Hello fellow Crocheters! I hope you are all well and keeping occupied with our favorite material in the world; YARN!
If you’ve braved the grocery store recently you know how nerve wracking it is right now, having to wear a mask that makes you sweat, gloves that prevent you from easily accessing your shopping list on your phone all while trying to keep your distance from other shoppers. Another challenge I’ve found is dealing with all the plastic bags that we have to put our groceries in, take home, take everything out of them, wipe each item with disinfectant and then…throw ALL those plastic bags in the garbage along with the gloves and mask. What a waste. I thought about wiping them down with disinfectant but then it occurred to me that if I had a cloth bag or 2 or 3…then I could throw them in the washing machine with my clothes after my grocery run. No more wasteful plastic bags and possible contamination.
I started out by looking for a pattern already written but none of them were my ideal shape and size. This pattern was my second attempt at a design for my ideal market bag. I was very excited seeing it come together and couldn’t wait to share it with everyone. Working on this project made me feel hopeful again. I found comfort in going through my yarn bins with my kids and picking out colors and textures for this bag and hopefully more market bags. (I’m very certain there will be.) Anyway, here’s the pattern for my Hopeful Tote. I hope it makes you smile too.
This Pattern includes the following stitches and abbreviations:
Magic Circle
Round (Rnd)
Yarn Over (YO)
Stitches (sts)
Space (sp)
Next (nx)
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Chain (ch)
Double Crochet (dc)
Treble Crochet (trc)
Increase (incr) (2 stitches worked in same space)
Decrease (decr) (insert hook into space and pull up loop, YO and pull through 2 loops, insert in next space and pull up loop YO and pull through 2 loops. YO again and pull through all 3 loops.)
Pattern for bag is worked in spaces between stitches as well as back and forth in rounds instead of continuing rounds. Handles are worked in spaces between stitches and back and forth in rows.
Beginning chain counts as the first stitch in the round throughout the pattern.
- Yarn and colors I used:
- Color 1: Caron Simply Soft Brites in Watermelon or Neon Coral
- Color 2: Caron Simply Soft in Soft Grey Heather
- Color 3: Caron Simply Soft in Black
I used 3 colors, but you can use however many you like and change the colors wherever you like. I will make note of where I changed colors.
- Color 1 for Rnds 1-14
- Color 2 rnd 15
- Color 1 rnds 16 – 17
- Color 2 rnd 18
- Color 3 rnd 19
- Color 2 rnd 20
- Color 1 rnds 21 – 22
- Color 3 rnds 23 – 26
- Color 1 rnd 27
- Color 3 rnds 28 – 29
I worked 1st handle in color 3 then 2nd handle with color 1. Joined with single crochet join and tied the ends together in double knot bows.
Pattern:
Magic circle.
(Ch3 counts as first stitch here and throughout)
Increase Rounds:
Color 1
Rnd 1). Ch3, 11dc, sl st around the beg ch. Join with sl st to beg ch. (12dc)
Rnd 2). Ch 3, turn. Dc in same sp as ch3. 2dc in every sp around. Join to beg ch. (24dc)
Rnd 3). Ch 3, turn. Dc in same sp as ch3. *dc in nx sp, 2dc in nx sp.* rep*to* join (36dc)
Rnd 4). Ch 3, turn. Dc in same sp as ch3. *dc in nx 2 sps, 2dc in nx sp.* rep*to*, join (48dc)
Rnd 5). Ch 3, turn. Dc in same sp as ch3. *dc in nx 3 sps, 2dc in nx sp.* rep*to*, join (56dc)
Rnd 6). Ch 3, turn. Dc in nx sp and in each sp around, join, (56dc)
Rnd 7). Ch 3, turn. Dc in same sp as ch3. *dc in nx 4 sps, 2dc in nx sp.* rep*to*, join (72dc)
Rnd 8). Ch 3, turn. Dc in same sp as ch3. *dc in nx 7 sps, 2dc in nx sp.* rep*to*, join (81dc)
Rnd 9). Ch 3, turn. Dc in same sp as ch3. *dc in nx 8 sps, 2dc in nx sp.* rep*to*, join (90dc)
Rnd 10 – 12). Rep rnd 6 (ch 4 at the end of rnd 12 and turn)
Rnd 13 – 14). Ch 4, turn. Work trc in each sp around.
Rnd 15). Ch 3, turn. Dc in each sp around. (90dc)
Rnd 16 – 17). Rep rounds 13 – 14
Rnd 18 – 21). Ch 3, turn. Dc in each sp around.
Rnd 22). Ch 4, turn. Trc around
Rnd 23). Ch 3, turn. Dc around
Rnd 24 – 25). Ch 4, turn. Trc around
Rnd 26 – 27). Ch 3, turn. Dc around
Decreasing rounds:
Rnd 28). Ch 3, turn. Dc in nx 27 sps, *decr in nx 2 sps, dc in nx 28 sps*
Rnd 29). Ch 3, turn. Dc in nx 26 sps, *decr in nx 2 sps, dc in nx 27 sps*
Rnd 30). Ch 3, turn. Dc in nx 3 sps, *decr in nx 2 sps, dc in nx 4 sps*
Handles:
Row 1: Ch 3 turn. Dc in nx 23 stitches. (24dc)
Row 2: Ch 3 turn. Decr in nx 2 sps. Dc across to last 3 sps. Decr in nx 2 sps. Dc in last sp. Join. (22dc)
Row 3: Ch 3 turn. Dc in each sp across (22dc)
Rows 4 and 5: rep Rows 2 and 3.
Row 6: ch 3 turn. Decr in nx 2 sps, *dc in nx 6 sps. Decr in nx 2 sps, dc in last sp. (17dc)
Row 7: Ch 3 turn. Dc in each sp across
Row 8 – 17: rep rows 2 and 3. (decr ends with 7 sts in row 3)
Rows 18 – 30(for one side) 18 – 22(for opposite side) : rep row 3
