The Summer Tote
No season is the wrong season for an easy crochet bag and I have to say, I have been thinking of and creating crochet tote bag patterns like crazy.
I am so excited to share the Summer Tote love with the world. This crochet tote bag pattern has been made by many and I’m always so inspired by all the gorgeous color schemes and pictures I receive. This crochet tote bag pattern may look difficult, but once you get started you’ll find that it is actually pretty easy.
This bag mostly uses beginner friendly stitches (and walks you though learning a cluster stitch!) with a two row repeat for the majority of the bag. These cluster stitch repeat rows create a gorgeous but sturdy mesh structure, perfect for carrying around anything you might need to.
Crochet Tote Bag Pattern – Inspiration and Information
When I created this crochet tote bag pattern, I wanted a gorgeous but functional bag to carry around all sorts of things in. I love the ability to give crochet tote bags a mesh structure so they can stretch with all my books or yarn I’m carrying around, but I also wanted the bag to be quite sturdy as I can be pretty hard on bags.
If you’d like a PDF version of this pattern which includes a photo tutorial and links to a video tutorial, you can grab one on either my Ravelry or my Etsy shop by clicking the buttons below.
It’s no secret that I love color blocking. I love how striking a color block looks in just about anything you can make. I’ve used color blocking to design this crochet tote bag pattern and my Color Block Super Scarf – which I wear basically the entire winter.
When I originally designed this tote bag, I ended up using left over yarn from a previous project and ended up completely running out. Feeling a bit too comfy in my pj’s, I decided against going to the craft store and used three colors instead of the planned two. This ended up being a big win as this crochet tote bag pattern now has two options for color blocking: 2 and 3 colors.
I love being able to offer the ability to make things your own way, so I am quite pleased that this little mistake turned out to be a pretty cool win.
That’s not to say that you can’t make yours in all one color or in as many colors as you choose. This pattern will reference when to switch color for both the 3 tone and the 2 tone, but you can switch whenever you like or not switch at all.
Okay, enough of me chatting about how much I love this bag (seriously, I love it!), let’s get to the pattern.
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Crochet Tote Bag Video Tutorial
Because I want this crochet market bag to be as accessible to beginners as possible, I’ve created a video tutorial to go along with the written pattern.
Particularly, I want to highlight the end of the video tutorial that shows you how to create the handle. This video will walk you through all the steps, but because creating a handle in a seamless method can be a new technique to some, I feel a video tutorial is a good way to show that creating the handle isn’t all that scary. 🙂
SKILL LEVEL
Easy – Advanced Beginner Friendly – You do need to know how to chain, single crochet, half double crochet and work in the round from chains. There is also a special stitch, the 2 double crochet cluster, which is explained both written and in the video (several times and slowly).
MATERIALS & TOOLS
You will need:
5 mm hook – Check out my favorite hooks!
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Stitch Markers
You can use any yarn you prefer. I used medium (4) weight acrylic yarn that I had in my stash. You can use any weight or material you prefer, but it may change the dimensions of your bag. This pattern is written to a medium (4) aran weight yarn (the heavier of the medium weights).
- If you want a two color bag, you will need two colors.
- You will need approx 3.5 to 4 oz or 170-200 yards each.
- You will likely use less of each color.
- If you’d like to make a bag with 3 colors, you will need 3 colors.
- One with approx 4 oz or 200 yards
- Two colors with approx 1.5 oz or 80 yards each.
For the white and yellow bag you see pictured, I used I Love This Yarn in Sungold (yellow) and Ivory (white).
GAUGE
Gauge isn’t massively important for this pattern, although I will add mine for reference: 14 hdc x 11 rows = Approximately 4 inches x 4 inches.
FINISHED SIZE
My finished bag is approximately 12 inches tall x 12 inches wide without the handle.
Handle height is approximately 12 inches from the bag to the top of the handle. If you prefer a shorter or longer handle, simply add less or more chains when you’re in the handle section.
ABBREVIATIONS
This pattern is written in US terms.
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- dc-cl – 2 double crochet cluster * See note on special stitch below
COLOR ABBREVIATIONS
For ease of reading, I will refer to your colors as color A, B and C. There will be a reference on when to switch colors (or continue with colors if you only want two).
ROUND ABBREVIATIONS
For the two row repeat, I will reference these as “Round A” and “Round B”. These rounds will be explained in detail and then used as a reference point to continue working.
NOTES
- All rounds are worked in closed rounds. This means that you will slip stitch to close each round before beginning your next.
- Throughout this pattern, there will be reference as to whether or not your chains count as a stitch. For some rounds, they do. For others, they don’t.
- Always slip stitch to close into the top of the first stitch, not the chains. This helps create a more “seamless” seam.
- For most of this bag, the pattern is a simple two row repeat.
- The handle of the bag is also created to be seamless, and this pattern (and video!) will walk you through. If you’d prefer to not work a seamless handle and instead crochet a long strap separately and sew it on, that is completely fine, too!
- To change colors, finish the last stitch of your round with the new color.
- If you would like a picture tutorial to go along with the written pattern, the PDF version has one!
SPECIAL STITCH – DC-CL (2 Double Crochet Cluster)
I included “dc-cl” or a double crochet cluster in this crochet bag pattern. Don’t worry! If you know how to double crochet, you can create this stitch.
There are a ton of different double crochet clusters, using any number of double crochets in the cluster. For the purposes of this pattern, remember that these dc-cl are only with two double crochet.
This works similar to decreasing with double crochet but is worked in the same stitch.
You will: yarn over, insert hook into the indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop. 3 loops on hook.
Yarn over, pull through 2 loops. 2 loops on hook.
Now, instead of finishing your double crochet, you are going to yarn over, insert your hook into the SAME stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop. 4 loops on hook.
Yarn over, pull through 2. 3 loops on hook.
Yarn over, pull through all 3 loops on hook. There you have it! A dc-cl made with 2 dc.
Crochet Tote Bag Pattern (Free)
Let’s get started:
Chain 100 with color A. Being careful not to twist your chain, sl st to the first chain.
Round 1 – Ch 2 (doesn’t count as stitch) and place 1 hdc into the same ch and in each ch across. Sl st to close. (100)
Round 2 through Round 6 – ch 2 (doesn’t count) and place 1 hdc into the same st and in each st around. Sl st to close. (100)
Round 7 (Round A) – Ch 2 (doesn’t count) and place dc-cl in same stitch. [ch 1, skip 1 st, 1 dc-cl next] Repeat inside brackets around to end. You should be placing your last dc-cl in the second to last stitch of the round. Ch 1, sl st to the top of the first dc-cl to close. (50 dc-cl, 50 ch 1 spcs)
Round 8 (Round B) – Ch 3, 1 dc-cl in the first ch 1 space. [ch 1, skip 1 st, 1 dc-cl in the next ch 1 space] Repeat inside brackets around to end. You should be placing your last dc-cl in the last ch 1 spc. DO NOT chain 1. sl st into the ch 3 spc. (50 dc-cl, 50 ch 1 spcs)
Note: When working the Round A repeats, you will be placing your dc-cl into chain 1 spaces – not a stitch. So you will chain 1, skip 1 stitch and place 1 dc-cl in the next chain 1 space.
On Round A repeats, you will place your first dc-cl of the row in the first chain 1 space, which is what you’ve slip stitched into at the end of Round B.
Round 9 – Repeat Round A
Round 10 – Repeat Round B
Round 11 – Repeat Round A
Round 12 – Repeat Round B
Round 13 – Repeat Round A
Round 14 – Repeat Round B
Round 15 – Repeat Round A
Round 16 – Repeat Round B
For both 2 and 3 toned crochet market bags, change to color B now.
Round 17 – Repeat Round A
Round 18 – Repeat Round B
Round 19 – Repeat Round A
Round 20 – Repeat Round B
Round 21 – Repeat Round A
For 3 toned crochet market bags ONLY, change to color C now. Two toned, continue on with color B.
Round 22 – Repeat Round B
Rounds 23 and 24 – Ch 2 (doesn’t count) and place 1 hdc in the same stitch and in each st and chain 1 space around. Sl st to first st close. (100)
Do not trim your yarn. The main portion of your bag is complete, but we will continue on to creating the handle now.
Handle
With the same working yarn, chain 100 (chain less or more if you want a shorter or longer handle).
You will now have a long chain coming out of the stitch on your bag.
Now, we want to attach this chain to the other side of the bag halfway across the body. To do this, we are going to count stitches across round 24.
So, counting the stitch we chained out of, begin counting 50 stitches across the body of the bag. You should have the stitch you chained out of and 49 additional stitches. Being careful not to twist your chain, slip stitch into the 50th stitch.
If you were to count stitches on round 24 on either side of the chain, you would have 50 stitches on each side.
The handle of this bag now has 150 stitches on both sides. This references to both the chains (100) and the stitches on the body from round 24 (50). The handle of this bag is worked in rounds on both sides. You will complete 3 rounds on the first side, trim your yarn and rejoin on the other side to work your next 3 rounds.
Round 1 – Working to the left, place 1 hdc in the next stitch and each st to the beginning of the chain. When you reach the chain, turn to work along the chains and place 1 hdc in each chain. Sl st to first hdc close. (150)
Round 2 – Ch 1 (doesn’t count), Place 1 sc in the same st and each st around. Sl st to close. (150)
Round 3 – Sl st in each stitch around. (150)
Finish off yarn. Weave ends.
Now you’ll want to work the other side of the handle. Rejoin your yarn in a corner stitch from round 24. Repeat rounds 1 through 3 on this side.
TIP: When working the other side of the chains, it can be much easier to work between the posts of the hdc than into the bottom bump of the chains. You can work this first round whichever way you like, it won’t alter the look of the bag.
Finishing the Crochet Market Bag
Turn your bag inside out and lay it flat so that either end of the handles are on the corners. Now we want to seam the bottom of the bag.
You can use a whip stitch with a needle and extra yarn or, in my case, I decided to simply single crochet through both stitches on either side of the bag. Whatever way you’re most comfortable with seaming will work perfectly. Finish off your yarn, weave your ends in. Your bag is complete!
And you’re done! You now have a crochet tote bag to carry around all of your essentials (for me, that’s yarn!). Be careful though, a ton of people will want one.
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Find More Free Crochet Patterns like This One:
Color Block Super Scarf
Easy Mesh Market Tote
The Sunday Clutch