This post has taken quite a bit longer to come about than I would have liked, in fact I think my blog is starting to feel a bit neglected at the moment. There’s quite a bit happening at the moment, lots of it positive, some of it not so positive. I won’t go into all of it now but promise to fill you in at a later stage, when things have settled a bit.
You may remember that I was featured in a local magazine a few months ago and the same magazine has asked me to design a garment for them (I can’t say more than that for now. You’ll have to wait until January for more details.) They kind of threw me into the deep end because I’ve never really designed anything wearable before, except for my Granny Square Sweater and I didn’t really have to worry about sizing there because it was just for me. This garment however will be featured in the magazine, with a pattern, in four sizes! I was a bit daunted by the task but I also really enjoyed the challenge and learned quite a bit from it.
Anyway, before I was asked to design this garment I had started designing a market bag, after making a similar one.
I really liked making this particular bag but I thought that the pattern was very simple and so I decided to design my own market bag.
It may look really sophisticated and you probably think it’s really difficult to make but it’s actually really easy. I’m not going to do a photo tutorial for it because it really is that straight forward, the only thing you should know is how to make a foundationless single crochet (fsc). If you don’t know how to do it take a look at this tutorial by futuregirl, it’s a great photo tutorial.
So without further ado, here’s the pattern:
I’m using US terminology. If you’re confused take a look at my Stitch Index.
The bag will be approximately 65×27 cm, but obviously stretches when filled.
What you’ll need:
Approximately 5 balls of DK yarn (I used 3 mint and 2 chocolate. The brand is my go to 100% cotton: Vinnis Colours Nikkim yarn) 5.5mm crochet hook 4 movable stitch markers Tapestry needle Scissors
The how:
Base Begin with a magic ring Round 1: Crochet 12 dc into the ring, ss to close and pull ring tight Round 2: Ch2, 2 dc into each st, ss (24st) Round 3: Ch2, (1 dc into st, 2 dc into next st) rep, ss (36st) Round 4: Ch2, (1 dc into next 2 st, 2 dc into next st) rep, ss (48st) Round 5: Ch2, (1 dc into next 3 st, 2 dc into next st) rep, ss (60st) Round 6: Ch2, (1 dc into next 4 st, 2 dc into next st) rep, ss (72st) Round 7: Ch2, (1 dc into next 5 st, 2 dc into next st) rep, ss (84st) Round 8: Ch2, (1 dc into next 6 st, 2 dc into next st) rep, ss (96st) Round 9: Ch2, (1 dc into next 7 st, 2 dc into next st) rep, ss (108st) Round 10: Ch2, (1 dc into next 8 st, 2 dc into next st) rep, ss (120st)
Change colour
Patterned side Round 1: Slst yarn to previous round, 1ch, sc in next 3 st, beginning with same st as used for slst, *(ch5, sk 3 sts, sc in next 5sts) rep from * around, finish with 2 sc, slst into 1st sc to close round. Round 2: Ch1, sc in next 2 sts, beginning with same st as used for slst, *(ch3, 1 sc into ch-sp, ch3, sk 1 sc, sc into next 3 sc) rep from * around, finish with ch3, sc in last sc, slst into 1st sc. Round 3: Ch1, sc in same st as used for slst, *(ch3, 1 sc into ch-sp, sc into sc, 1 sc into ch-sp, ch3, sk 1 sc, sc into next sc) rep from * around, finish with ch3, slst into 1st sc. Round 4: Ch5, sc in ch-sp, *(sc into next 3 sc, sc into ch-sp, ch5, sc in next ch-sp) rep from * around, finish with ch3, slst into 3rd ch of ch5. Round 5: Ch1, sc into 3rd ch of 5ch from Round 4, *(ch3, sk 1 sc, sc into next 3 sc, ch3, sc in ch-sp) rep from * around, finish with ch3, slst into 1st sc. Round 6: Ch1, sc into same st as used for slst, sc into ch-sp, *(ch3, sk 1 sc, sc into next sc, ch3, sc into ch-sp, sc into sc, sc into ch-sp, ) rep from * around, finish with sc into ch-sp, slst into 1st sc. Round 7: Ch1, sc in next 2 sts, beginning with same st as used for slst, sc into ch-sp, ch5, sc into ch-sp, *( sc into next 3 sc, ch5, sc into next ch-sp) rep from * around, finish with sc into ch-sp, sc into sc, slst into 1st sc.
Repeat Round 2 – 7 seven times and then Round 2- 3 once. (this is just a suggestion, you can make the bag longer , or shorter, if you wish. I was running out of yarn at this point so I had no choice 😉 ) To finish off the sides of the bag repeat Round 4 once, with the following change: Ch4, sc in ch-sp, *(sc into next 3 sc, sc into ch-sp, ch4, sc in next ch-sp) rep from * around, finish with ch2, slst into 3rd ch of ch4.
Change colour again.
The top and handles.
Slst yarn to one of the sc sts of the last row. Round 1: Ch1, sc all the way around placing 1 sc into each sc and 3 sc into each ch-sp, slst in 1st sc to close. Round 2 and 3: Ch1, sc all the way around, slst to 1st sc.
To position the handles correctly count 15 st from the 1st sc and place a stitch marker, now count 30 stitches at a time, each time placing a stitch marker (3 more stitch markers). Round 4: Ch1, sc into next 15 sc, 60 fsc, 30 sc, 60 fsc, 15 sc, slst into 1st sc. Round 5: Ch1, sc all the way around, bind off. I use the ‘fake sc’ to bind off instead of a slst because it doesn’t leave a bump and is virtually invisible. I explain how to do it in my tutorial for the Super Simple Owl Beanie.
I thought about leaving the bag like this but the straps looked a bit too thin to me, so I did the following:
Slst the yarn to the top of the bag under one of the handles. You should only have three rounds of sc under the handles, so it’s easy to spot. Ch1, sc all the way across the bottom until you get to the corner, where the handle starts. Make a little shell stitch in each of the two corners as follows: Sc into 2nd last st before corner, insert hk, yo, draw up lp, *(insert hk into next st, draw up lp) rep * once, you should have four lps on hk. Yo, pull hk through all lps on hk, sc until next corner and repeat shell st. Finish off with ‘fake sc’.
Repeat with the other handle.
And there you have it. It looks awesome but is actually really easy to make. Please send me photos of your finished bags, I’d love to feature them.
And, speaking about featuring (and owl beanies), here’s a beanie with integrated scarf made by a beginner crocheter and friend of mine Jacqueline. She did improvise the beak because she got a bit spooked by the front post stitches used for it.
I think it looks really cute! Well done, Jacqueline!