East Ave. Market Bag Knitting Pattern — Our Daily Craft

There is something deeply satisfying about carrying your groceries home in a bag you made yourself. The weight of the vegetables, the soft give of the handles against your palm, the quiet pride of knowing every stitch came from your own two hands — it turns an ordinary errand into something that feels like a small act of intention. The East Ave. Market Bag is exactly that kind of project. It is sturdy, beautiful, stretchy enough to hold a week’s worth of produce, and simple enough that even a knitter who finished their first scarf just a few months ago can work through it with confidence.

This pattern is named for the kind of neighborhood street that still has a real butcher, a family-run produce stand, and maybe a flower bucket sitting outside a corner shop. It is the bag you grab on your way out the door. It lives on a hook near the entryway. It gets washed, dried, and used again. Practical and lovely at once — which is exactly the spirit of this craft.

Let’s walk through everything you need to know to knit your own.

Why Knit a Market Bag?

Before we get into the pattern itself, it is worth spending a moment on why a knitted bag — rather than crocheted, woven, or sewn — is such a wonderful choice for this purpose.

Knitting creates a fabric with natural elasticity. Unlike a sewn canvas tote, a knitted market bag expands to accommodate whatever you are carrying. A few extra apples, a big bunch of kale, a bottle of olive oil tucked in beside the bread — the mesh structure stretches gently to fit it all, then returns to shape when you empty it out. The open-stitch construction also means the bag breathes, so your produce does not sweat the way it might in a solid-fabric bag.

Cotton yarn, which is the recommended fiber for this pattern, is washable, durable, and gets softer with every cycle through the laundry. It does not stretch out permanently the way acrylic can, and it holds its shape better than linen alone. A cotton market bag knitted at the right gauge will last for years — possibly decades — with minimal care.

And then there is the joy of the process itself. A market bag is a project that moves quickly. You will see real progress every single time you sit down to knit. There are no fiddly seams, no complicated colorwork, and no stitch count so demanding that you cannot follow along while watching something on television. It is a deeply pleasant knit from cast-on to bind-off.

Materials and Tools

Here is everything you will need to make the East Ave. Market Bag.

Yarn: Approximately 200–250 yards of worsted weight, 100% cotton yarn. A single skein of most standard cotton yarn brands will be enough for a small-to-medium bag. If you want a larger, deeper bag with longer handles, have a second skein on hand just in case. Good options include Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, We Are Knitters The Cotton, or Paintbox Yarns Simply DK (the slightly lighter weight works beautifully for a finer mesh). Any smooth, tightly-spun cotton will perform well. Avoid fuzzy or heavily textured yarns for this pattern, as they will obscure the lace mesh and make it harder to see your stitches.

Needles: US Size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles, 16–24 inches in length. Circular needles are recommended even though part of this bag is worked flat. They accommodate the stitch count comfortably and make it easier to try the bag on your hand as you go to check handle length. If you prefer double-pointed needles for the base, a set of US 7 DPNs is also useful, though not strictly required.

Notions:
A stitch marker (four if you want to mark each corner of the base), a yarn needle for weaving in ends, and a pair of scissors. That is genuinely all you need.

Gauge: 18 stitches and 24 rows to 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US 7 needles with worsted cotton. For a mesh pattern, your gauge does not need to be exact — a slightly looser gauge will give you a more open, airy mesh, and a slightly tighter gauge will give you a denser fabric with less stretch. Swatch if you like, but for a bag this forgiving, many knitters skip it without regret.

Finished dimensions (approximate): 12 inches wide by 13 inches deep, with handles approximately 10 inches long. The bag stretches to hold considerably more than these dimensions suggest.

A Note on Construction

The East Ave. Market Bag is worked from the bottom up. You begin with a small rectangular base, then pick up stitches around the perimeter of that rectangle and join to work in the round. The body of the bag is worked in a simple yarn-over mesh pattern that creates the open, stretchy structure perfect for carrying produce. The top is finished with a few rounds of ribbing for stability, and then the handles are worked separately as i-cord or as flat straps, depending on your preference.

This construction method means there are no seams on the body of the bag — everything flows from one piece into the next. The only sewing you will do is attaching the handles if you choose the flat strap version.

The Pattern

Base

Cast on 12 stitches using a long-tail cast-on or any cast-on you prefer.

Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 30 rows. Your base will be a small, firm rectangle. Garter stitch is used here specifically because it lies flat without curling and gives the bag a stable foundation.

Do not bind off. Leave the stitches live on your needle.

Picking Up Stitches

Now you will pick up stitches around all four edges of the rectangle to create the body of the bag.

Using the same needle, pick up and knit 15 stitches along the first long side of the rectangle (roughly one stitch for every two rows of garter). Place a marker. Knit across the 12 live stitches on your needle. Place a marker. Pick up and knit 15 stitches along the second long side. Place a marker. Pick up and knit 12 stitches along the cast-on edge. Place a final marker to indicate the beginning of the round.

You should have 54 stitches total on your needle. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Body

Rounds 1–3: Knit all stitches (this creates a smooth transition from base to body and firms up the corners).

Begin mesh pattern:

The mesh is a simple two-row repeat that you will work for the entire body of the bag.

Round 1 (mesh round): *K1, yarn over, k2tog*; repeat from * to * around.

Round 2: Knit all stitches.

Repeat these two rounds until the body of the bag measures approximately 11 inches from the base, or until you have about 25–30 yards of yarn remaining for the top ribbing and handles. The bag will look quite elongated at this point — that is correct. Cotton relaxes and the mesh opens up beautifully once the bag has weight in it.

Top Ribbing

Work *k1, p1* ribbing around for 6 rounds. This creates a neat, stable edge that keeps the bag’s shape at the opening and gives the handles something firm to anchor to.

Bind off loosely in rib pattern. A loose bind-off is important here — if the top edge is too tight, it will be difficult to load the bag with larger items.

Handles (I-Cord Method)

I-cord handles are the simplest version and require no sewing. They are rounded, comfortable to hold, and have a slight twist to them that adds a handmade charm.

Using a set of double-pointed needles or the magic loop method, pick up 4 stitches from the top ribbing at one side of the bag, centered over the short end.

Work i-cord as follows: *Slide stitches to the right end of the needle without turning. Pull the working yarn firmly across the back. Knit all 4 stitches.* Repeat from * to * until the handle measures 10 inches, or to your preferred length.

Graft or sew the end of the i-cord to the ribbing directly across from where you started (on the same short side of the bag opening), using a yarn needle and a few secure stitches. Weave in ends well.

Repeat for the second handle on the opposite short end.

Handles (Flat Strap Method)

If you prefer a wider, flatter handle, pick up 8 stitches from the top ribbing instead of 4, and work back and forth in garter stitch for 10 inches. Sew the end to the opposite side of the bag opening. This style lies flatter over your shoulder and is particularly comfortable if you plan to carry heavy loads.

Finishing

Weave in all ends securely. With cotton yarn, it is worth weaving each end in at least two directions — in and then back — to make sure nothing works loose over time and through repeated washing.

Wet blocking is optional but recommended for your first market bag. Submerge the finished bag in cool water for ten minutes, gently press out the excess water without wringing, and then lay it flat or hang it to dry. Blocking opens up the mesh pattern significantly and gives the bag a professional, polished look. After the first wash with actual groceries in it, the bag will have its own natural shape.

Customization Ideas

One of the great pleasures of a simple pattern like this one is how easily it adapts to your own vision. Here are a few ways to make the East Ave. Market Bag your own.

Stripe it. Use two or three colors of cotton yarn, switching colors every four rounds or every full repeat of the mesh pattern. Because the bag is worked in the round, you can carry the unused colors up the inside without cutting and weaving in dozens of ends.

Change the scale. Cast on 8 stitches for the base instead of 12 for a smaller bag — perfect as a gift bag, a beach bag for sunscreen and a paperback, or a produce bag sized for herbs and small fruit. Cast on 16 for a deeper, roomier bag that can double as a lightweight tote for the farmers market.

Try a different mesh. The yarn-over, k2tog mesh in this pattern creates a diagonal, slightly twisted texture. For a more geometric, open look, try alternating the placement of the mesh repeat each round: work *k1, yo, k2tog* on odd rounds and *k2tog, yo, k1* on even rounds. The result is a centered, V-shaped mesh that is visually striking in solid-color yarn.

Add a base lining. If you find that small items fall through the mesh at the bottom of the bag, you can cut a piece of sturdy fabric — canvas, denim, or even a repurposed bandana — to match the size of the knitted base and hand-stitch it inside. This also protects the bottom of the bag from wear.

Rope handles. Instead of knitting the handles, you can use a length of natural cotton rope or twisted cord, looping it through the ribbed edge at each side. This creates an entirely different look — more utilitarian and modern — and takes the project time down by twenty minutes or so.

Tips for Success

A few things that will make this project go more smoothly from start to finish.

Keep your tension consistent throughout the mesh rounds. Because the yarn-over creates a deliberate hole in the fabric, an uneven tension is more visible in mesh patterns than in stockinette. If you tend to knit tightly, go up half a needle size. If you knit loosely, go down half a size. Your gauge swatch, if you made one, will tell you which direction to move.

Count your stitches at the end of every mesh round for the first few inches. It is easy to accidentally add an extra yarn-over or skip a k2tog, and catching the mistake early saves you from having to tink back a long distance. Once you have the rhythm of the pattern in your hands — and you will, surprisingly quickly — you can stop counting every round.

When picking up stitches around the base rectangle, do not worry about getting the exact count right on the first try. If you end up with 56 stitches instead of 54, that is perfectly fine. Adjust if necessary on the first plain knit round by working two k2tog decreases evenly spaced, and then continue. The mesh pattern is flexible enough that a two-stitch difference will not be visible in the finished bag.

If your i-cord handles feel too stiff or too loose, simply adjust the needle size for that section alone. Handle comfort is worth the minor fussiness of swapping needles.

Care Instructions

Machine wash on a gentle cycle in cool or warm water. Lay flat to dry or hang. Do not put cotton knits in a hot dryer — heat will shrink the cotton fibers and tighten the mesh considerably over time. A quick reshape while damp is all the bag needs to look fresh after washing.

With proper care, a cotton market bag knitted from a quality yarn will outlast many years of weekly grocery runs. Some knitters have bags that are a decade old and still going strong.

Share Your Make

If you knit the East Ave. Market Bag, we would love to see it. Snap a photo before you load it up for your next trip to the market, or show us the bag in action — handles over your arm, full of tomatoes and a bunch of basil. Tag your project with #EastAveMarketBag and #OurDailyCraft so we can find it and share it with the community.

Every bag will look a little different depending on the yarn you chose, the color you were drawn to, and the hands that made it. That is the whole point. This is not a factory item with exact, repeatable dimensions. It is a thing you made, shaped slightly by you, and it will serve you in a way that a purchased bag simply cannot.

The East Ave. Market Bag is a beginner-friendly project in the most genuine sense: not a dumbed-down, uninteresting knit, but a genuinely useful, genuinely beautiful object that happens to be accessible to anyone who knows the knit stitch, the purl stitch, and the yarn-over. If you are looking for a project to give as a gift, to make in bulk for the holidays, or simply to have on the needles during a quiet week, this is the one.

Cast on. Pick up your cotton. The market is waiting.