Mad Market Bag Pattern-Small and Large

Bags, purses, duffels, wallets, backpacks and baskets. I love containers. It’s a strange obsession and I cannot properly explain it, but one of the best reasons to learn to crochet, knit or sew is to create bags, and bags and bags. This is a simple bag, it works up quickly and it stretches to accommodate a lot of stuff. You can use it as a beach tote, market bag or stuff sack for blankets and jackets. Enjoy the pattern below!

Mad Market Bag (Dowload PDF)

Notes: Use appropriate gauge hook for your chosen yarn. In this example, I am using Sugar n Cream Cotton yarn with a 5mm hook.
NOTE*- To add durability to the bag, I am inserting hook under TWO strands of each chain when making the sc sts.

Needed: Approximately 6oz of cotton yarn, OR 4 oz of worsted weight, medium(4), yarn. The cotton yarn is much heavier at the same thickness as the acrylic yarns. Use a hook gauged to your yarn specs, or one slightly larger for a good drape on the fabric.

Body:

1-Slip knot ring, ch1, 8 hdc in ring, jn to ch1 (8 sts)
2-ch1, 2hdc in ea hdc of previous row, jn to ch1 (16 sts)
3– ch1, *2hdc in nxt st, 1hdc in nxt st. Repeat from * around, jn to ch1, (24 sts) (skip row 3 to create smaller bag)
4
– *ch5, sc in nxt st. Repeat from * around (24 ch5 loops)(16 ch5 loops for smaller bag)
5
-sl st 2 times into first ch5 loop sp, sc into 3rd ch of same loop, *ch5, sc into 3rd ch of next ch5 loop. Repeat from * until end of round ONLY CHAIN 3 ON LAST ONE, sc into 3rd ch of the first ch5 loop of that row.
6 –(or row 5 for smaller bag) to end-from here out, you will ch5, sc into 3rd chain of next ch5 loop.

The body of my bag now totals 23 rows.(the smaller bag has 17 rows)

Edging: For Larger Bag

1-I will begin the edging by doing 3sc in each ch5 loop.
2-sc into each sc, around.
3– Now for the small shells: *sl st in next st, skip next st, 3hdc in next st, skip next st- Repeat from *

Edging and Handles: For Smaller Bag

1-I will begin the edging by doing 3sc in each ch5 loop.
2-sc into each sc, around.
3-ch15, skip 15 stitches and sc into next st (this is the first handle!). Sc in the next 10 stitches, ch15, skip 15 stitches and sc into next stitch (second handle made). Continue to sc around until round completed.
4- Now for the small shells: *sl st in next st, skip next st, 3hdc in next st, skip next st- Repeat from * (You are working these into the chain stitches too, the shells decorate the handles too).

Strap: (for large bag) Make a chain of desired length, hdc in each st all the way around (you will make stitches in the top and bottom of your original chain). Then I used the same scallop edging to finish. Sew strap onto bag, weave in ends. Done!

To create SMALLER bag, follow directions above but you will skip the row 3 instructions and jump straight to row 4. Please follow the bolded italicized instructions for the smaller bag.

 

They stretch out quite nicely and I know we will use a slew of these while camping and shopping this summer.

 

They stretch out quite nicely and I know we will use a slew of these while camping and shopping this summer.

This picture of the small bag shows the long chain that will turn into the handle.

The bottom of the large bag is shown here to give you an idea of building out the loops from the center solid piece. This solid bit adds stability to the bag and helps it hold it’s shape when full.

Here is a close up of the scalloping for the large bag. This is done as the last row of the bag and then again around the handle. I like these little finishing touches.

 

21 comments

  1. All of your things are out of this world…Thank you for your love and care given to it all, it shows through amazingly…

  2. have a ? im lost on my bag where i get to where it says ch3 on last one sc into 3rd ch of the 1st ch 5 loop do i ch 3 on every row on on that 1st row of that? where im at this its making a very visable seam line and i dont see this on ur what am i doing wrong?? help

    1. Let’s see if I can make sense of it. . . It sounds like you are stuck on Row 5. There will not be a seam in this bag, the only out of place spot it just where you will do the “sl st 2 times into first ch5 loop…”.

      Row 5 (expanded): At the end of Row 4, you have to slip stitch into the first loop of Row 4 twice, this moves your hook up into the middle of the loop. Then you single crochet into the 3rd chain of that same loop. Now ch 5, and single crochet into the 3rd chain on the next chain5 loop you made from the previous row. Do this all the way around, but only ch 3 on your last one, then single crochet into the last chain5 loop. THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE YOU CHAIN 3, it’s just to control that one space from being bigger than the rest of the holes.

      At this point, you are working in a spiral, there will be no seam. For Rows 6 and beyond, you simply chain 5, and single crochet into the 3rd chain in the of the loop below.

      I hope this is what you were looking for, thanks for trying the pattern.

  3. Hoping I am correct in believing you mean simply “3sc” instead of “3rd sc” in line 1 of Edging: For Larger Bag. About to work it that way . . . 🙂

  4. Oh, thank you, my dear, ever so much! Nothing like a simple little PDF to make my day!!
    Hugs,
    e

  5. I made this in lime green and it’s precious! I left the flowers off as I was going for a more utilitarian look but really it’s awesome! Thanks bunches 😉

  6. I COMPLETELY understand your obsession with containers!!! I can’t wait to find the time to make one of these bags. It would be a perfect item for summer outings! Stay swell! :))

    1. Julie, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I have fixed the typos and I hope it makes sense now. This step is to ‘walk’ your yarn up to the middle of the loop so you can make a sc in 3rd chain and begin this row in the middle of a loop. Sorry for any confusion.

  7. Thanks Charissa! Lots of blogs have free patterns and I wind up trying to copy and paste them into a word doc and their nice formatting disappears, and I have to mess with the photos so they don’t overtake the document. I always wish for a PDF option to click on … that would be so easy. I’m going to try Sasha’s suggestion, too.

  8. Madme,

    Microsoft word can be converted into a PDF file easily. Click on Save as then mouse over to the PDF. Also Google documents works too.

    Sasha

  9. Forgive my ignorance, but is there a way to save this (PDF, maybe) to my computer without copying and pasting it to a Word doc? I looked for a PDF link but did not find one. Love this pattern & I want to save it along with your photos!!
    Thanks!
    e

    1. Elaine, there is not a way yet BUT I think I could whip this up pretty easy. I’m on my way out, but I’ll make sure to get that up for you soon. Great suggestion!

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