A stylish market tote perfect for outdoor markets
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This market tote will quickly become your go-to favorite when heading out to the farmer’s markets. Read on to see why!
The Pathways Market Tote
One of the most common New Year’s resolutions I hear every year is the desire to reduce waste and save the environment. For most of us, that means getting rid of plastic bags and disposable items that won’t break down in landfills.
Market totes and bags have become a popular choice for replacing plastic bags. It’s a stylish way to do your part to reduce unnecessary waste.
The Pathways Market Tote ticks all the boxes. It’s reusable, easy care and durable for repeated uses. It’s fashionable AND functional at the same time. It’s perfect for farmer’s markets because you can be confident it will bear the weight of all that precious produce!
Design + Construction
The Pathways Market Tote is designed to be easily slung over one shoulder, freeing your hands for other things. Its generous size and sturdy construction mean you can carry heavy produce with confidence. Plus, I designed it to be stylish and fashionable – turn some heads!
The construction of the market tote is pretty straightforward.
- The flat circle bottom is worked in continuous rounds without joining.
- The body of the market tote is worked in alternating sections of solid single crochet and the crossed double crochet, one of my all-time favorite stitches.
- The single strap is worked from both sides of the top of the body and joined in one seam at the center of the strap.
- The edges of the strap are finished off in a row of single crochet to prevent the strap from stretching.
About the Yarn
Typically, I choose a mercerized cotton for a tote like this because it’s sturdy, it doesn’t stretch with repeated use, and it retains its beautiful color and definition with repeated washing.
However, for this one I wanted to try Lion Brand’s “Re-Tweed” because the colors were just so beautiful. Instead of being cotton, this yarn is 40% wool, 40% polyester and 20% acrylic. The wool gives it a bit of a scratchy feel but that shouldn’t be a problem because this isn’t a garment. And, each skein comes in a generous 3.5oz size. It also has a bit of stretch which is different from cotton.
Any worsted weight yarn that has a lot of stability and is easy to care for. You want to be able to launder your beautiful market tote!
The medium to large size of the tote means you’ll need 3 skeins of Lion Brand’s “Re-Tweed”. But, it won’t feel like you have a massive bag on your shoulder even though you’ll be able to carry plenty of groceries.
Where to get the PDF for the Pathways Market Tote
The Pathways Market Tote is a free crochet pattern in this blog post. If you’re a blog subscriber, scroll down to view the free version.
However, if you’d like a printer friendly and downloadable version of the PDF, I recommend you purchase it from one of my shops.
The purchased PDF can be uploaded to your favorite mobile device so you can take your Pathways Market Tote project with you to work on whenever you’re out and about.
The PDF is easy to read and beautifully formatted without ads for a great experience. Along with detailed written instructions, the PDF includes a schematic for getting just the right measurements and a crochet chart to show stitch placement in the body section.
Get your copy today!
The Pathways Market Tote Free Pattern
Materials
Yarn
Lion Brand “Re-Tweed” 40% wool/40% polyester/20% acrylic worsted weight 4 (3.5oz/202yd; 100g/185m) – 3 skeins in Grapefruit (#104)
Hooks
- US size H-8 (5mm) for the bottom of the tote
- US size I-9 (5.5mm) for the rest of the tote
Tools
- Removable stitch markers
- Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
General Information
Finished Measurements
- Width of body (measured from side to side with tote laid flat) – Approx. 15” across
- Height of body (measured from beg of body to base of straps) – Approx. 10”
- Straps (measured from top of body to center strap seam) – Approx. 14.25”
Gauge: 13 sc x 16 rows = 4”
Skill Level: Advanced beginner (because of various construction techniques and finishing details)
Abbreviations – US crochet terminology
- beg – beginning
- BLO – back loop only
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- rep – repeat
- rnd(s) – round(s)
- RS – right side
- sc – single crochet
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- YO – yarn over
- sc dec – single crochet decrease (work a decrease over 2 sts)
- sc inc – single crochet increase (work 2 sc in the indicated st)
Special Stitches
Crossed double crochet (crossed dc): Sk st, dc in next st, dc in skipped st.
In this stitch pattern, the double crochets are worked the same as usual. However, a stitch is skipped, and the first double crochet of the pair is worked in the next stitch. The second double crochet of the pair is worked in the skipped stitch, causing them to be crossed
Stacked single crochet (STsc) – (This stitch is used at the beginning of a row or round to replace the traditional turning ch-3. It has the appearance of a dc.) – Insert hook in same st as loop, YO, draw up loop, YO, pull through 2 loops (bottom sc made), insert hook in left vertical bar of bottom sc, YO, draw up loop, YO, pull through 2 loops (top sc made).
Pattern Notes
- DO NOT TURN after any round.
- A ‘ch-3’ may be substituted for the STsc.
- The bottom of the tote is a flat circle worked in continuous rounds without joining. To keep track of where the beginning of the round is, place a marker in the first stitch of the round. After working the first stitch of the next round, move the marker up.
- Stitch counts will be indicated only when they change.
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Written Instructions
Bottom
Rnd 1: Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. < 6 sc >
Rnd 2: Sc inc in each st around. < 12 sc >
Rnd 3: (Sc inc, sc in next st) around. < 18 sc >
Rnd 4: (Sc inc, sc in next 2 sts) around. < 24 sc >
Rnd 5: (Sc inc, sc in next 3 sts) around. < 30 sc >
Rnd 6: (Sc inc, sc in next 4 sts) around. < 36 sc >
Rnd 7: (Sc inc, sc in next 5 sts) around. < 42 sc >
Rnd 8: (Sc inc, sc in next 6 sts) around. < 48 sc >
Rnd 9: (Sc inc, sc in next 7 sts) around. < 54 sc >
Rnd 10: (Sc inc, sc in next 8 sts) around. < 60 sc >
Rnd 11: (Sc inc, sc in next 9 sts) around. < 66 sc >
Rnd 12: (Sc inc, sc in next 10 sts) around. < 72 sc >
Rnd 13: (Sc inc, sc in next 11 sts) around. < 78 sc >
Rnd 14: (Sc inc, sc in next 12 sts) around. < 84 sc >
Rnd 15: (Sc inc, sc in next 13 sts) around. < 90 sc >
Rnd 16: (Sc inc, sc in next 14 sts) around, join with slip st to first st of rnd. < 96 sc >
Do not fasten off. Proceed to Body.
Body
Note: The 4 dc on each side of the tote body hide the join on one side and balance the overall look on the other. Be sure the 1st st of each rnd is worked in the same st (lined up with the 3rd of the 4 dc below). This ensures the seam (the place of the join) stays vertical and doesn’t slant.
Rnd 17: Ch 1, sc BLO in each st around, join with slip st to beg st. < 96 sc >
Rnd 18: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st around, join with slip st to beg st.
Rnd 19: STsc (counts as a dc throughout), dc in next st, crossed dc 22 times, dc in next 4 sts, crossed dc 22 times, dc in next 2 sts, join with slip st to beg st. < 8 dc, 44 crossed dc >
Rnds 20-29: Rep Rnds 18-19 5 times.
Rnd 30: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st around, join with slip st to beg st. < 96 sc >
Rnds 31-33: Rep Rnd 30.
Rnd 34: STsc, dc in next st, crossed dc 22 times, dc in next 4 sts, crossed dc 22 times, dc in next 2 sts, join with slip st to beg st. < 8 dc, 44 crossed dc >
Rnds 35-42: Rep Rnds 18-19 4 times.
Do not fasten off. Proceed to Strap.
Strap
Note: Mark the halfway point on the opposite side of the tote by placing a marker in the 3rd dc of 4 (counting from right to left). Including the st where the hook is, the marker should be in the 49th st from the hook (with 47 unworked sts between the st where the hook is and the st with the marker)
Side 1
From this point forward, work back and forth in rows, turning after every row
Row 1: With RS facing, ch 1, sc in same st and in each st across to marker, do not work into the st with the marker, turn. < 48 sc >
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, sc dec, sc in each st across to last 3 sts, sc dec, sc in last st, turn. < 46 sc >
Rows 3-20: Rep Row 2 until 10 sts remain, turn. < 10 sc >
Rows 21-48: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each st across, turn. At the end of Row 48, fasten off.
Note: To shorten/lengthen the strap, subtract/add 4 rows for every inch of change. Make the adjustment after all decrease rows are completed.
Side 2 (Worked the same as Side 1)
Row 1: With RS facing, attach yarn in the st with marker, remove marker, ch 1, sc in same st and in the next 47 unworked sts, turn. < 48 sc >
Rows 2-48: Rep Rows 2-48 of Side 1. At the end of Row 48, fasten off and weave in all ends.
Strap Seam
With RS held together, stitch the ends of the strap together. Turn RS out before edging.
Strap Edging
With RS facing, attach yarn anywhere along the side edge of the strap. Ch 1, sc in the same row end and in each row end around the strap. Join with a slip st to beg st and fasten off.
Repeat for the opposite strap edge. Weave in any remaining ends. All done!
Looking for more crochet bags?
Check out these fabulous all-purpose totes and bags in my pattern shops.
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