Stripe Crochet Tote Bag | Easy Free Pattern

There is something deeply satisfying about making your own bag. Unlike a sweater or a blanket, a tote has an immediacy to it — you finish it, you use it the very next day, and every time someone asks where you got it, you get to say you made it yourself. This stripe crochet tote bag is one of those projects that manages to feel both beginner-friendly and genuinely impressive. The construction is simple, the stitch count is forgiving, and the striped design gives it a polished, intentional look without requiring any complex colorwork techniques.

Whether you are brand new to crochet or you have been hooking for years and just want a quick, satisfying project to pick up between bigger makes, this pattern is for you. I have written it out in full detail below, including yarn suggestions, hook recommendations, tips for clean color changes, and ideas for customizing the finished bag to suit your style. Let’s get into it.

What Makes This Pattern Great for Beginners

A lot of beginner bag patterns sacrifice looks for simplicity, leaving you with something functional but not exactly something you’d want to carry around town. This pattern takes a different approach. The stripe design does the heavy lifting visually, so you get a bag that looks thoughtfully designed even though the actual stitches are nothing more complicated than single crochet and chains.

The bag is worked in the round from the bottom up, which means there are no seams to sew at the end. The handles are crocheted directly onto the body of the bag, so there’s no fussy attaching or sewing involved. The whole thing comes together faster than you might expect — many crafters finish it in a single weekend.

The only skills you need to complete this project are: making a slip knot, chaining, single crochet, joining rounds, and changing yarn colors. If you can do those five things, you can make this bag.

Materials You Will Need

Before you cast on — or rather, before you make your foundation chain — gather your supplies. Having everything ready before you start makes the process much smoother.

Yarn: You will need two colors of medium weight yarn, also labeled as worsted weight or size 4. For a standard market-size tote, plan on about 200 yards of your main color and 150 yards of your contrast color. Cotton yarn is the most popular choice for bags because it holds its shape well, doesn’t stretch out over time, and can handle the weight of whatever you put inside. Some excellent options include Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, Paintbox Yarns Simply DK (held double), or any recycled cotton yarn you might have in your stash.

Hook: A 5mm or 5.5mm crochet hook works beautifully with worsted weight cotton. If your tension runs loose, drop down to a 5mm. If your fabric feels stiff or the hook drags through the yarn, try the 5.5mm.

Additional supplies: A yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, stitch markers (optional but helpful), and a tape measure.

Finished Size

The finished bag measures approximately 13 inches wide and 12 inches tall, not including the handles. The handles add another 10 to 11 inches of length, making them comfortable to wear over the shoulder or carry in the hand. If you want a larger bag, simply increase the number of foundation chains and adjust the base rounds accordingly.

Gauge

Gauge is less critical for a bag than it would be for a garment, since there are no sizing requirements to meet. That said, aiming for roughly 14 single crochet stitches and 16 rows per 4 inches will get you close to the finished dimensions listed above. If your bag comes out slightly larger or smaller, that is completely fine.

Pattern Notes and Abbreviations

Throughout this pattern:

ch means chain
sl st means slip stitch
sc means single crochet
MC means main color
CC means contrast color
st means stitch
rep means repeat

This pattern is worked in continuous rounds for the base and in joined rounds for the body. A stitch marker placed at the beginning of each round will help you keep track of where each round starts and ends.

The Pattern

Step One: Make the Base

Using your MC, chain 31.

Round 1: Starting in the second chain from the hook, sc across (30 sc). At the end of the chain, do not turn. Instead, continue working along the opposite side of the foundation chain. Work 3 sc into the last stitch (this creates the curve at the bottom of the oval base), then sc along the other side of the chain back toward where you started (28 sc), then work 2 sc into the final stitch. Place a stitch marker here. You should have 63 stitches total in this round.

Round 2: Sc in each stitch around, working 3 sc into the center stitch at each short end to maintain the oval shape. You will increase by 4 stitches this round, ending with 67 stitches.

Round 3: Sc around, increasing at the short ends the same way as before. You will end this round with 71 stitches.

Round 4: Sc around with no increases. This keeps the base flat and prevents the sides from flaring outward as you begin working up the body.

If your base starts to cup or bowl upward, you may need to add one more increase round. If it starts to ruffle or wave at the edges, skip the increases for a round. The base should lie completely flat when you hold it up.

Step Two: Begin the Body

At this point, you will stop working the base and start working the sides of the bag straight up. The way you do this is simply to stop increasing. Continue sc-ing in each stitch around without any additional increases, and the fabric will naturally turn upward and form the walls of the bag.

Work 4 rounds of MC with no increases. These first few rounds set up the structure of the bag and give you a solid base before the stripes begin.

Step Three: Add the Stripes

Now comes the fun part. The stripe sequence for this bag is simple and creates a bold, graphic effect:

2 rounds CC, 2 rounds MC, 2 rounds CC, 2 rounds MC, 4 rounds CC, 2 rounds MC, 2 rounds CC, 2 rounds MC, 2 rounds CC, 2 rounds MC.

Feel free to adjust this sequence entirely based on your own aesthetic. Equal stripes of 3 rounds each give a classic, even look. Thin stripes of 1 round alternating with thick stripes of 4 rounds create a more modern, asymmetric feel. This is one of the best things about a striped pattern — the design is entirely in your hands.

How to change colors cleanly: When you reach the last stitch before a color change, insert your hook, pull up a loop, and then pull the new color through to complete the stitch. Drop the old color (do not cut it unless you are done with that color entirely) and continue crocheting with the new yarn. For a two-color project worked in joined rounds, you can carry the unused color up the inside of the bag rather than cutting and rejoining each time, which saves you a significant amount of ends to weave in later. To carry the yarn, simply crochet over it as you work, capturing it inside the stitches.

Continue working through your stripe sequence until the body of the bag measures approximately 11 to 12 inches from the base.

Step Four: Create the Handles

Do not fasten off after completing the body. Instead, plan out your handle placement before working the final round.

The handles are worked as part of the last round using a chain-loop method. To do this, you’ll work most of the final round in single crochet, then at the handle positions, you will skip a section of stitches and replace them with a chain loop.

Here is how to find the handle positions: Lay the bag flat so the two long sides are face-up and face-down. The handle openings will be positioned on each of these long sides, centered on the width of the bag. Find the center stitch on one long side, count 5 stitches to the left, and mark that stitch. Count 5 stitches to the right of center and mark that stitch. That 10-stitch span is where the first handle will be made. Repeat on the opposite side.

Final round with handles: Work sc around the bag until you reach the first marked stitch. Chain 20 (or 25 for a longer handle), skip the 10 marked stitches, and sc into the stitch immediately after the skipped section. Continue sc-ing around until you reach the second handle position. Chain 20, skip 10 stitches, sc into the next stitch. Sc to the end of the round and join with a sl st.

Reinforce the handles: To give the handles more strength and a tidier look, work one more round of sc all the way around. When you reach each handle chain loop, work sc across all of the chains (approximately 20 sc, one per chain). This fills in the handle and makes it much sturdier. You can work a third reinforcement round if you want extra durability, particularly if you plan to carry heavy items.

After reinforcing the handles, fasten off and weave in all ends with your yarn needle.

Tips for a Polished Finish

Weave in your ends carefully rather than tying knots. Thread the tail onto your yarn needle and work it through several stitches in different directions to lock it in place. Give the tail a gentle tug and trim the excess close to the fabric. Cotton yarn holds woven ends well without them slipping out over time.

If you want a very structured bag, a light blocking can help. Dampen the finished bag with cool water, gently squeeze out the excess moisture, and shape it before leaving it to dry flat. This smooths out any uneven tension and makes the stripe lines look crisp and straight.

For an extra professional touch, you can add a fabric lining. Cut two pieces of fabric to match the dimensions of the bag interior, sew them together along three sides, fold the top edge down, and hand-stitch the lining to the inside of the bag just below the handles. This is completely optional but makes the bag much more practical for carrying small items that might otherwise fall through.

Customization Ideas

One of the most enjoyable things about this pattern is how endlessly adaptable it is. Here are a few directions you could take it:

Change the color palette. A natural cream with a terracotta stripe looks beautiful for summer. Navy and white gives you a nautical feel. Black and neon yellow is striking and modern. You can also do three or more colors in your stripe sequence — just remember to plan which colors you will cut versus carry so you don’t end up with a tangle of yarn inside the bag.

Add a button closure. Once the bag is finished, sew a large button to the center front just below the handles. Attach a small loop of yarn to the opposite side of the bag opening. The loop hooks over the button to keep the bag closed when you’re on the go.

Try a market bag version. Use a lighter weight cotton yarn (fingering or DK weight) and a larger hook than recommended, which will create an open, mesh-like fabric with plenty of drape. This produces a stretchy, airy bag that is perfect for produce shopping and compacts down to almost nothing when empty.

Add a base insert. Cut a piece of heavy cardboard, plastic canvas, or a repurposed cutting board to match the dimensions of your bag base. Drop it in to keep the bag upright and prevent it from sagging when full.

Make a mini version. Reduce your foundation chain to 21 stitches and work fewer rounds on the body. With a shorter handle chain, you’ll end up with a sweet little pouch that works as a purse or a child’s bag.

Yarn Substitutions

If cotton isn’t your preference, this pattern works well with other yarn types too. A cotton-acrylic blend gives you some of cotton’s structure with added softness. Jute twine or a jute-cotton blend produces a more rustic, earthy look. Nylon bag yarn is incredibly durable and comes in a huge range of colors. Just keep in mind that very stretchy yarns, like pure acrylic or wool, will cause the bag to sag and lose its shape over time, so they are not the best choice for a tote that will carry any weight.

Caring for Your Finished Bag

Check the label of whatever yarn you used for specific care instructions. Most cotton yarns can be machine washed on a gentle cycle in cold water and laid flat to dry. Avoid putting a cotton bag in the dryer, as this can cause shrinkage. If the bag gets misshapen after washing, re-block it by dampening it and reshaping before drying.

A Few Encouraging Words

If you are new to crochet and feeling nervous about trying this pattern, please don’t be. The single crochet stitch is one of the most forgiving stitches there is. Dropped a stitch a few rows back? In a bag, no one will ever see it. Tension a bit uneven at the beginning? It will smooth out as you get into a rhythm. The beauty of working with cotton yarn is that it shows your stitches clearly, which actually makes it easier to spot any errors and correct them before they compound.

Every crocheter — no matter how experienced — has made bags with slightly wonky handles, or stripes that didn’t quite line up the way they imagined. What makes something handmade special is not its perfection but the care and time that went into it. Make the bag, use it, love it, and when you’re ready, make another one that’s even better.

I hope this pattern becomes one you return to again and again, whether for gifts, for markets, or just for the sheer pleasure of making something beautiful and useful with your own two hands. Happy hooking.