Easy Simple Free Crochet Tote Bag Pattern for Beginners

Make this Easy Crochet Bag Pattern in a few hours using Lazy Days, a super bulky weight from Lion Brand Yarn available in lots of gorgeous colors! This easy tote bag crochet pattern is designed using two colors with surface stitch details to bring the whole design together!

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Pattern Description

Make a stylish and cute tote bag with super bulky yarn in just a few hours! This bag is just the right size and a great accessory to take with you for Sunday brunch, big enough for all the essentials!

This simple crochet bag is made by starting with a flat oval base. I use this frequently on my bags and you can watch this video tutorial for help.

Once you make the base of the bag you will doing a repeat row of single crochets until you get to the point where you will add the handles.

Making crocheted bags like this one is a great replacement for plastic bags when you go shopping. This is the perfect bag to take with you on a quick shopping trip to grab a few things for dinner!

Measuring 16 inches across and 13 inches deep, this small tote bag is perfect for the farmers market or grocery store to pick up your produce. It would also be a great beach bag to carry all of your essentials!

Using basic crochet stitches (mostly single crochet) this free pattern is an easy skill level project that would be perfect for a beginner crocheter.

This Crocheted bag would also be a great project to use up some yarn scraps or to use multiple strands of yarn!

Can I add a Fabric Liner to my Crochet Bag Project?

Yes, this is the most common question I get asked about when making crochet purses, totes or any style of bag. There are many different ways to create a lining to protect the inside of the bag or to keep smaller things from falling through the stitches.

The simplest way that I have found to do this is to choose a fabric you love, iron it, trace the bag and cut out two identical pieces.

You can then use a sewing machine or fabric glue to put these pieces together.

Then you will insert the fabric lining into your bag, tack it inlace with some fabric glue and then depending on the style you want seam it to your bag.

If I want it to look seamless I find a matching thread, if I want a more craft style look I will using a yarn needle and the yarn used on the bag to do a noticeable stitch!

I love adding fabric liners to my crocheted bags, I haven’t used one in a while, maybe I should and create a video tutorial…?

Yarn Substitutes

• Feels Like Butter Truck & Quick
• Wool Ease Thick & Quick
• Re-Spun Thick & Quick

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Materials

• 9.00 mm Crochet Hook
• 1 Skein of Lion Brand Lazy Days Faded Denim [191-106BD]
• 1 Skein of Lion Brand Lazy Days Cream [191-098W]
• #6 Super Bulky Weight Yarn – 125 yards EACH Color
• Minimum 5 Stitch Markers

Gauge

• 8 sts x 9 rows is 4”x4” in a sc in the round stitch pattern with NO turns. If your swatch is too big go down crochet hook size if it is too small go up a crochet hook size. 

Sizing 

• One Size – 16” across by 13” deep with a 7” handle by 1.75” thick.

Stitch Descriptions and Abbreviations

• Chain Stitch – ch 
• Slip Stitch – sl st 
• Stitch(es) – st(s)
• Skip – sk
• Stitch Marker – SM
• Single Crochet – sc
• Foundation Single Crochet – Fsc – Chain 2, insert hook into 2nd chain from hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 1 loop, (2 loops on hook with 1 ch created), yarn over, draw through all loops (1 loop on hook, 1 foundation single crochet with chain at the bottom). *Insert hook to the bottom of the stitch you just made, it will look like the top or “V” of a stitch, yarn over, pull up 1 loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 1 loop (2 loops on hook with 1 ch created), yarn over, draw through all loops;* repeat from * to * for desired amount of stitches.
• Surface Slip Stitch – Surface Sl St – Pull up a loop in the designated stitch with working yarn on backside of piece (one loop on hook), *insert your hook into the next stitch or space, pull up a loop through stitch or space and through loop on hook (one loop on hook), repeat from * to end creating your sl st on the surface of your previously created stitches.    
• Diagonal Wrap Stitch – Thread your needle, pick a space between stitches and bring your needle up through the back, *moving over a row and up one stitch at a 45 degree angle place your needle between those stitches, moving back over to the original row and one space above the previously threaded stitch, bring your needle back through to the front of your stitches, repeat from * to create your desired amount of stitches.

Pattern Notes

• * Designates a repeat.
• No Turns at the end of each round.
• All rounds are slip stitch (sl st) to join.
• Ch 1 at beginning of rounds does not count as a stitch.
• Tote Base Photo showing first 5 rounds is not from the creation of this bag and is only a reference used to show the usage of the stitch markers.
• You will have a extra yarn left over if you would like to add more surface details than the bag was designed with.
• Adding the Diagonal Wrap stitch is easiest done with your fingers. 
• “sc 1” means to single crochet in the next stitch.
• “sc 2” means to single crochet in each of the next 2 stitches.
• “2 sc” means to single crochet twice in the next stitch to create an increase.

COLOR A
Round 1 – Fsc 15, place SM in first st, 4 sc in base of last Fsc, place SM in 4th sc st, sc 14 by working in every base of Fsc across, place SM in last sc, 3 sc in same st as last st, sl st to first Fsc. [36 total stitches]

• There should be 15 sts from SM to SM on both sides and 3 sc between both sets of SM’s to create a half circle at each end.
• Move SM up to first and last stitch on both sides to mark your place before and after the half circles.

First 5 Rounds of Bag Base for reference to note SM placement, this is NOT the “Easy Bulky Bag” and photo is for reference only. This is the “Basic Beach Tote” base.

Round 2 – Ch 1, sc 15, 2 sc in next 3 sts, sc 15, 2 sc in next 3 sts, sl st to first stitch in round. [42 total stitches]
Round 3 – Ch 1, sc 15, (2 sc, sc 1) over next 6 sts, sc 15, (2 sc, sc 1) over next 6 sts, sl st to first stitch in round. [48 total stitches]
Round 4 – Ch 1, sc 15, (2 sc, sc 2) over next 9 sts, sc 15, (2 sc, sc 2) over next 9 sts, sl st to first stitch in round. [54 total stitches]
Round 5 – Ch 1, sc 15, (2 sc, sc 3) over next 12 sts, sc 15, (2 sc, sc 3) over next 12 sts, sl st to first stitch in round, switch to Color B. [60 total stitches]
Next 9 Rounds – Ch 1, sc 60, sl st to first stitch in round. [60 total stitches]

COLOR B
Next 11 Rounds – Ch 1, sc 60, sl st to first stitch in round. [60 total stitches]
Do not cut yarn and use instructions below to mark the openings for the handles. 

1. Lay your bag flat so that it lays evenly to mark your proper handle placement.
2. Find the center of the bag on the side facing you, count over 8 sts to the right and place a stitch marker. (SM1)
3. From the stitch marker count back to the left 16 sts and place another stitch marker. (SM2)
4. Continue moving left 28 stitches and place another stitch marker (SM3),  continue left another 16sts and place a another stitch marker. (SM4) Between the 16 sts is where the handle openings will be placed. Move to “Next Round”.

Next Round – Ch 1, sc to SM1, (ch 16, sk 16), sc in SM2, sc to SM3, (ch 16, sk 16), sc in SM4, sc to end, sl st to first stitch in round. [60 total stitches]
Next Round –  Ch 1, sc to ch-16, sc 16 around ch-16 loop, sc 28, sc 16 around ch-16 loop, sc to end, sl st to first stitch in round. [60 total stitches]
Next 2 Rounds – Ch 1, sc 60, sl st to first stitch in round. [60 total stitches]
Next Rounds – Ch 1, surface sl st in on the front of each sc around, finish off. [60 total stitches]

Bag Handle Opening Detail

Using Color B create a Surface Slip Stitch around each bag handle opening.

Diagonal Wrap Stitches
Using Color A on Color B and Color B on Color A follow the “Diagonal Wrap Stitch” instructions above in the “Stitch Description and Abbreviations”  making sure to create them opposite of each other to give a sideways chevron look. 

You will have some extra yarn leftover, get creative with other surface stitches on your bag! For some more inspiration on your surface stitches check out my Striped Tote Purse, enjoy!

Check out my other Free Crochet Bag Patterns