Free Crochet Market Bag Pattern

Hey there, friends! No doubt you’ve come here because you’re on the hunt for a new market bag. Well look no further because you’ve just found my current favorite crochet tote: the Ocean’s Breath Market Bag. This crochet market bag has a little bit of everything good…some lace, some textured stitches, and its finished off with a snazzy (and sturdy!) i-cord edge and strap. I have no doubt in my mind that you’re gonna love it as much as I do. And if you’re a little nervous of the fancy stitches, never fear! I’ve got some tutorial videos to help you out. So let’s get started!

The following is a free pattern available for use on my website, if you would like to purchase a detailed, ad-free PDF version of this pattern, please visit my Etsy or Ravelry shop. All rights reserved.

**This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. This is a great way to support my small business AND get the supplies you need for your project!**

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About the Ocean’s Breath Collection

The Ocean’s Breath Collection is one of my favorite set of designs, so I’m really excited to add a crochet market bag to it! This collection actually began as just one piece, the Ocean’s Breath Yoga Bag. I set off to design a macrame-inspired yoga bag, and I loved it so much that I keep adding more pieces using the stitch combinations. While all of the collection designs are available in my Etsy or Ravelry shops, you can also find the Wall-hanging and Key Fobs free for use on my blog. And the Ocean’s Breath Cardi, Yoga Bag, and upcoming Table Decor set are coming to the blog this spring. Yay! I’ll stick some buttons below so you can find whatever else catches your eye.

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Love it?! Pin it for Later!

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About the Yarn

Ok, so I’ve held your attention this far, you’re no doubt wondering what yarn you’re going to be shopping for. I mean, picking the yarn is definitely a highlight of a new crochet project, am I right?! For the Ocean’s Breath Market Bag I used Dishie Cotton from WeCrochet. I like to use 100% cotton for a crochet market bag because of the sturdiness it offers. And Dishie Cotton is awesome because it also delivers in the color palette. This is one of my favorite worsted weight cotton yarns because of the sheer number of colors available. (Pssst…don’t forget to check out Dishie Multi for even more colors!) And it also has great texture; its one of the few kitchen cotton yarns that I would gladly use on wearable items. Plus, it’s a great value.

Need a Yarn Substitute?

I always like to provide some backup ideas in case the suggested yarn isn’t available where you’re at. Or maybe you’d just like to check your yarn stash before shopping. Whatever the circumstances, you can substitute the Dishie Cotton in this crochet market bag for any worsted weight cotton yarn. I recommend picking something that’s at least 50% cotton so that your bag doesn’t stretch out too much. One of my of there favorite cotton yarns is 24/7 Cotton from Lion Brand. (This one is a really close match to Dishie.) But some other great choices are I Love This Cotton from Hobby Lobby, Lily Sugar N Cream cotton, Re-Up Cotton or Pima Cotton from Lion Brand. Basically if it’s cotton yarn and its got a 4 on the label, you should be good to go! For even more options, check out Yarnsub.com.

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Spring Style Blog Hop & Bundle

The Ocean’s Breath Market Bag is a part of the Spring Style Blog Hop and Bundle sponsored by WeCrochet! That means that you can purchase this pattern and all the other patterns from this event for a HUGE discount when you purchase the bundle. So if you’re not a fan of blog hops or you missed the event but love the patterns, grab the bundle! There’s so many great spring designs and you can grab them for less than $0.50 a piece.

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Let’s Get Started!

Materials Needed

3 Skeins of Dishie Cotton yarn (or 450 yds of Worsted Weight cotton yarn)
Size I (5.5mm) crochet hook
Tapestry needle 
4 Stitch Markers (optional but recommended)
Scissors 

Stitches/Abbreviations Used

Ch – Chain 
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Sc – Single Crochet
Sc Inc – Single Crochet Increase
Sl St – Slip Stitch
Sc Dec – Single Crochet Decrease
Sc In BLO – Single Crochet in Back Loops Only
Star St – Star Stitch 
PM – Place Stitch Marker

Skill Level

Intermediate

Gauge

Gauge is not absolutely essential to this pattern, but to get the finished bag size listed use:

16 Hdc st x 13 rows = 4” square

Finished Measurements:

15” w x 14” h

Note: This bag features lace, so measurements may vary slightly based on blocking/stretch.

Notes

• This pattern is worked in the round and joined after each round. 
• You can customize the size of your bag by working more or less decrease rounds on the base of the bag. More increase rounds will result in a wider bag, while less will result in a smaller bag. For a taller tote, continue working the lace round repeats until bag reaches desired height. 
• Some shorthand is used in this pattern. If a number is written before the stitch, you will work that many stitches in the same space. If it is written after, you will work that many consecutive stitches. (Ex: 2 Hdc = Work 2 hdc in the next stitch vs Hdc 2 = Work a hdc in each of the next 2 stitches)
• To reduce the visibility of the seam, you can try invisible join instead of a standard slip stitch. You can find a video tutorial here. https://youtu.be/vRF_dbitdRs  

Stitch Diagram (Lace Section)

Special Stitches/Techniques

Single Crochet Increase: Work two single crochet stitches in the same stitch from the previous round. 

Single Crochet Decrease: Pull up a loop in first stitch. Pull up a loop in next stitch. Yarn over and pull through 3 loops on hook. 

Star Stitch: Ch 3. Insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, pull up a loop. Then insert hook into next ch, pull up a loop. Insert hook and pull up a loop over next 3 stitches. (6 loops on hook) Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. Ch 1 to close star stitch (eye of star stitch). 

Insert hook into the ch 1 space (eye of star stitch), pull up a loop. Then insert hook between the last two spikes of the previous star stitch, pull up a loop. Insert hook in the same stitch as the last spike of the previous star stitch, pull up a loop. Insert hook and pull up a loop over next 2 stitches. (6 loops on hook) Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. Ch 1 to close star stitch. 

Repeat around until you finish the last star stitch. Hdc in the same space as the last star stitch. Sl st to top of first star stitch to join. The first round of stitches is followed by a round of 2 hdc in the ch 1 spaces from the previous round.

For help with this stitch, check out this video tutorial:

 

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PATTERN

OVAL BASE

Using 5.5mm (I) hook

Round 1: Ch 39. 2 Hdc in 2nd ch from hook. *Hdc in next stitch. PM. Hdc in next 35 ch spaces. PM in last hdc.* 4 Hdc in last st. Rotate piece 180 degrees and begin working along the back side of the chain. Repeat from * to *. 2 Hdc in first stitch. Join with sl st to top of first hdc. (80)

Note: For the remainder of the base, it is recommended that you place a stitch marker in the first and last stitches of the 36 stitches of the center section. This is help you to keep track of where the increases need to be worked. 

Round 2: Ch 1. 2 Hdc in each of next 2 stitches. Hdc 36. 2 Hdc in each of the next 4 stitches. Hdc 36. 2 Hdc in each of the last stitches. Join with sl st to top of first hdc. (88)

Round 3: Ch 1. {Hdc, 2 Hdc} twice. Hdc 36. {Hdc, 2 Hdc} four times. Hdc 36. {Hdc, 2 Hdc} twice. Join with sl st to top of first hdc. (96)

Round 4: Ch 1. {Hdc 2, 2 Hdc} twice. Hdc 36. {Hdc 2, 2 Hdc} four times. Hdc 36. {Hdc 2, 2 Hdc} twice. Join with sl st to top of first hdc. (104)

Round 5: Ch 1. {Hdc 3, 2 Hdc} twice. Hdc 36. {Hdc 3, 2 Hdc} four times. Hdc 36. {Hdc 3, 2 Hdc} twice. Join with sl st to top of first hdc. (112)

Round 6: Ch 1. {Hdc 4, 2 Hdc} twice. Hdc 36. {Hdc 4, 2 Hdc} four times. Hdc 36. {Hdc 4, 2 Hdc} twice. Join with sl st to top of first hdc. (120)

Round 7: Ch 1. {Hdc 5, 2 Hdc} twice. Hdc 36. {Hdc 5, 2 Hdc} four times. Hdc 36. {Hdc 5, 2 Hdc} twice. Join with sl st to top of first hdc. (128)

BOTTOM TRIM

Round 8: Ch 1. 2 Sc in BLO in first stitch. Sc in BLO in each st around. Join with sl st to top of first sc. (129)

Round 9: Work a round of star stitches (see Special Techniques section for more help). Join with sl st to top of first star stitch. (64 star stitches)

Round 10: Ch 1. 2 Hdc in each ch 1 space of the previous round. Hdc in last st. Join with sl stitch to top of first hdc. (129)

Round 11: Ch 1. Sc dec in first two stitches. Sc in each stitch around. Join with sl st to top of first stitch. (128)

LACE

Note: In this section, we will only be counting the single crochet stitches when skipping a stitch. 

Round 12: Ch 1. Sc 3. *Ch 5, Sk 3 st, Sc 5.* Repeat from * until 5 sc st remain. Ch 5, Sk 3 st, Sc 2. Sl st in first sc to join. 

Round 13: Ch 1. Sc 2. *Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 1 in the Ch 5 space, Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 3.* Repeat from * until  2 sc st remain. Sk 1 st, Sc 1 in last stitch. Sl st in first sc to join. 

Round 14: Ch 1. *Sc 1. Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space, Sc 1, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space, Ch 3, Sk 1 st.* Repeat from * around. After the last Ch 3, Sl st in first sc to join.

Round 15: Ch 5. *Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space, Sc 3, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space, Ch 5, Sk 1 st* Repeat from * until 3 sc st remain. Ch 5. Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space, Sc 3, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space. Ch 2. Sl stitch in the 3rd st of the beginning Ch 5 to join.

Round 16: Ch 1. Sc in same space. *Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 3, Sk 1 st, Ch 3, Sc 1 in Ch 5 space.* Repeat from * until 5 sc st remain. Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 3, Ch 3. Sk 1 st. Sl st in first sc to join.

Round 17: Ch 1. Sc 1, Sc 1 in Ch 3 space. *Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 1, Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space, Sc 1, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space.* Repeat from * until  3 sc st remain. Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 1, Ch 3, Sk 1 st, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space. Sl st in first sc to join.

Round 18: Ch 1. Sc 2, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space. *Ch 5, Sk 1 st, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space, Sc 3, Sc 1 in the Ch 3 space.* Repeat from * until 2 sc st remain. Ch 5, Sk 1 st, Sc  1 in the Ch 3 space, Sc 1.. Sl st in first sc to join.

Repeat Rounds 13-18 five more times or until tote is approx 1.5” shorter than desired finished height.

TOP TRIM

Round 49: Ch 1. Sc 3, *Sc 3 in the Ch 5 space, Sc 5* Repeat from * until 1 sc st remains. 2 Sc in last st. Sl st in first sc to join. (129)

Round 50: Work a round of star stitches (see Special Techniques section for more help). Join with sl st to top of first star stitch. (64 star stitches)

Round 51: Ch 1. 2 Hdc in each ch 1 space of the previous round. Hdc in last st. Join with sl st to top of first hdc. (129)

Round 52: Ch 1. Sc dec in first two stitches. Sc in each stitch around. Join with sl st to top of first sc. (128)

Leave yarn attached. 

I-CORD EDGE & HANDLES

We will be doing the applied i-cord edge on the 30 stitches on each side and a standard i-cord handle between. For help with this section, check out this video tutorial

We will now mark the space for the handles. Lay the bag flat. Count 15 stitches over from each edge and place a stitch marker. Your seam should be a few stitches inside of the 15 stitches on the back. Repeat on other side of piece.

To Begin:

Ch 3. Pull up a loop in 2 ch from hook and 3rd ch from hook. 

For Edging:

*Pull up a loop in the next stitch of work. (4 loops on hook). Transfer 3 loops to a knitting needle or cable needle . Sl st in first loop. Transfer 1 loop back to crochet hook. Sl st in next loop. Transfer last 2 loops back to crochet hook. Sl st through both loops.* Repeat from * to * until you reach stitch marker. 

(Note: you will work in the stitch with the marker before starting the handle)

For Handle:

With 3 loops on your hook, do not pull up a loop in the following stitch. *Transfer 2 loops to a knitting needle or cable needle . Sl st in first loop. Transfer 1 loop back to crochet hook. Sl st in next loop. Transfer last loop back to crochet hook. Sl st through final loop.* Repeat from * to * until handle is approximately 18” long (approx 60 stitches depending on tension) or desired handle length. 

Skip 34 stitches and repeat Edging starting in next marked stitch.

When you reach the next stitch marker, repeat Handle. 

Finish the Edging in last few stitches of the first section. After completing the last stitch, with 3 loops on hook, transfer 1 loop to needle. Slip second loop on hook through the first loop. Transfer 1 loop back to hook. Slip second loop on hook through the first loop. Sl st into the base of the first i-cord stitch. Fasten off leaving tail. Using the tail to sew the edging together and weave in ends.

FINISHING

Optional: You can block your finished bag to get the full effect of the crochet lace. However since this is a market bag, you will likely see the lace stretch out with regular use.

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Final Thoughts

I hope you loved working up this crochet market bag as much as I did! This is no doubt going to be an eye-catcher when you’re out shopping. I always know I did a good job with a design when my family members that don’t crochet threaten to make off with my samples. Wishing you the same results with your finished pieces! And speaking of finished pieces, be sure to tag me @craftingforweeks on Instagram or Facebook so I can see your work! I love to share your work whenever I can.

Want to see some more spring/summer accessories? Check these out!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!