Carry the Load Crochet Market Bag Pattern

Designed for Giving

A local food pantry recently put out a call for plastic grocery bags, mentioning that they encourage reusable bag use but still need plastic sometimes. I wondered if some of their clients may not have reusable bags, so I asked if they would have any use for crocheted ones. They said no one had ever donated them before, but they thought they would be very popular. So I designed this one and am working on a pile to donate.

Super Stashbuster

This crochet market bag pattern is a great way to eat through your worsted-weight yarn stash. Choose sturdier cotton or acrylic yarns that will hold up to lots of washing and wear. The samples shown here are made in Caron One Pound yarn, which is sturdy, while also soft and comfy.

I sometimes use donated yarns for these bags as well. Our local Lion’s Club collects unwanted yarn for use in charity projects. The often overlooked yarns that are too rough or firm for hats or scarves are just right for bags!

Get Creative With Color

Most of the bag pattern is worked between stitches rather than into the tops of stitches, which makes it a quick and easy project. Since you don’t have to see the stitches as clearly to work between them, it’s perfect for darker colors too!

Mix and match colors and yarns, as long as they are similar in weight. Add structured stripes or change colors randomly. Try the optional lacing on the handle, or add your own embellishments. Anything goes!

Easily Adjustable

With no particular stitch or row repeats needed, you can easily adjust this crochet market bag pattern to any size you like! Add or remove stitches to adjust the width and work more or fewer rounds to adjust the length.

Since the handle is worked sideways, adjust the handle length by changing the number of stitches, and the handle width by changing the number of rounds. Keep in mind that size adjustments will affect the amount of yarn you need.

Materials

• Yarn: 350 yds worsted-weight yarn
  Sample shows Caron One Pound – 100% Acrylic yarn; (812 yds / 16 oz / 454 g per skein) in assorted colors.
• Hook: Size I / 5.5 mm crochet hook or size needed to match gauge
• Notions:
  • Scissors
  • Tapestry needle

Project Level

Easy: Double crochet and linked double crochet, worked in rounds.

Gauge

Working between posts of sts (see Special Stitches and Techniques): 8 dc = 3.5″; 8 dc rows = 4.5″

Exact gauge is not critical but will affect finished size and yardage needed.

Abbreviations used

This pattern uses US terms.

Recommended Resources

• Linked Double Crochet (ldc)
• Chainless Starting Double Crochet (csdc) (use in place of ch-3 if desired)

Special Stitches/Techniques

Linked Double Crochet (ldc): Insert hook in 2nd ch of turning ch-3 (for first ldc of rnd) or in horizontal bar of previous ldc just made, yo and pull up a loop, insert hook in indicated st, yo and pull up a loop, [yo and pull through 2 loops on hook] twice.

Working in Space Before: When instructed to work into the space before the next stitch, this is not a chain space. Insert your hook into the gap between the posts of the relevant stitches.

Instructions

Bag

Ch 34.

To adjust width, work more or fewer chs, keeping in mind any changes will affect yardage needed.

Rnd 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook (3 skipped chs count as first dc), dc in each ch across, working into bottom of chs, dc in bottom of each ch across ending in bottom ch of ch-3, join with sl st to first dc. (64 sts)

Rnds 2-22: Turn, sl st in sp before next dc (see Special Stitches/Techniques), ch 3 (counts as dc throughout), [dc in sp before next dc] around, join with sl st to first dc.

To adjust length, work more or fewer rnds, ending after a WS rnd. Keep in mind any changes will affect yardage needed.

Top Border

Rnd 23 (RS): Turn, sl st in sp before next dc, ch 3, [ldc (see Special Stitches/Techniques) in sp before next dc] around, join with sl st to first dc.

Rnds 24-25: Ch 3, do NOT turn, ldc in each st around, join with sl st to first dc.

Fasten off.

Handle (make 2)

Ch 62.

To adjust Handle length, work more or fewer chs, keeping in mind any changes will affect yardage needed.

Row 1 (RS): Ldc in 4th ch from hook (3 skipped chs count as first dc), ldc in each ch across.

Rnd 2 (RS): Ch 3, ldc in side edge of row, working in bottom chs, 2 ldc in first ch, ldc in each ch across to last ch, 2 ldc in last ch, ldc in side edge of row, working across tops of sts, 2 ldc in first st, ldc in each st across, ldc in same st as starting ch-3, join with sl st to top of starting ch-3.

Fasten off.

Assembly

Weave in all ends.

Lay Bag flat, RS out. Position one Handle on Bag forming a curve, so that ends of handle are approximately 6 sts away from side edges of bag and aligned with bottom edge of Top Border. Sew ends of Handle in place securely.

Flip Bag over and position 2nd Handle in same manner on other side of Bag, so that it lines up with first Handle. Sew ends of Handle in place securely. Weave in ends.

Optional Handle Lacing

Cut a length of yarn about 4 times the length of Handle. Lace it through horizontal bars of LDC in Rnd 2, crossing it back and forth as though lacing a shoe. Weave in all ends.

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