Needlecrafts Crochet Intermediate Crochet

How to Make a Granny Square Crochet Market Bag

By
Mollie Johanson
Mollie Johanson
Mollie Johanson
Mollie Johanson is a professional needlecrafter with over 10 years of hands-on embroidery, sewing, and knitting experience. She is the author of “Stitch Love: Sweet Creatures Big & Small." Mollie also designs and sells stitching projects, co-hosts a crafting podcast, and has taught online embroidery courses.
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Updated on 10/21/20
Crochet market bag

The Spruce Crafts / Mollie Johanson

Project Overview
  • Skill Level: Intermediate

Carry your shopping and other essentials in style in this easy and fun to crochet market bag. The free pattern is simple enough to complete in a weekend and perfect for trips to the farmer's market or the beach.

The rounds of open crochet have short and long chain-space gaps, resembling written Morse code. And while it doesn't spell anything, it's still filled with the markings that make it a Dots and Dashes Market Bag.

The shape and the yarn give this tote lots of stretch, so if you find that it looks a little big for your needs, you can easily shorten the bag or strap.

Abbreviations

Cotton Yarn and Crochet Hook for Market Bag

The Spruce Crafts / Mollie Johanson

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • I/9 5.5mm crochet hook
  • Large tapestry needle

Materials

  • 2 skeins of Lily Sugar'n Cream Big Ball yarn in Teal or approx. 365 yards of worsted-weight cotton yarn

Instructions

  1. Crochet the Bag Base

    Ch 4. Sl st to join.

    Round 1: Ch 3, dc 9 into the ring.

    Round 2: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, ch 1. *2dc in next st, ch 1. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 3: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, ch 2 and sk 1 st. *dc in next 2 sts, ch 2 and sk 1 st. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 4: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, 3dc in ch-sp. *dc in next 2 sts, 3dc in ch-sp. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 5: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, ch 1 and sk 1 st, [dc, ch 1, dc] in same st, ch 1 and sk 1 st. *dc in next 2 sts, ch 1 and sk 1 st, [dc, ch 1, dc] in same st, ch 1 and sk 1 st. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 6: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, 2dc in ch-sp. *dc in next 2 sts, 2dc in ch-sp. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 7: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, ch 2 and sk 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, ch 2 and sk 1 st. *dc in next 2 sts, ch 2 and sk 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, ch 2 and sk 1 st. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 8: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, 3dc in ch-sp. *dc in next 2 sts, 3dc in ch-sp. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 9: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, ch 1 and sk 1 st, [dc, ch 1, dc] in same st, ch 1 and sk 1 st. *dc in next 2 sts, ch 1 and sk 1 st, [dc, ch 1, dc] in same st, ch 1 and sk 1 st. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 10: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, 3dc in ch-sp. *dc in next 2 sts, 3dc in ch-sp. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Crochet the Base of the Market Tote
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson

  2. Crochet the Bag Sides

    Round 11: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, ch 3 and sk 3 sts. *dc in next 2 sts, ch 3 and sk 3 sts. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 12: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, 3dc in ch-sp. *dc in next 2 sts, 3dc in ch-sp. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 13: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, ch 1 and sk 1 st, dc, ch 1 and sk 1 st. *dc in next 2 sts, ch 1 and sk 1 st, dc, ch 1 and sk 1 st. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join.

    Round 14: Ch 3, dc in every st and ch-sp. Sl st to join.

    Repeat rounds 11–14 two times more (12 rounds total). 

    Repeat round 11 eight times more. 

    Tip

    This makes a tall market bag. If you want to make yours shorter, you can eliminate one repeat of rounds 11–14 and/or several repeats of round 11.

    Round 15: Ch 3, dc in 1st st, 2dc in ch-sp. *dc in next 2 sts, 2dc in ch-sp. Rep from * to end. Sl st to join. 

    Crochet the Sides of the Market Bag
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson

  3. Make the Straps

    With yarn still attached, sl stitch 8 to work over to the starting point for the first strap.

    Row 1: Ch 2, dc 16, turn.

    Row 2: Ch 2, dc2tog, dc to last 2 sts, dc2tog, turn.

    Repeat row 2 three times more (8 sts remain).

    Row 3: Ch 2, dc 8, turn.

    Repeat row 3 twelve times more, end off.

    Crochet the Straps of the Dots and Dashes Market Tote
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson

  4. Make the Second Strap

    Count 23 sts over from the edge of the first strap and join yarn. 

    Repeat rows 1–3 as described above. The strap should be centered on the opposite side of the first strap.

  5. Finish the Market Bag

    Hold the ends of the strap pieces with the right sides together and join them with a slip stitch.

    Weave in all ends on the bag.

    Slip Stitch the Strap Ends Together
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson

Head to the Market

Keep your finished bag with you for when you need a reusable shopping bag or carry your towel and sunscreen with you to the beach.

Tip

If you want to use this as a purse, you can sew a simple liner with a round bottom and stitch it in place so nothing falls through the dots and dashes.

Woman Carrying Dots and Dashes DIY Crochet Market Bag

The Spruce Crafts / Mollie Johanson