Tropical Stripes Market Bag Crochet Pattern

Whether you’re visiting a farmers market or spending the day at the beach, take the Tropical Stripes market bag with you! This market bag crochet pattern works up quickly with a lovely, all-over texture. Jacob’s ladders add a decorative touch while also reinforcing the corners to minimize stretching.

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Updated in 2023

This market bag crochet pattern got a makeover in April of 2023. Changes include updated formatting, stitch charts, and a few tweaks to the pattern itself.

In the new version, the side (depth) of the bag is a little smaller, and the handle is longer. There are also extra stitches in the middle, to reduce the flaring at the top and bottom.

Red Heart With Love Yarn

Yarnspirations provided Red Heart yarns for both the original and updated versions of the bag. For the updated version, I used Red Heart With Love yarn.

I chose #1975 Sandbar Stripes for the main color, and #1711 Cameo for the big stripe in the middle.

Original Version

Here’s what the original version of the market bag looked like, before the updates.

For this original bag, I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn in #4968 Parrot Stripe, and Red Heart Super Saver Ombre yarn in #3961 Scuba.

2017 Summer Activities Crochet Along

I designed this pattern for the CAL Central 2017 Summer Activities Crochet Along. Get the full list of summer-themed patterns in the main CAL post.

Add a Lining

Make your market bag even sturdier with a box bottom bag lining! This tutorial will walk you through all the steps.

You’ll need a few measurements from the crochet bag pattern to create the lining.

• Width of bag: 14 inches
• Depth of bag: 3 inches
• Height of bag (below handle opening): 14 inches
• Recommended seam allowance: 1/2 inch

Your actual measurements may vary slightly, depending on your gauge. For a perfect fit, measure your finished market bag!

Jacob’s Ladders

The corners of this market bag are reinforced with Jacob’s ladders. This fun and versatile technique adds a bold design element, while also adding some structural support to the bag. Learn more in this Jacob’s Ladders tutorial!

The ladders in this bag are made with chain-7 loops in the corners. They may look odd as you crochet, but they come together at the end. Just before the final round, you will connect these loops one by one to form the chunky Jacob’s Ladder chain.

Tropical Stripes Market Bag

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Materials:

• Yarn: Red Heart With Love acrylic, worsted weight yarn – 370 yds / 198 g per skein (solids), 223 yds / 141 g per skein (stripes)
  • 350 yds #1975 Sandbar Stripes (A)
  • 125 yds #1711 Cameo (B)
• Hook: US size H (5 mm) hook or size needed to match gauge.
• Notions:
  • Scissors
  • Yarn needle
  • 5 stitch markers

Project Level:

Intermediate: Worked in the round, Jacob’s ladders, front post single crochet

Size:

Width: 14 inches

Height: 15 inches at sides, 14 inches below handle

Depth: 3 inches

Gauge:

 13 sc x 13 rows = 4 inches.

Abbreviations used:

(Pattern is written in US terms)

Recommended Resources:

• Front & back post single crochet (fpsc, bpsc)
• Working into the back bump of a chain
• Jacob’s ladders in crochet and knitting
• Box Bottom Bag Lining Tutorial

Instructions

You may find it helpful to mark the first st of each rnd.

Bottom:

Scroll down for chart.

With A, ch 37

Rnd 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across to last ch, (sc, ch 2, sc, ch 2, sc) in last ch, working across opposite side of chs, sc in each ch across to last ch, (sc, ch 2, sc, ch 2) in last ch, join with sl st in first st. (74 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in first ch-2 sp, [sc in each st across to next ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp] 3 times, sc in each st across to beginning ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 2) in beginning ch-2 sp, join with sl st in first st. (82 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Rnds 3-4: Repeat rnd 2. (98 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Rnd 5: Ch 1, turn, sc in first ch-2 sp, [sc in each st across to next ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 7, sc) in next ch-2 sp] 3 times, sc in each st across to beginning ch-2 sp, (sc, ch 7) in beginning ch-2 sp, join with sl st in first st. (106 sc, 4 ch-7 loops)

You should now have a rectangle with 44 sc on each long side, 9 sc on each short side, and a ch 7 loop in each corner. 

Body:

Scroll down for chart.

Rnd 6 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as corner ch-2 sp throughout), turn, sk first ch-7 loop, [fpsc around each st across to next ch-7 loop, ch 2 (corner), sk ch-7 loop] 3 times, fpsc around each st across, join with sl st in first ch-2 sp. (106 fpsc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Bottom Increases

Rnd 7: Ch 1, turn, sc in first st, *[ch 1, sk next st, sc in next st] twice, ch 1 (do not sk a st), sc in next st,** repeat from * to ** 7 times more, ch 1, sk next st, sc in next 2 sts, ch 7, sk next ch-2 sp, sc in next st, repeat from * to ** once, ch 1, sk next st, sc in next 2 sts, ch 7, sk next ch-2 sp, sc in next st, repeat from * to ** 8 times, ch 1, sk next st, sc in next 2 sts, ch 7, sk next ch-2 sp, sc in next st, repeat from * to ** once, ch 1, sk next st, sc in next 2 sts, ch 7, sk next ch-2 sp, join with sl st in first st. (66 sc, 58 ch-1 sps, 4 ch-7 loops)

Linen Stitch Main Section

Rnd 8: Ch 3, turn, sk first ch-7 loop, *[sc in next st, ch 1, sk next st] across to last st before next ch-7 loop, sc in next st,** ch 2, sk ch-7 loop, repeat from * twice more, then repeat from * to ** once more, join with sl st in first ch-2 sp. (66 sc, 58 ch-1 sps, 4 ch-2 sps)

Rnd 9: Ch 1, turn, sc in first st, *[ch 1, sk next st, sc in next ch-1 sp] across to one st before next ch-2 sp, sc in next st, ch 7, sk ch-2 sp,** sc in next st, repeat from * twice more, then rep from * to ** once more, join with sl st in first st. (66 sc, 58 ch-1 sps, 4 ch-7 loops).

Rnds 10-27: Repeat rnds 8-9 nine times.

Change to B.

Rnds 28-47: Repeat rnds 8-9 ten times.

Change to A.

Rnds 48-51: Repeat rnds 8-9 twice.

Top Decreases

Rnd 52 (WS): Ch 3, turn, sk first ch-7 loop, sc in each of first 2 sts, sc in next ch-1 sp, *sc in next st, sk next ch-1 sp, [sc in next st, sc in next ch-1 sp] twice,** sc in next st, ch 2, sk next ch-7 loop, sc in each of next 2 sts, sc in next ch-1 sp, repeat from * to ** 8 times, sc in next st, ch 2, sk next ch-7 loop, sc in each of next 2 sts, sc in next ch-1 sp, repeat from * to ** once, sc in next st, ch 2, sk next ch-7 loop, sc in each of next 2 sts, sc in next ch-1 sp, repeat from * to ** 8 times, sc in last st, join with sl st to first ch-2 sp. (106 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Rnd 53: Ch 1, turn, [sc in each st across to next ch-2 sp, ch 7, sk next ch-2 sp] 4 times, join with sl st in first st. (106 sc, 4 ch-7 loops)

Body Chart

Work only the black stitches. The greyed-out symbols show stitches from the previous section, and connecting stitches at the beginning/end of the round.

Handles

Scroll down for chart of Handles and final round together.

Rnd 54: Ch 3, turn, sk first ch-7 loop, *sc in each of next 9 sts, ch 2, sk next ch-7 loop, sc in each of next 12 sts, ch 60, sk next 20 sts, sc in each of next 12 sts,** ch 2, sk next ch-7 loop, repeat from * to **, join with sl st in first ch-2 sp. (66 sc, two ch-60 handles, 4 ch-2 sps)

For a neater finish, work into the back bump of the chs on next rnd.

Rnd 55: Ch 1, turn, [sc in each of next 10 sts, sc2tog, sc in each of next 60 chs, sc2tog, sc in each of next 10 sts, ch 7, sk next ch-2 sp, sc in each of next 9 sts, ch 7, sk next ch-2 sp] twice, join with sl st in first st. (138 sts, 4 ch-7 loops)

Rnd 56: Ch 3, turn, sk first ch-7 loop [sc in each st across to next ch-7 loop, ch 2, sk next ch-7 loop] 3 times, sc in each st across, join with sl st in first ch-2 loop. (138 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Rnd 57: Ch 1, turn, [sc in each st across to next ch-2 sp, ch 7, sk ch-2 sp] 4 times, join with sl st in first st. (138 sc, 4 ch-7 loops)

Rnd 58: Repeat rnd 56.

Secure working loop with a stitch marker and remove hook. If you used a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the rnds, you can use that same one to secure the working loop now. Put it back in the first stitch when you start rnd 59.

Form Ladders

When forming a ladder, work from the RS of the bag, on top of the ch-2 sps, so that the ch-2 sps are hidden on the inside of the bag.

At any corner, pick up the ch-7 loop from rnd 5 and twist it 1/2 twist in either direction. (Once you choose a direction, do this in the same direction for each corner)

Using a hook or your fingers, pull the next loop through the current one, without twisting it.

Repeat last step for each remaining loop in this corner. Do not twist any loops except the first one.

Secure the last loop temporarily with a stitch marker (or scrap of yarn).

Form ladders in each of the remaining 3 corners.

Final Round

Scroll down for chart.

Return working loop from rnd 58 to your hook.

Rnd 59: Ch 1, turn, [sc in each st across to next ch-2 sp, sl st in marked top loop of ladder, sk ch-2 sp] 4 times, join with sl st in first st. (138 sc, 4 sl sts)

Fasten off.

Remove markers.

Weave in all ends.

Handles & Final Rnd Chart

Work only the black stitches. The greyed-out symbols show stitches from the previous section, and connecting stitches at the beginning/end of the round.