in each st, join to first sc with sl st; turn.

STRAPS

Row 1: Ch 1, sc 5, working into blo of current row and front loop of row below; turn.

Repeat row 1 until strap measures 12 inches from beginning.  Fasten off, leaving a long tail for attaching strap.

Skip 22 sts to right of first strap.  Join yarn in next st and repeat row one until second strap measures 12 inches from beginning to match first strap.

FInishing

Stitch loose ends of strap evenly to bag using whip stitch or mattress stitch.

Weave in all ends.

Common Questions about a Crochet Market Bag, Crochet Grocery Bag or Mesh Bag

I hope you’ve enjoyed this free pattern for the Sugarwheel Crochet Market Bag! I sure had a blast designing it!

Happy Crocheting!
Amanda

Want even more free crochet market bag patterns?? Check out this collection of 25 other amazing crochet market bags!