Free Market Tote Crochet Pattern

Need a quick gift for a little girl in your life? This might be the perfect thing! Whip one up in a couple hours while listening to an ebook or spending time with your family, add a flower or other embellishment, and you're good to go! How cute would it be to add some felt or crocheted food inside the bag? Riley has already spent a good deal of time enjoying this bag and I know she would absolutely love having items to go in it! It would also make a good yarn storage bag - it holds a good number of cotton skeins. 

The finished dimensions of this bag are approximately 12 inches deep by 11 inches wide with a 9 inch "deep" handle (though that's easily adjustable). I have plans for two more sizes which I'll hopefully be working on next week. 

Before you get started, make sure you have the following:

• About 250 yards of worsted weight yarn (It took me about 1.5 Sugar’n Cream skeins) 
• An I hook 
• A safety pin for marking stitches.
• A flower or other embellishment to spice it up! 

NOTE: the chain 2 at the beginning of the first four rounds does NOT count as the first stitch – you will need to work in that stitch you would normally skip. You will be joining rounds in the first true DC stitch rather than the top of the turning chain.

Ch 3.

Round 1: Work 12 DC in the first chain from hook. Join in the top of the first DC. (12)

Round 2: ch 2. 2 DC in each stitch around. Join to the top of the first DC. (24)

Round 3: ch 2. *DC in the next stitch, 2 DC in the next* around. Join in the top of the first DC. (36) Round 4: ch 2. *DC in the next 2 stitches, 2 DC in the next* around. Join in the top of the first DC.(48)

Beginning at round 5, you will be working in spiral. You will not join at the end of each round. I mark the first stitch of each round with a safety pin so I don't lose my spot.

Round 5: Ch 3. *DC, ch 1* in each stitch.

Rounds 6-23: DC, ch 1 in each ch 1 space.

At the end of round 23, join with a slip stitch to the first DC of the previous round.

Round 24: Ch 2. DC in each ch 1 space.

Round 25: ch 2. DC BETWEEN each DC of the previous round.

Handles will be worked in rows. The Ch 2 does count as a stitch here. I work between stitches, but you could work in the stitches, too.

Row 1: Ch 2. DC in the next 9 stitches. (10)

Row 2: ch 2, turn. DC decrease in the next two stitches. DC in the next 5. DC decrease in the last two stitches. (8)

Row 3: ch 2, turn. DC decrease in the next two stitches. DC in the next 3. DC decrease in the last two stitches. (6)

Rows 4-15: ch 2, turn. DC in the next 5 stitches (6). (Continue on if you’d like longer straps)

Cut yarn and weave ends. Fold your bag in half as evenly as possible to determine where to start the other side of the handle (I skipped 15 stitches) and work the handle on the other side of the bag. Single crochet the two sides of the handle together on the wrong side.

I hope you enjoy the pattern. Feel free to use it (and even sell the items you've made), but please remember to link back to this post so others can give it a try as well. And, as always, please use your own photos when selling items made from this pattern. 

The flower pattern I used was designed by Busy Mom Designs.