You will crochet a roomy cotton tote with a flat oval base and two sturdy handles. It uses single crochet, chain and slip stitch only, so a confident beginner can finish it in about four 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 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in single crochet, unblocked (calculated, not measured)
- Size
- approx. about 13 in (33 cm) wide, 4 in (10 cm) deep at the base, and 12 in (30 cm) tall excluding handles; handle drop about 9 in (23 cm)
- Level
- Confident beginner
- Time
- about 4 h (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 a flat oval base upward in continuous single crochet rounds, then finished with a two-round handle band that closes the top edge and anchors the straps. The fabric is dense enough to hold groceries without a lining, and the oval base lets the bag stand up when full.
It suits crocheters who can make a chain, single crochet and slip stitch and want a first bag project. No shaping beyond the base is required, and the handle placement is written out so you do not have to guess.
Before You Start
Materials
Suggested materials. Any yarn of the same weight works if you match the gauge.
2 to 3 skeins of 100 g worsted weight cotton, about 350 yd (320 m) total
Cotton holds shape and resists stretching better than acrylic for a bag. A cotton-acrylic blend works as a substitute and feels softer but will sag more when loaded.
5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
Matches worsted weight for a dense bag fabric. Go down to 4.5 mm (7) if your single crochet tends to run loose.
Stitch marker
Marks the first stitch of each continuous round. A safety pin or scrap of contrasting yarn works instead.
Tapestry needle
Needed to weave in ends and reinforce the handle joins. A blunt tip is easier on cotton.
Tape measure
Used for the gauge swatch and the base checkpoint. Any flexible measure works.
Yarn needed (estimate): estimated about 350 yd (320 m) total, roughly 2 skeins of 100 g worsted cotton
Gauge and Size
Gauge: 16 sts x 18 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in single crochet, 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, 4 in (10 cm) deep at the base, and 12 in (30 cm) tall excluding handles; handle drop about 9 in (23 cm). 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 into the same stitch |
| st | stitch |
| sts | stitches |
| sp | space |
| rep | repeat |
| FO | fasten off |
Special Stitches
Increase (inc)
Work 2 single crochet into the same stitch. This adds one stitch to the round and is used only on the base to widen the oval.
Chain space join (ch-1 sp)
A single chain worked between two stitches, creating a small gap. In this pattern it is used at the top edge to make a tidy turning point for the handle rounds.
How This Pattern Is Written
- All instructions use US crochet terms.
- The base is worked in joined rounds: each round ends with a sl st into the first stitch, and the chain 1 at the start of a round does not count as a stitch.
- The sides are worked in continuous rounds without joining. Place a stitch marker in the first sc of each round and move it up as you go.
- The right side of the bag faces out. The base is worked with the right side facing you; the sides continue in the same direction.
- Handle rounds are worked in joined rounds again, and the handle chains are worked over skipped stitches to create openings. Chain loops in handle rounds are not counted in the stitch total.
- Stitch counts in parentheses at the end of each round are the total stitches for that round.
- The base increases are placed at the four curve points of the oval (two at each end); each increase round adds 4 stitches.
The Pattern
Base (joined rounds)
Sides (continuous rounds)
Top edge and handles (joined rounds)
Finishing and Assembly
Sizes and Variations
Taller tote
work Rounds 7-38 instead of 7-30 for about 15 in (38 cm) of side height; the base and handle rounds stay the same because the stitch count is unchanged.
Shorter market bag
stop the sides after Round 22 for a 7 in (18 cm) deep bag; keep all handle rounds as written.
Wider base
add a Round 6 to the base with 2 sc in each of the four corner sts, which brings the base to 96 sc, then work the sides in a multiple of 96 sts and adjust the handle skip counts to 22 sts.
Two-color stripe
change color every 6 rounds on the sides; carry the unused color up the inside and twist the yarns at each change.
Troubleshooting
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The base curls up at the edges | Too many increases in the base rounds, so the fabric has more stitches than it can lie flat with | Frog back to the round where it started to curl and remove one increase from each end of the base, then continue with that lower count. |
| The bag leans or spirals to one side | The continuous rounds are drifting because the first stitch of each round is not marked | Move the marker into the first sc of every new round, and check that each round has exactly 88 sc before continuing. |
| Handles stretch out of shape when the bag is loaded | The handle chains were worked too loosely, or the reinforcement stitch was skipped | Work the handle loops with a slightly tighter tension and add a second row of reinforcement stitching at each handle base. |
| A gap appears where the handle meets the top edge | The skipped stitches were counted from the wrong point, so the handle loop is off-center | Count the 12 sc, then the 30 ch, then 24 sc, then 30 ch, then 12 sc; if the totals do not reach 88 sts, recount before working Round 33. |
| The top edge flares outward | Round 34 was worked with too many stitches, often because the handle loops were worked with more than 30 sc | Count the sc worked into each handle loop; it must be exactly 30, and the round must total 108 sc. |
Care
Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent and squeeze gently; do not wring. Lay flat to dry and reshape the base and handles while damp. Do not tumble dry, because cotton can shrink and distort the handle loops.
Questions Makers Ask
Can I make this bag with acrylic yarn?
Yes, but acrylic stretches more under weight. Use the same hook and gauge, and expect the handles to relax with use. Cotton or a cotton blend holds the shape better for groceries.
How much yarn does the tote use?
About 350 yd (320 m) for the size shown, which is roughly two 100 g skeins of worsted cotton. This is an estimate based on the stated gauge and dimensions, not a measured amount from a finished sample.
Do I need to line the bag?
No. The dense single crochet fabric holds small items well. Add a fabric lining only if you plan to carry keys or coins that could slip through the handle openings.
How do I make the handles longer?
Work more chains in Round 32 and skip the same number of stitches, then work the same number of sc into the longer loop in Round 33. Add the extra stitches to the final count in Round 34.
Next: Try a flat circle coaster set to practice even increasing before moving on to a shaped shoulder bag.