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A week or so ago I shared a pattern for a crocheted water bottle holder using a stitch that was alternating rounds of v-stitch and double crochet stitches worked in the chain spaces kind of like a granny stitch. I have had a market bag on my to-do list for quite a while and after I made the water bottle carrier I thought that stitch would work really well for a market bag too. So I decided to make one!
It is made using 2 small balls of cotton yarn, I used Darice Essentials Cotton Yarn which I'm not sure is still available anywhere, but any medium weight cotton will work. I used the color Jute because I wanted kind of a natural/neutral color. I noticed that Lily Sugar n Cream also has a Jute color way, which would be a good replacement and probably easier to find.
At approximately 12" wide (when laid flat) and 14" tall not including handles, it is a great size for filling up with whatever you need to carry around. The strap is just long enough to fit over my shoulder or it can be carried in your hands, although the straps can easily be adjusted in length as you make it.
You will need:
- 2 balls medium weight cotton yarn (approximately 220-240 yards total) I used Darice Essential Cotton in Jute
- H crochet hook
- scissors
- yarn needle
Instructions:
Beginning ch does not count as a stitch unless otherwise specified
Begin with a magic ring
Round 1: in mr, ch 2, 12 dc, sl st to first dc to join (12 dc)
Round 2: ch 2, 2 dc in each stitch, sl st to first dc to join (24 dc)
Round 3: ch 2, [2 dc in first stitch, 1 dc in next stitch] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (36 dc)
Round 4: ch 2, [2 dc in first stitch, 1 dc in next 2 stitches] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (48 dc)
Round 5: ch 2, [2 dc in first stitch, 1 dc in next 3 stitches] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (60 dc)
Round 6: ch 2, [2 dc in first stitch, 1 dc in next 4 stitches] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (72 dc)
Round 7: ch 2, [2 dc in first stitch, 1 dc in next 5 stitches] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 8: ch 2, dc in each stitch, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 9: ch 2, dc in each stitch, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 10: ch 2, dc in each stitch, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 11: ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), dc in same stitch, sk 2, [(dc, ch 1, dc) in next stitch, sk 2] repeat around, sl st to beginning ch to join (28 v-stitches)
Round 12: sl st into ch space, ch 2, 3 dc in ch space, [sk 2 dc, 3 dc in ch space] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 13: sl st to next dc (center dc from 3 dc in previous round), ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), dc in same stitch, sk 2, [(dc, ch 1, dc) in next stitch, sk 2] repeat around, sl st to beginning ch to join (28 v-stitches)
Round 14: sl st into ch space, ch 2, 3 dc in ch space, [sk 2 dc, 3 dc in ch space] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 15: sl st to next dc (center dc from 3 dc in previous round), ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), dc in same stitch, sk 2, [(dc, ch 1, dc) in next stitch, sk 2] repeat around, sl st to beginning ch to join (28 v-stitches)
Round 16: sl st into ch space, ch 2, 3 dc in ch space, [sk 2 dc, 3 dc in ch space] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 17: sl st to next dc (center dc from 3 dc in previous round), ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), dc in same stitch, sk 2, [(dc, ch 1, dc) in next stitch, sk 2] repeat around, sl st to beginning ch to join (28 v-stitches)
Round 18: sl st into ch space, ch 2, 3 dc in ch space, [sk 2 dc, 3 dc in ch space] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 19: sl st to next dc (center dc from 3 dc in previous round), ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), dc in same stitch, sk 2, [(dc, ch 1, dc) in next stitch, sk 2] repeat around, sl st to beginning ch to join (28 v-stitches)
Round 20: sl st into ch space, ch 2, 3 dc in ch space, [sk 2 dc, 3 dc in ch space] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 21: sl st to next dc (center dc from 3 dc in previous round), ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), dc in same stitch, sk 2, [(dc, ch 1, dc) in next stitch, sk 2] repeat around, sl st to beginning ch to join (28 v-stitches)
Round 22: sl st into ch space, ch 2, 3 dc in ch space, [sk 2 dc, 3 dc in ch space] repeat around, sl st to first dc to join (84 dc)
Round 23: ch 1, sc in each stitch, sl st to first sc to join (84 sc)
Round 24: ch 1, sc in each stitch, sl st to first sc to join (84 sc)
In the next round you will make the handle by skipping some stitches around the top of the bag and adding chains to make the handle. You will then work single crochet stitches in those chains in the next round to make the straps. I made the straps 50 chains long, to make a longer strap add more chains, for a shorter handle work fewer chains, just make sure you work the same number of chains on both sides.
Round 25: ch 1, 9 sc, ch 50, sk 25 stitches, 18 sc, ch 50, sk 25 stitches, 9 sc, sl st to first sc to join (36 sc, 100 ch)
Round 26: ch 1, sc in each stitch, sl st to first sc to join (136 sc)
Round 27: ch 1, sc in each stitch, sl st to first sc to join (136 sc)
Finish off and weave in ends