Easy Crochet Net Bag Tutorial (Beginner & Step by Step)

If you’ve been wanting to try your hand at a functional, stylish, and eco-friendly project, a crochet net bag might be exactly what you need. These open-mesh bags — sometimes called market bags, string bags, or produce bags — have been around for generations, and for good reason. They’re endlessly useful, surprisingly quick to make, and they look absolutely gorgeous in a rainbow of yarn colors. Best of all, this is one of those projects that feels beginner-friendly from the very first stitch.

Whether you’re brand new to crochet or you’ve made a few dishcloths and scarves and want to try something a little more practical, this tutorial will walk you through every single step. By the end, you’ll have a beautiful handmade net bag you can use at the farmer’s market, the grocery store, the beach, or even just around the house to hold fruit, yarn, or anything else you want to corral in style.

Let’s get into it.

What Is a Crochet Net Bag?

A crochet net bag is exactly what it sounds like — a bag made with an open mesh or net-style stitch pattern. Because of all those little holes in the fabric, the bag stretches and molds to whatever you put inside it, making it incredibly versatile. You can stuff it full of apples and oranges from the market, roll up a beach towel and toss it in, or use a smaller version to store yarn or craft supplies.

The net structure also makes these bags a popular sustainable alternative to plastic grocery bags. They’re washable, reusable, durable when made with the right yarn, and genuinely beautiful in a way that a plastic bag never will be.

Materials You’ll Need

Before we dive into the tutorial, let’s gather everything you need. One of the best things about this project is how minimal the materials list is.

Yarn: Choose a smooth, sturdy yarn for your first net bag. Cotton yarn is the most popular choice for this type of project because it’s strong, washable, and doesn’t stretch out of shape over time. A worsted weight (size 4) cotton yarn is perfect for beginners because it’s easy to see your stitches clearly. You’ll need approximately 200–300 yards depending on how large you want your bag. Brands like Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, Paintbox Simply DK Cotton, or Drops Paris all work beautifully.

Crochet Hook: A size 5.0mm (H/8) hook pairs nicely with worsted weight cotton. If your tension tends to run tight, go up to a 5.5mm or 6.0mm hook. The bigger your hook relative to your yarn, the more open and drapey your mesh will be — which is usually exactly what you want for a net bag.

Scissors: Any pair will do.

Yarn Needle: You’ll use this to weave in your ends at the finish.

Stitch Marker: Optional, but helpful for keeping track of your rounds.

That’s genuinely it. No fancy notions, no special tools.

Crochet Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

If you’re new to reading crochet patterns, here’s a quick reference for the abbreviations you’ll see throughout this tutorial.

ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
dc — double crochet
ch-sp — chain space (the loop or hole created by a chain)
rep — repeat
st — stitch
rnd — round
YO — yarn over

Understanding the Net Stitch

The backbone of this bag is a simple repeating mesh pattern. It uses chains and double crochet stitches to create an open grid of diamond-shaped holes. If you can chain and double crochet, you can make this bag. The mesh stitch is nothing more than a repeated sequence of “double crochet, chain 2, skip 2 stitches” — that’s really the whole pattern once you get rolling.

The first time through, you’ll count your stitches carefully and move slowly. By the third or fourth row, your hands will know what they’re doing before your brain does.

Pattern Notes

This bag is worked in two parts: a flat bottom circle, and then the mesh body of the bag worked in continuous rounds upward. Finally, you’ll add handles at the top.

The finished bag will measure approximately 12 inches wide and 14 inches tall (before the handles) when blocked and loaded with a few items. You can easily adjust the size by making a larger or smaller starting circle, or by working more or fewer rounds on the body.

Gauge is not critical for this project, but if you want to match the finished size above, aim for about 14 double crochets and 8 rows = 4 inches using worsted weight cotton on a 5.0mm hook.

Step One: Make a Magic Ring (or Start With a Chain)

We’ll begin at the bottom of the bag and work outward and upward.

If you’re comfortable with a magic ring (also called a magic circle), start there — it gives you a tighter, cleaner center. If you’d rather not, here’s an easy alternative: chain 4 and slip stitch into the first chain to form a small ring.

Magic Ring Method:
Make a loop with your yarn, leaving about a 6-inch tail. Insert your hook through the loop, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet). Work 11 more double crochets into the ring. Pull the tail to tighten the center closed. You now have 12 double crochets in a circle.

Chain Ring Method:
Chain 4. Slip stitch into the first chain to join. Chain 3. Work 11 double crochets into the center of the ring. Slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3 to join. You now have 12 double crochets.

Step Two: Build the Circular Base

Now we’ll increase outward to form the flat bottom of the bag. This part is worked in joined rounds (not continuous spirals), so you’ll join each round with a slip stitch and begin with a turning chain.

Round 1: Chain 3 (counts as dc). Work 1 dc in the same stitch. Work 2 dc in each stitch around. Slip stitch to top of beginning chain-3 to join. (24 dc)

Round 2: Chain 3 (counts as dc). Work 1 dc in the same stitch. Work 1 dc in next stitch. 2 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in next stitch. Repeat from to around. Slip stitch to join. (36 dc)

Round 3: Chain 3 (counts as dc). Work 1 dc in the same stitch. Work 1 dc in each of the next 2 stitches. 2 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in each of next 2 stitches. Repeat from to around. Slip stitch to join. (48 dc)

Round 4: Chain 3 (counts as dc). Work 1 dc in the same stitch. Work 1 dc in each of the next 3 stitches. 2 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in each of next 3 stitches. Repeat around. Slip stitch to join. (60 dc)

At the end of Round 4, your base should lie flat with no puckering or rippling. If it’s rippling, your tension is too loose — try going down a hook size for the base. If it’s cupping, go up a hook size or add one more increase round. A flat, slightly floppy circle is exactly what you want.

Step Three: Transition to the Mesh Body

This is where the bag starts to take shape and where the real magic happens. We’re going to shift from solid double crochet fabric to the open mesh pattern.

Transition Round:
Chain 1. Single crochet in first stitch. Chain 2, skip 2 stitches, single crochet in next stitch. Repeat from to around. When you reach the end, chain 2, slip stitch to the first single crochet to join. This sets up your mesh framework.

You should have 20 chain-2 spaces around your round. If your count is slightly different because you adjusted your base size, that’s completely fine — just keep your count consistent.

Step Four: Work the Mesh Body

Now we’re going to work round after round of the mesh pattern. Each round is essentially the same, which makes this portion of the bag wonderfully rhythmic and meditative to work.

Mesh Round (repeat this round):
Slip stitch into the first chain-2 space. Chain 3. Work 1 dc in the same chain-2 space. Chain 2. Work 2 dc in the next chain-2 space, chain 2. Repeat from to all the way around. Slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain-3 to join.

That’s it. That’s your mesh round. Repeat it over and over.

Work the mesh round for a total of 20–25 rounds for a medium-sized market bag. After about 10 rounds you’ll start to see the bag taking shape — the sides will begin to angle upward naturally from the circular base. It’s genuinely one of the most satisfying things to watch happen.

A few helpful tips as you work the body:

Keep your tension consistent. Because you’re working into chain spaces rather than stitches, it can be tempting to pull too tight. Relax your grip and let the hook do the work.

Count your chain-2 spaces at the end of every few rounds to make sure you haven’t accidentally increased or decreased. The number should stay the same throughout.

If you want a taller bag, just keep going. If you want a shorter, wider bag, stop earlier or add more increase rounds at the base. This pattern is very forgiving.

Step Five: Finishing the Top Edge

Once your bag body is as tall as you’d like it, it’s time to finish the top edge. We’ll add one round of single crochet all around the top to create a stable, clean edge that the handles will attach to.

Top Edge Round:
Single crochet 2 stitches into each chain-2 space around the entire top of the bag. This fills in the mesh and creates a solid band. Slip stitch to join. This gives you a firm, structured rim.

Step Six: Add the Handles

The handles are what take this bag from pretty to genuinely functional. You have two options: crocheted handles or simple braided handles. We’ll cover both.

Crocheted Handles (more polished):

Decide where you want your handles to attach. For a bag with 20 chain-2 spaces around the top, place your handles roughly on opposite sides of the bag, with about 8–10 stitches between the attachment points on each side.

Mark your two handle attachment zones. Starting at the first marked stitch on one side, attach your yarn and chain 50 (for a comfortable handle length — go up to 60 if you want longer handles that go over your shoulder). Skip about 8–10 stitches across the top of the bag and slip stitch into the stitch where the handle will end.

Now work back along the chain: single crochet into every chain stitch all the way back to your starting point. Slip stitch to join. If you want thicker handles, work a second row of single crochet back along the handle in the other direction, or simply make two separate chains and stitch them together.

Repeat on the opposite side of the bag for the second handle.

Braided Handles (quick and easy):

Cut 6 strands of yarn approximately twice the desired length of your finished handle. Divide them into three pairs and braid them together firmly. Knot or sew each end. Use your yarn needle to attach each end of the braid securely to the inside top edge of the bag. Repeat for the second handle.

Step Seven: Weave In Ends and Block

Weave in all your loose ends securely using your yarn needle. For cotton yarn, it helps to weave ends in multiple directions to prevent them from slipping out over time.

To block your bag, simply dampen it thoroughly with cool water (or give it a gentle hand wash — which you’ll want to do anyway before using it for produce). Squeeze out the excess water gently without wringing. Stretch the bag into a pleasing shape and lay it flat or hang it to dry. Blocking opens up the mesh beautifully and evens out any slight tension inconsistencies. The difference between a blocked and unblocked net bag is really remarkable.

Tips for Customizing Your Bag

One of the most delightful things about this pattern is how easy it is to make it your own.

Play with color. You can make the entire bag one color for a clean, classic look, or switch colors every few rounds for a striped effect. Because you’re joining each round anyway, changing colors is as simple as starting the new round with a new yarn color.

Vary the yarn weight. A thinner yarn (like DK or fingering weight) with a correspondingly smaller hook creates a delicate, fine-mesh bag that’s beautiful for carrying lightweight items or as a gift bag. A chunkier yarn makes a sturdier tote with a more graphic, modern look.

Add a drawstring. Instead of handles, you can finish the top edge and thread a long cord or chain through the top mesh row to create a drawstring bag. This is perfect for a beach bag or a gym bag.

Try different base shapes. An oval base (made by working back and forth in rows, then joining at the ends) gives you a bag with a wider, flatter bottom — great for carrying books or bulky items without everything falling to one narrow point.

Caring for Your Crochet Net Bag

Cotton yarn is wonderfully practical because it’s machine washable. Turn your bag inside out and pop it in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with cold water. Reshape while damp and lay flat or hang to dry. Avoid putting cotton bags in the dryer on high heat, as this can shrink the yarn over time.

If your bag picks up any staining from fruits or vegetables (which is part of the charm of actually using it!), a little gentle dish soap worked in by hand before washing will usually take care of it.

Why You’ll Make This Bag Again and Again

There’s something deeply satisfying about making something with your hands that you then actually use in your everyday life. A crochet net bag crosses that bridge perfectly — it’s beautiful enough to feel like a craft project, but practical enough that you’ll grab it every time you head to the market.

Once you finish your first one, you’ll almost certainly want to make more. They’re genuinely quick to work up once you get into the rhythm of the mesh rounds, they make thoughtful handmade gifts, and experimenting with new colors and yarn weights never gets old.

If you make this bag using this tutorial, we’d love to see it over at MyFavoritePatterns — tag us or share your photo in the comments below. Happy crocheting!