The “Market Day” Crochet Mesh Bag: A Detailed Tutorial

A handmade mesh bag is a beautiful and personal accessory for a day out, and one made with a simple, yet elegant design is even better. The “Market Day” Crochet Mesh Bag is a perfect project for any crocheter, featuring a lovely, open stitch pattern that is both stylish and incredibly functional. This detailed tutorial will guide you through creating a lightweight, stylish, and fun bag that is perfect for carrying your produce, yarn, or other essentials.

This project is an excellent choice for a beginner looking to create a beautiful, practical item or for an experienced crocheter wanting a fast and fun project. The bag is worked from the bottom up, which makes it a seamless project that is easy to try on as you go.

Why Crochet the Market Day Bag?

• Lacy & Lightweight: The mesh stitch creates a beautiful, open fabric that is perfect for a warm-weather bag.
• Sturdy & Functional: The bag is surprisingly strong and can carry a good amount of weight.
• Skill Building: You’ll master the art of working a new, beautiful stitch pattern and learn how to create a seamless bag with a sturdy base and functional handles.
• Impressive Look: The finished bag looks much more complicated than it actually is, making it a great conversation starter.
• Customizable: Easily change the size, colors, or add a different handle to make it your own.

1. Planning Your Bag: Size & Materials

• Finished Size: The pattern is designed for a versatile tote bag, approximately 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter at the base and 14 inches (35 cm) tall. You can easily adjust the size by changing your hook size or the number of increase rounds.
• Yarn Choice: Choose a yarn that is durable and holds its shape well.
  • Fiber: A sturdy, medium-weight yarn like Worsted Weight (#4) in Cotton or a Cotton Blend is a great choice.
  • Color: A single, solid color will best highlight the stitches, but a variegated yarn could also create a beautiful effect.
• Quantity: You will need approximately 200-300 yards (180-275 meters) of yarn in total.

2. Materials You’ll Need

• Yarn: Your chosen quantity of Worsted Weight (#4) yarn.
• Crochet Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6 US) or a size that gives you a dense but flexible fabric with your yarn.
• Scissors: For cutting yarn.
• Yarn Needle (Tapestry Needle): For weaving in ends.
• Stitch Markers (Optional): To mark the beginning of rounds.

3. Essential Crochet Stitches & Techniques

• Slip Knot
• Chain (ch)
• Slip Stitch (sl st): For joining and neatening.
• Single Crochet (sc)
• Double Crochet (dc)
• Working in the Round: The bag is worked in continuous rounds from the top down.

4. Let’s Crochet the Market Day Bag!

We’ll start with the base, then work up the body, and finish with the top and handles.

Part 1: The Base (Worked in Rounds)

This creates a flat, sturdy foundation for your bag.

1. Start with a Magic Ring (or Ch 4, sl st to first ch to form a ring).
2. Round 1: Ch 1 (does not count as a stitch). Work 8 sc into the magic ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc.
3. Round 2: Ch 1. Work 2 sc in each stitch around. Join with a sl st to the first sc.
   • [16 sc]
4. Round 3: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in the first stitch, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st to the first sc.
   • [24 sc]
5. Round 4: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in the next 2 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st.
   • [32 sc]
6. Round 5: Ch 1. Work 1 sc in the next 3 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch. Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st.
   • [40 sc]
   • Continue increasing in this manner until the base of the bag is large enough to be your desired size (approximately 12 inches in diameter).

Part 2: The Body (The Mesh Stitch)

This is where you’ll create the height and the beautiful mesh pattern.

1. Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as a dc and a ch 1). Skip 1 stitch, dc in the next stitch, ch 1. Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st to the 3rd ch of the beginning Ch 4.
   • This creates your first row of mesh.
2. Round 2: Sl st into the first ch-1 space. Ch 4. Dc in the next ch-1 space, ch 1. Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st to the 3rd ch of the beginning Ch 4.
3. Repeat Round 2: Continue repeating this round until the bag reaches your desired height (for this pattern, about 10 inches / 25 cm tall).

Part 3: The Handles

1. Handle 1: Ch 1. Sc in the next 10 stitches. Ch 40. Skip the next 20 stitches and sc in the next 10 stitches. Join with a sl st.
   • The ch 40 will create the handle. You can adjust the length of the chain to make the handle larger or smaller.
2. Round 2 (Finishing): Ch 1. Sc in each sc and around each chain of the handle. Join with a sl st.
3. Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Enjoy your beautiful, handmade “Market Day” Crochet Mesh Bag. Its elegant design and handmade charm are sure to be a conversation starter!

Video tutorial: