I love this white crochet bag! I think it looks great on its own. It looks pretty minimalistic and it’s easy to make. You can use this as a handbag or a market bag. I created this bag specifically for earth day because I wanted a washable bag to carry to the markets, now that we have a plastic bag ban in NYC. But after I finished it, I thought it was too nice to be a market bag, haha. The color and the weave made it look kind of like a beachy tote, so I think I might keep this as a regular tote bag. 🙂

Materials:

3 balls of Loops and Threads Impeccable White yarn in worsted weight (4) or 2 balls of super bulky yarn.

in worsted weight (4) or 2 balls of super bulky yarn. 9mm crochet hook

Bag

Take 3 strands of yarn and make 20 chains



Round 1:

a) double crochet into third chain from the hook 4 times

b) double crochet the next 16 stitches

c) double crochet 5 times into the last stitch.

d) Then continue to double crochet to the next 16 stitches on the other side.

e) Slip stitch to the first double crochet we did from the beginning (which is the 3rd stitch) to close this flat oval you just created.

Round 2:

a) Chain 2, double crochet into the first stitch

b) double crochet increase for the next 4 stitches

c) then double crochet the next 16 stitches

d) double crochet increase for 5 stitches

e) then double crochet the rest of the 16 stitches until the end, where you will slip stitch on the chain 2 you did in the beginning to close your oval.

Round 3 – 12: Chain 2, double crochet starting on your second stitch (the one that’s next to the stitch that has the 2 chains you just did) and then slip stitch at the end of every round.

Now you are ready to make the handles.

Handles

Lay your piece flat on a table. I cannot tell you how many stitches to stitch because you might be using different yarn gauges so please follow these guidelines instead.

With your piece laid flat, count how many stitches are going across on top. If your starting stitch on your crochet hook isn’t quite at the very end of bag like mine is, approximate how much is at the end (for mine, it is about 2 stitches). Then divide that number by 3.

Use that number and count from the left side and leave in a paper clip on that stitch.

Use that number and count from the right side and leave in a paper clip on that stitch.

Use another 2 paper clips and put it on the stitch on the back piece that is directly behind the paper clips that you have now.

That should be where your handles will be. You should adjust to another stitch if you think it doesn’t look even.

Chain 2, double crochet until you get to your paper clip. Take off the paper clip and do 1 double crochet and then chain about 34 stitches. You can do less or more depending on how long you want your handle. Do a double crochet into your next paper clip. Do double crochets around until you reach your next paper clip, which would be one of your back piece paper clips. Take off your paper clip and do a double crochet. Chain 34 stitches or however many you did in your first handle. Double crochet into your last paper clip and then double crochet until you get to your last stitch of that row. End with a slip stitch to connect your row together, like you did for all your other rows. Chain 2, do a double crochet until you reach your handle. Do a single crochet on the chains on your handle until to get to the end of your handle. Do double crochet until you reach your next handle (back handle) Do a single crochet on each of the chains until you reach the end of your handle. Do double crochet until you reach the end of your row. Then end with a slip stitch. Cut your yarn and pull your crochet hook through your slipstitch so you’ll just have a tail now. Weave the tail into your bag.

You’re done!

If you would like to decorate the bag into the iconic “Thank You Have a Nice Day” plastic bag with the smiley face, stay tuned! I will post soon! 🙂