Made and counted by Wren —

Crochet Market Bag With Open Mesh Body And Handles

4.0 mm hook, medium cotton yarn: a rounded mesh market bag with reinforced handles.

Crochet Market Bag With Open Mesh Body And Handles
IntermediateLevel
4-6 hoursTime
4.0 mmHook
WorstedYarn
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About this pattern

A reusable crochet market bag worked bottom-up: a joined-round circular base increases to 60 single crochet stitches by Round 7, then an open mesh body of double crochet and chain-2 spaces repeats through Round 22. Two handles, each a 45-chain loop reinforced with single crochet, finish at the top edge by Round 26. Medium weight cotton yarn and a 4.0 mm hook keep the mesh open without losing shape.

Skill level: confident beginner. Finished size is approximately 14 inches wide x 16 inches tall (35.5 cm x 40.5 cm), excluding handles, using a medium weight cotton yarn (about 400 yards / 366 meters) and a 4.0 mm hook. The sample shown uses a warm orange main color with a contrasting green for the optional leaf accent.

The pattern

Written out round by round

Materials

  • Medium weight cotton yarn in main color, approximately 400 yards (366 meters)
  • Small amount of contrasting green yarn for optional leaf decoration
  • 4.0 mm crochet hook (US G/6)
  • Yarn needle
  • Scissors
  • Stitch marker
  • Optional wooden button or decorative accent

Abbreviations

  • ch = chain
  • sl st = slip stitch
  • sc = single crochet
  • dc = double crochet
  • st = stitch
  • sp = space
  • sk = skip
  • rep = repeat
  • beg = beginning
  • UK equivalent note = sc is similar to UK double crochet, and dc is similar to UK treble crochet.

Main Pattern

Round 1Ch 2. Work 10 sc into the second chain from hook. Join with sl st. (10 sts)
Round 2Ch 1. Work 2 sc in each stitch around. Join with sl st. (20 sts)
Round 3Ch 1. *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st.* Repeat around. Join with sl st. (30 sts)
Round 4Ch 1. *Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st.* Repeat around. Join with sl st. (40 sts)
Round 5Ch 1. *Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st.* Repeat around. Join with sl st. (50 sts)
Round 6Ch 1. *Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st.* Repeat around. Join with sl st. (60 sts)

Main Pattern

Round 7Ch 3. Dc in each stitch around. Join with sl st. (60 dc)
Round 8Ch 3. *Dc, ch 2, sk 2 sts, dc in next st.* Repeat around. Join with sl st.
Round 9Ch 3. Work dc in each dc and 2 dc in each chain space around. Join with sl st. (60 dc)
Round 10Ch 3. *Dc in next dc, ch 2, sk 2 dc, dc in next dc.* Repeat around. Join with sl st.
Rounds 11–22Repeat Rounds 9 and 10 alternately. The final stitch count remains approximately 60 stitches.(60)

Top Edge and Handle Preparation

Round 23Ch 1. Sc in every stitch around. Join with sl st. (60 sts)
Round 24Ch 1. Sc in next 15 sts, ch 45 for handle, skip 15 sts, sc in next 15 sts, ch 45 for second handle, skip 15 sts. Join with sl st.
Round 25Ch 1. Sc around the entire edge, working 45 sc around each handle chain. Join with sl st.
Round 26Ch 1. Sc in every stitch around. Join and fasten off.

Special Stitch

Mesh Stitch: Ch 2, sk 2 sts, dc in next st. Repeat this pattern around. The chain spaces create the open texture while the double crochet stitches provide structure.

Optional Crochet Leaf Accent

Ch 10.

Sc in second chain from hook, hdc in next 2 chains, dc in next 3 chains, hdc in next 2 chains, sc in last chain.

Work the same stitches along the opposite side of the chain to create a leaf shape.

Slip stitch to close and fasten off.

Make 2 to 3 leaves and sew them near the handle area.

Assembly

Step 1Weave in all loose ends using a yarn needle. Sew optional leaf pieces securely onto the bag. Gently block the bag by laying it flat and shaping the base and handles evenly.
Step 2For a stronger handle, add a second row of single crochet around each strap edge. This reinforces the area that receives the most tension during use.
Step 3After completing the bag, lightly steam or wet block the piece to help the stitches relax and create an even shape. Avoid stretching the handles too aggressively while blocking.
Step 4Cotton crochet bags are usually easy to care for. Hand washing with mild soap and air drying is recommended to protect the shape and preserve the stitch definition.

Tester's notes

4.0 mm hook (US G/6) is sized to keep the chain-2 mesh spaces in Rounds 8 and 10 open but not sloppy; a smaller hook tightens the mesh and shrinks the finished width.

Mark the first stitch of each round with a stitch marker before joining with a slip stitch, since every round from 1 through 26 closes this way and a missed join shifts the stitch count.

60 stitches is the target to hold steady from Round 7 through Round 22; recount after every repeat of Rounds 9 and 10, since a dropped or added stitch there compounds over 12 rounds.

The two 45-chain handle loops in Round 24 need even tension on both chains; work them at the same stitch gauge as the body so one handle does not sit longer than the other.

No stuffing is called for in this pattern; the mesh body and the 60-stitch base carry the shape on their own, so skip any stuffing step even when working the optional leaf accent.

Gauge is approximately 18 single crochet stitches by 20 rows to 4 inches (10 cm), giving a finished size of about 14 inches wide x 16 inches tall (35.5 cm x 40.5 cm), excluding handles. This pattern is written in US crochet terms.

Color guidance: the sample bag uses a warm orange main color with a small amount of contrasting green reserved for the optional leaf accent. Any medium weight cotton works as long as the leaf color contrasts with the body.

Pro tip: cotton yarn naturally relaxes after use, so working at a slightly firm gauge will help the bag keep its shape while still allowing gentle stretch.

At a glance

Rounds15
Parts5
LevelIntermediate
Time4-6 hours
Hook4.0 mm
YarnWorsted

Gauge check

Count stitches after Round 6: the base should hold 60 sc, matching the increase sequence of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 across Rounds 1-5.

If the count is off at that point, undo back to the last round where it matched and rework the increases rather than adjusting later rounds to compensate.

Stitch-count checkpoints

  • Main Pattern · Round 2: 20 sts
  • Main Pattern · Round 4: 40 sts
  • Main Pattern · Round 6: 60 sts
  • Main Pattern · Round 7: 60 sts
  • Main Pattern · Round 9: 60 sts
  • Main Pattern · Rounds 11–22: 60 sts

If something looks wrong

The base cups or domes instead of lying flat.
The increase rounds (10 to 20 to 30 to 40 to 50 to 60) landed unevenly, bunching extra stitches in one section. Undo to the last round with the correct count and redistribute the 2-sc increases evenly around.
The mesh body ruffles or flares outward.
Extra stitches crept into the Round 9 or 11 dc-in-each-dc rounds, pushing the count above 60. Recount after each full repeat of Rounds 9 and 10 and remove any stray stitch before continuing.
One handle sits noticeably longer or looser than the other.
The two 45-chain loops in Round 24 were worked at different tensions. Rework the shorter chain to match 45 chain stitches at the same gauge used for the body stitches.
The join at the end of each round forms
This is normal for joined rounds that start with a chain and end with a slip stitch, as every round from 1 through 26 does. Keep the join stitch at the same point each round, marked with a stitch marker, so the step lines up in one column rather than spiraling.

Yarn substitutions

Cotton-linen blend, medium weightHolds the same stitch counts and 4.0 mm hook, but the blend adds stiffness to the mesh rounds, so the body relaxes less during blocking.
Cotton-acrylic blend, light (DK) weightProduces a drapier mesh body; size down to a 3.5 mm hook to keep the chain-2 spaces from gapping at the same stitch counts.
100% cotton, bulky weightReaches the 60-stitch base width in fewer rounds than Rounds 1-6 specify, so recount at each round rather than relying on the stated round numbers; move up to a 5.5 mm hook.
FAQs

Questions

Can the green leaf accent be left off?

Yes. It is listed as an optional accent worked separately from the main pattern and attached afterward, so the bag is complete without it.

How long is each handle?

Each handle starts as a 45-chain loop worked in Round 24, then gets 45 single crochet worked over the chain in Round 25. Both handles are worked the same way at the same point in the round.

One at a time —

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