Everyday Cotton Crochet Tote Bag- Free Pattern

Are you ready to crochet a bag you can use everyday? A sustainable, eco-friendly item that you would be proud to tote around? Then let me guide you through making this Everyday Cotton Crochet Tote Bag.

Purchase a printable version on Ravelry, Etsy or LoveCraftscom

One of the things I like about crocheting bags is the versatility it avails the designers. There are so many ways to crochet a bag or tote, so many different styles and purpose. Personally, I crochet bags when I need to destress of the math involved in crochet garments. Not like there is no math while crocheting bags, it is just less.

The everyday cotton crochet tote bag is the second design using the open waves crochet stitch, a simple yet beautiful stitch pattern that also inspired the open waves crochet summer top.

Do you have to use two colours for the everyday cotton crochet tote bag? Of course not. The truth is, when I started, I had hope the two rolls of yarn I had would be enough. At some point I realised it would not be sufficient for the number of rows I had in mind, so I had to use another colour to top off the rest of the bag. Wouldn’t you agree that mixing colours turned out great?

Yarn

I think that part of the beauty of the everyday cotton crochet tote bag comes from the type of yarn used. The thick cotton yarn that it is made from gives it a sturdiness and look that you will get from regular cotton yarn, even if they are in the same weight. The cotton yarn used for this crochet tote bag is the type that’s great for macrame style projects, a little round rough, a little thicker that regular cotton yarn. This happens to be the third time I am using this kind of yarn, the first was when I designed the Tapestry Crochet Diamond Wall Hanging then the Tapestry Crochet Crossbody Bag.

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EVERYDAY COTTON CROCHET TOTE BAG

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Finished Size: 15.5 inches wide/ 14 inches tall (without handle)

Gauge: 14 rows x 4 sets of SC/DC & 3 sets of Ch 3= 4.5 inches

Materials:

• 3 rolls, 450 grams, Worsted Weight, macramé cotton yarn. Used in this pattern is Hollow Cotton which you can find here
• 4.5mm hook
• Tapestry Needle
• Stitch markers

Stitches/Abbreviation:

• SC- single crochet
• DC- double crochet
• TR- treble crochet
• CH- chain
• SL ST- slip stitch

Notes:

• The Pattern uses U.S terms
• Ch 1, Ch 2 and Ch 3 at the beginning of the round do not count as stitches
• Changing colours is totally optional
• This instruction, “repeat [ ]” means to repeat the process in the parenthesis across a number of stitches.
• This instruction in bracket ( ) means to repeat the process in the same stitch.
• Beaded embellishment (as seen in the photo) is optional. You can view the video tutorial for guide to making one.

Purchase a printable version on Ravelry, Etsy or LoveCraftscom

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VIDEO TUTORIAL

PATTERN

BASE

Tip- place stitch marker in the corner stitch where you need to make the increases. That would be the 2^nd stitch in the set of 3 stitches.

Round 1: Ch 40, 2SC in 2^nd ch from hook, SC in 37 sts, 3SC in last ch. Turn so that you’re working on the underside of the SC sts, SC in nxt 37 chs, SC in last ch (that same chain you have 2SC in). Join to the 1^st st. – 80 sts

Round 2: Ch 1, SC in 1^st st, [3SC in nxt st, SC in nxt 37 sts, 3SC in nxt st,] SC in nxt. Repeat [ ] around, finish with 3SC in last st. join to 1^st st. – 88 sts 

Round 3: Ch 1, SC in 1^st st and nxt, [3SC in nxt, SC in 39 sts], 3SC in nxt, SC in nxt 3 sts. repeat from [ ] around, finish with SC in last st. join to 1^st st.- 96 sts.

Rounds 4: Ch 1, SC in 1^st st and nxt 2 sts., [3SC in nxt st, SC in 41 sts, 3SC in nxt st,] SC in nxt 5 sts. repeat [ ] around, finish with SC in last 2 sts. Join to 1^st st.- 104 sts.

Round 5: Ch 1, SC in 1^st st and nxt 3 sts, [3SC in nxt st, SC in 43 sts, 3SC in nxt st,] SC in 7 sts. repeat [ ], finish with SC in last 3 sts. Join to 1^st st. – 112 sts

Round 6: Ch 1, SC in 1^st st and nxt 4 sts, [3SC in nxt st, SC in 45 sts, 3SC in nxt st,] SC in 9 sts. repeat [ ], finish with SC in last 4 sts. Join to 1^st st. – 120 sts

Round 7: Ch 1, SC in 1^st st and nxt 5 sts, [3SC in nxt st, SC in 47 sts, 3SC in nxt st,] SC in 11 sts. repeat [ ], finish with SC in last 5 sts. Join to 1^st st. – 128 sts

Round 8: Ch 1, SC in 1^st st and nxt 6 sts, [3SC in nxt st, SC in 49 sts, 3SC in nxt st,] SC in 13 sts. repeat [ ], finish with SC in last 6 sts. Join to 1^st st. – 136 sts

Snip yarn, weave in tails. By the time you finish the base, you will notice that the piece is somewhat ‘bent’. What you want to do is make a little adjustment by starting in the 3^rd stitch (of the increase in the corner). See photo below where the hook has been inserted:

BODY

Mark out the stitches

Tip– be sure to skip the slip stitch joining on round 8. Work the slip stitches a little loosely, so that it will be easier to work into on the next round.

Round 1: Join yarn in st, Ch 1, Sl St in next st and 14 sts, (Sl St, Ch 1, Sl St) in nxt, Sl st in 51 sts, (Sl St, Ch 1, Sl St) in nxt st, Sl St in 15 sts, (Sl St, Ch 1, Sl St) in nxt st, Sl St in 51 sts, end with Sl St in last st (same st you started in).

Tip– work under both loops of the Slip Stitches, skip the corner stitches, only work into the centre of them.

Round 2: Ch 3, DC in same st, *DC in nxt 15 sts, (DC, ch 1, DC) in corner st (the corner st on round 8 of the base. Do this also for the rest of the corners on this round). [Ch 3, skip 3 sts, SC in nxt 3 sts, Ch 3, skip 3 sts, DC in nxt 3 sts] 4 times, Ch 3, skip 3 sts, (DC, ch 1, DC) in corner st, repeat from * till last 3 sts, Ch 3, make last DC in same st you started in. Join to top of Ch 2, join in Ch 3 space.

Round 3: Ch 2, SC in same st, *SC in nxt 15 sts, (SC, ch 1, SC) in corner st, [Ch 3, skip the chs, DC in nxt 3 sts, Ch 3, skip the chs, SC in nxt 3 sts] 4 times, Ch 3, skip the chs, (SC, ch 2, SC) in corner st, repeat from * till last 3 chs, Ch 3, make last SC in same st you started in. Join in Ch 2 space.

Round 4: Ch 3, DC in same st, *DC in nxt 15 sts, (DC, ch 1, DC) in corner st. [Ch 3, skip the chs, SC in nxt 3 sts, Ch 3, skip the chs, DC in nxt 3 sts] 4 times, Ch 3, skip the chs, (DC, ch 1, DC) in corner st, repeat from * till last 3 sts, Ch 3, make last DC in same st. you started in. Join to top of Ch 2, join in Ch 3 space.

Rounds 5-38: repeat rounds 3 and 4. do not snip yarn.

HANDLES

Mark the solid stitches as in the photo

Round 39: Ch 2, SC in same st, *SC in nxt 15 sts, (SC, ch 1, SC) in corner st, Ch 3, skip 3 chs, DC in nxt 3 sts, [Ch 4, skip 3 chs, TC in 4^th ch] 24 times. Connect to the other side by making SC into the st and last 2 sts, Ch 3, skip last 3 sts, (SC, ch 1, SC) in corner st. Repeat from * around till the last 3 chs, Ch 3, skip last chs, SC in last st.  Join in ch 2.

Round 40: Ch 3, DC in same st, *DC in nxt 15 sts, (DC, ch 1, DC) in corner st, Ch 3, skip 3 chs, SC in nxt 3 sts, [3SC in ch 3 space, SC in top of TC] 24 times. Connect to the other side by making DC into the st and last 2 sts, Ch 3, skip last 3 chs, (DC, ch 1, DC) in corner st. Repeat from * around till the last 3 chs, Ch 3, skip last chs, DC in last st.  Join to top of ch 2, join in ch 3.

Round 41: Ch 2, SC in same st, *SC in nxt 15 sts, (SC, ch 1, SC) in corner st, Ch 3, skip 3 chs, DC in nxt 3 sts, Ch 2, SC in 4^th st, [Ch 3, SC in 4^th st] 22 times, Ch 2, SC in 4^th st. Connect to the other side by making SC into the nxt 3 sts, Ch 3, skip last 3 sts, (SC, ch 1, SC) in corner st. Repeat from * around till the last 3 chs, Ch 3, skip last ch, SC in last st.  Join in ch 2. Snip yarn.

INSET HANDLE- done from the inner part of the handle.

Note– for the next round, there is no designated ‘middle stitch’. You just make a SC in between each TC.

R 1: Join yarn in last ch 3 space at on the left side, Ch 2, 2SC in TC space, SC in middle, *3SC in nxt TC space, SC in middle. Repeat from* across finish with 2SC in last TC space, Ch 2, sl st in side of DC st, Sl st in Ch 3 space below. Ch 3, turn

R 2: SC in ‘middle’ SC st, *Ch 3, SC in middle st. Repeat from * across, finish with Ch 3, Sl st in Ch 2 space from beginning of R 1, Sl st in Ch 3 space below.

FINISHING

Snip yarn, weave in tails. Enjoy your Everyday Cotton Crochet Tote Bag.

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