Totes can be utilitarian, handy, functional, and fun. And the Moroccan Market Tote is all of these – plus beautiful and luxurious! The stitch pattern reminds me of Moroccan Tile (hence the name), and is gorgeous enough to carry anywhere you go – Farmer’s market to foreign shores!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links. Yarn provided by Lion Brand.



The Moroccan Market Tote features 7 bright colors, but could be made with just 3 skeins if you prefer to skip the stripes. As it’s written, less than 50 yards of each “stripe” color is used, so it could also be a great stash buster. But if you get a chance, I highly recommend the LB Collection Cotton Bamboo – it’s a joy to work with, and looks and feels amazing in the finished project!

Moroccan Market Tote

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US – H, 5.00mm hook

620 yds LB Collection Cotton Bamboo (DK)

Color A: 150 yds (Chocolate Dahlia – brown)

Color B: 245 yds (Magnolia – beige)

Color C: 45 yds (Hyacinth – blue)

Color D: 45 yds (Snapdragon – green)

Color E: 45 yds (Gardenia – yellow)

Color F: 45 yds (Persimmon – orange)

Color G: 45 yds (Hibiscus – pink)

4 stitch markers

Finished size: 15-16″ wide (narrows a bit as it goes up) and 11-12″ tall not including the handles

Helpful Links & Abbreviations

Crochet Abbreviations

Bag Bottoms

Moroccan Tile Stitch in the Round

FDC – Foundation Double Crochet;

CSDC – Chainless Starting Double Crochet

Seamless Join

STDC – Standing Double Crochet

Matching Patterns

The Moroccan Tile Afghan

Moroccan Midnight Slouch

Moroccan Midnight Cowl

Moroccan Midnight Mitts

Moroccan Midnight Boot Cuffs

Moroccan Handbag

Moroccan Basket

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the Base with Color A:

Row 1: FDC 54, turn. (54 sts)

Row 2: CSDC, dc 53, turn. (54 sts) ‘

Round 3: CSDC, dc 53. Turn the fabric clockwise to work into the ends of the rows, dc 6 evenly across the ends of the rows. Turn the fabric clockwise again to dc 54 across the bottom of Row 1. Turn clockwise again to dc 6 into the opposite ends of the rows. Break yarn and use seamless join to secure to 2nd st of the round, PM in join. (120 sts)

Make the Body with Colors B – G:

Round 1: With Color B, STDC in marked stitch. Ch 1, dc in same st (V st made). Skip 2 sts. *[Dc, ch 1, dc] in next st, skip 2 sts. Repeat from * to end, join with sl st to STDC. Remove hook from loop, PM in loop so it doesn’t pull out. (40 V sts)

Round 2: With Color C, STDC in ch sp of 1st V st of previous round. Ch 1, dc in the same ch sp (V st made). [Dc, ch 1, dc] in each ch sp around. Pull active loop and working yarn of Color B to front of fabric, then join with sl st to STDC. Remove hook from loop, PM in loop so it doesn’t pull out. (40 V sts)

Round 3: Replace hook in active loop of Color B, CSDC, ch 1, dc between first and last V of the row before the previous round (NOT in the ch sp, but between the Vs). [Dc, ch 1, dc] between the V sts of round before the previous round around, enclosing previous round. Leaving working yarn and active loop of Color C behind fabric, join with sl st to CSDC. Remove hook from loop, PM in loop so it doesn’t pull out. (40 V sts)

Round 4: Insert hook in the ch sp of the first V st of the previous round. Replace hook in active loop of Color C and pull it through the V to the front, leaving working yarn behind. CSDC, ch 1, dc in the ch sp of that first V. [Dc, ch 1, dc] in each ch sp around. Pull active loop and working yarn of Color B to front of fabric, then join with sl st to CSDC. Remove hook from loop, PM in loop so it doesn’t pull out. (40 V sts) Round 5 – 8: Repeat Rounds 3-4 twice. At end of Round 8, break Color C and seamless join in CSDC. (40 V sts)

Round 9: Repeat Round 3.

Round 10: With Color D, repeat Round 2.

Round 11: Repeat Round 3.

Round 12: With Color D, repeat Round 4.

Round 13 – 16: Repeat Rounds 5-8 (using Color D).

Rounds 17 – 24: With Color E, repeat Rounds 9-16.

Rounds 25 – 32: With Color F, repeat Rounds 9-16.

Rounds 33 – 40: With Color G, repeat Rounds 9-16.

Round 41: Repeat Round 3. At end of Round, break Color B and seamless join in CSDC. PM in the first V st of the round. (40 V sts)

Make the Top and Handles with Color A:

Round 1: Count 9 V sts to the left of the joining seam (8 from the first V) from the previous round, and PM in that V st. (See photo below.) Join with a sl st to ch sp of the marked V st of the previous round. Ch 1 and work 3 sc in the ch sp. Work 3 sc in each ch sp around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (120 sts)

Rounds 2 – 4: Ch 1 and sc in each st around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (120 sts)

Round 5: Starting with the first st of the previous round PM in sts #20, #49, #80, and #109. Lay bag flat and make sure markers line up and are where you want the handles to be (adjust if needed). Ch 1, sc to first marked st, sc in marked st, ch 100 (or to desired handle length), sc in next marked st (skip sts between 1st and 2nd markers). Sc in each st to next marked st, sc in marked st, ch 100, sc in last marked st, sc in remaining sts to end. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (64 sc and 200 ch)

Rounds 6 – 9: Ch 1, sc in each st and ch around. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (262 sts)

Round 10: Sl st in the next st and each st around. Break yarn and seamless join to first sl st. Use remaining yarn to sl st around handle openings in the same manor. Weave in all ends.

Splendiferous! The Moroccan Market Tote is a truly luxurious tote bag, and I can’t wait to use it. Jetting off on an adventure, strolling through the local shops, or toting books to the public library, it’s sure to add an extra special touch to your next outing.

Written pattern copyright Tamara Kelly 2013. Please do not share copies of or repost this pattern, but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others. You can use the green Print Friendly button below to print a copy for personal use. If you wish to make items for sale from this pattern, please visit the About page for details. [email protected]