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Everyday Cotton Market Tote Free Crochet Pattern
You will crochet a roomy cotton tote with a flat oval base, straight single crochet sides and two sturdy handles. It uses only chain, single crochet and slip stitch, so a confident beginner can finish it in an estimated 4 to 5 hours of working time.
Everyday Cotton Market Tote
Free crochet pattern · US terms
- Yarn
- 4 - Medium (worsted) — suggested
- Hook
- 5.0 mm (H-8) — verify with a swatch
- Gauge
- 16 sts x 18 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) in single crochet worked in continuous rounds, unblocked (calculated, not measured)
- Size
- approx. About 13 in (33 cm) wide, 11 in (28 cm) tall excluding handles, with a base about 4 in (10 cm) deep
- Level
- Confident beginner
- Time
- about 4 h 30 min (estimate)
Written and count-checked on paper, not yet physically tested. Make the gauge swatch and the checkpoint below before you commit all your yarn.
The tote is worked from the base up in continuous rounds, then the top edge is finished with a round of slip stitch for a firm rim. Two short handles are crocheted separately and stitched on with a reinforced square of joining stitches.
The fabric is dense single crochet, which stops small items poking through and holds the bag's shape when it stands on the ground. It suits anyone who has made a few flat swatches and wants a first in-the-round project with simple shaping.
Before You Start
Materials
Suggested materials. Any yarn of the same weight works if you match the gauge.
2 skeins (about 200 g) worsted cotton yarn, 4 - Medium
Cotton keeps the bag firm and does not stretch as much as acrylic. A cotton-acrylic blend works as a substitution and feels softer on the hands.
5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
This hook gives a dense fabric with worsted cotton. Go up to 5.5 mm (I-9) if your single crochet is tight and the base curls.
Stitch marker
Marks the first stitch of each continuous round so you do not lose your place. A short scrap of contrasting yarn works too.
Tapestry needle
Needed for weaving in ends and for stitching the handles on securely. Choose a blunt tip with an eye wide enough for your yarn.
Tape measure and scissors
Used for the gauge check and for cutting yarn. Any soft tape measure is fine.
Yarn needed (estimate): Estimated about 300 yd (275 m), roughly 2 skeins of 100 g worsted cotton
Gauge and Size
Gauge: 16 sts x 18 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) in single crochet worked in continuous rounds, unblocked. This gauge is calculated from the yarn and hook above, not measured on a finished sample. Make a 4 in (10 cm) swatch first; change the hook size, not your tension, until it matches.
Finished size (approximate): About 13 in (33 cm) wide, 11 in (28 cm) tall excluding handles, with a base about 4 in (10 cm) deep. Your size depends on your gauge.
Abbreviations (US terms)
| Abbr. | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ch | chain |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| sc | single crochet |
| inc | increase: work 2 sc in the same stitch |
| st | stitch |
| sts | stitches |
| rep | repeat |
| FO | fasten off |
| BLO | back loop only |
Special Stitches
Single crochet increase (inc)
Insert the hook into the next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops. Work a second single crochet into the same stitch. Two stitches now sit where there was one.
Back loop only single crochet (sc in BLO)
Look at the top of the stitch: it has two loops, a front loop nearer you and a back loop further away. Insert the hook under the back loop only and work a normal single crochet. This leaves a visible ridge line.
How This Pattern Is Written
- All instructions use US crochet terms. The base and sides are worked in continuous rounds: do not join and do not turn unless a step says so.
- Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go. The first stitch of a round is never counted as a chain.
- The base is an oval worked around a starting chain, so stitches are added at both ends of the chain. The sides then grow straight up from the base edge with no further increases.
- The right side of the fabric faces you throughout. The slip stitch rim at the top is worked in the back loop only to leave a neat front ridge.
- Handles are made as separate flat strips in rows and sewn on. The turning chain at the start of a row does not count as a stitch.
- Stitch counts in brackets at the end of each step show the total stitches you should have when the step is finished.
The Pattern
Base
Sides
Handles (make 2)
Finishing and Assembly
Sizes and Variations
Smaller produce bag
Use a ch 8 base and stop the sides at Round 20. The base rounds end at 42 sts, so subtract 8 sts from every base count.
Taller beach bag
Work Rounds 13-32 instead of 13-24 for about 6 in (15 cm) more height. The stitch count stays at 50 sc and yarn use rises by roughly 90 yd (82 m).
Longer shoulder straps
Ch 46 instead of 26 for each handle and keep 3 rows. Each strap adds about 10 in (25 cm) of length.
Troubleshooting
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The base curls up like a bowl after Round 4 | Stitches are worked too tightly, so the outer edge has less fabric than the inner rounds need | Pull out Round 4, switch to a 5.5 mm (I-9) hook and work Round 4 again with looser tension. The base should lie flat on the table. |
| The bag leans and the sides spiral | The stitch marker was moved without counting, so a stitch was added or missed in a round | Count the round you are on before starting the next one. If the count is off by one or two, work an invisible decrease or add a stitch in the next round to get back to 50 sc. |
| A gap shows at the base fold | The back loop only round was worked into the wrong loop, or the first round after it was loose | Undo Round 6 and check that you worked under the back loop, the one further from you. Work Round 7 with slightly firmer tension. |
| Handles stretch and the bag sags | The handle ends were sewn only to the rim, so the weight pulls on a thin edge | Add a second row of stitching through the bag body about 1 in (2.5 cm) below the rim on each handle end. |
| The top rim ripples | The slip stitch round was worked too tightly or into the front loop | Undo Round 25 and work the slip stitches in the back loop only with a relaxed hand, letting each stitch sit flat before the next. |
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a little mild soap, squeeze gently without wringing, and dry flat away from direct heat. Steam block the base and rim lightly to help the bag hold its shape; do not tumble dry cotton.
Questions Makers Ask
How do I stop the base from being oval instead of flat?
The corner increases in Rounds 1 to 4 are what keep the oval flat. If you skip them the base cups; if you add extra ones it waves. Follow the counts exactly and measure after Round 4.
Next: Try a crochet produce bag with a drawstring top to practice working mesh in the round.