Crocheted Produce Bag
Well, I thought since the produce bag was something I just made up real quick I should post the pattern. I am sure there are way better ones out there, but most of them end up decreasing at the end to get a smaller opening, but I wanted mine large so leafy stuff that I buy in multiple little bunches could poke out, like baby broccoli or bok choy. So here is the pattern, just in case you want to make a couple as well.
Materials:
1 skein Lion Brand Organic Cotton Yarn (#680), or similar worsted weight yarn
Size I-9 Crochet Hook
Little scrap of fabric (optional)
Rnd 1: Begin with an adjustable loop, and crochet 12 double crochet (dc) into the loop and pull tight.
Rnd 2: *Chain 7, skip 1 dc and slip stitch in next dc.* Repeat around. It should look like a little flower:
Rnd 3: Chain 7, Slip stitch (slst) into 4th chain (ch) of round 2. You will ch 7 and attach it to the center of every little petal of the flower you created in round 2. At the end of the round ch 3 and slst into the 4th ch of the first ch 7 of the round. You should end up with a round like this:
Rnd 4: Ch 7, slst into the point where the last two rounds meet, then ch 7 and slst into the 4th ch of the last round as well. Repeat all the way around. This is an increasing round, and should look like this when you are done:
Rnd 5: Ch 7 and slst into the center of each "petal" from the last round, and end with a ch 3 and slst into the 4th ch of the first ch 7. The work should look like this:
By now you should be seeing the pattern emerging, just ch 7 and attach it to the middle of each loop from the previous round, and every other round you will have to end in a ch 3 and attach it to the middle of the original ch 7 of the round. You do not need to increase any more, and the sides will slowly form on their own. Work the chain pattern until you finish round 15.
Rnd 16: Single crochet (sc) in every chain around, join with a slst.
Rnd 17: *Sc in next 15 sc, then ch 50 to form the handle. Skip 33 sc and attach the ch back to the work, making sure not to twist it.* Repeat from * again to form the second handle, then sc to the end of the round and join with a slst.
Rnd 18: Sc in every stitch around, join with a slst and weave in the ends. Embellish with a little tie of scrap fabric and voila!
If you have found this or any of my other free patterns useful and would like to help me keep creating them I accept PayPal donations!
Hey thanks :) I tried to make my own pattern but it was rather wonky looking. I can't wait to make one!
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew how to crochet, I always find it a little bit too complicated. Looks beautiful tho.
ReplyDeletei just got 100% cotton yesterday. i am ready to try crochet. thanks for the pattern.
ReplyDeleteGlad you guys like it!
ReplyDeleteJust what I've been looking for! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fantastic idea!
ReplyDeleteHello
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your blog! Thank you for the tutorial these are a great idea.
you should post this on ravelry. it's adorable.
ReplyDeleteThis is great! I've been wanting something like this to use at the weekend market to replace the plastic bags! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteI just discovered your blog too, through Tipnut. I'd love to make and use these, but I must admit I'm reluctant because I use the plastic bag to keep them from going limp in the fridge. How do you store your produce once you get it home?
ReplyDeleteI use leftover bags that I inevitably accumulate, and/or moistened paper towels when needed.
DeleteIs this meant to be to replace the plastic bags for each item you buy (& therefore weighed with the produce item), or just to carry your produce home? Because if it needs to be weighed, how heavy is it & how much will it add to the cost of the produce?
ReplyDeleteIt's meant to be used in place of the plastic bags on rollers in the produce aisle for every item. The weight is totally negligible, maybe an ounce. As there are 16 ounces in a pound, If you're buying something at $3 per pound you are paying an extra 18 cents. In my mind, though that will add up over time, it's a small price to pay to keep plastic out of a landfill.
DeleteThanks everyone!
ReplyDelete@ Jan: I usually use my produce pretty quick, so I just keep them in the bags and toss them in the fridge. And with lemons and apples and such I keep them in a tiered hanging basket.
@ Toria: I had someone ask me that very same question when I made the first bag and posted it on here. You can find the amswer here in the comments:
http://diyods.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-think-i-am-turning-into-hippy.html
Lol!
Ooh this is great! I would love to link to this if you didn't mind.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your bag pattern - I'll definitely be making one of these.
And I really like your blog:)
Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing and would you pop on over to my blog linking party Sunday thru Tues and share this (and more if you like)? Hope to see you there!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to attempt to make these as teacher's gifts for my daughter's preschool teachers. Hope they don't take too long (esp. for a beginner level gal like me)...now to get some yarn tomorrow! :-)
ReplyDeleteI made a produce bag today and it turned out great!!! I am more of a knitter than crochet but this was fantastic! I wanted to post a pic but I dont know how :) Thanks a bunch!
ReplyDeleteI can't crochet :( Do you sell these? If so, can you contact me with more info (my contact info is in my blog profile)?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Kris :)
I was looking to buy reusable produce bags because I hate using plastic but they are so expensive! I am totally making a bunch of these. Thanks for the pattern.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the basic pattern. Thanks for posting it. I changed the top however so that I could make a drawstring around it. Great pattern!!!
ReplyDeleteI have been searching for an easy pattern to make a bag like this one. Many thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWill it work to make a larger grid by chaining 12 instead of 7 on the same 12 dc loop? I want to make a bag to carry an exercise ball.
ReplyDelete@Betty:
ReplyDeleteI think it would work fine to make the chins longer, though you may also want to add a couple more increase rows. I would say increase until the net barely comes halfway up the ball and then start going straight. I would love to see it if it works!
Thanks so much for posting this pattern!! As soon as I saw it, I wanted to make it LOL and got started on it right away! It only took me a couple of hours ... and I love it! Very good instructions and the pattern is beautiful! :-)
ReplyDeleteLove this bag! Modified the handle a bit but followed the rest exactly as written. Found the pattern on Ravelry, posted my picture there this morning if you want to check it out!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is great! My brother & sister-in-law live in Kauai where they can no longer use plastic bags at the grocery store - I will be making them several of these - after I finish mine of course!! Thanks for the pattern!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pattern! I'm going to make this for the next time I go to the farmer's market.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this pattern--love it! As for the cost of the added weight: our local grocery store has a weigh station in the produce department. Just weigh the produce sans bag, print the ticket and then bag your produce--the ticket will stick to the bag and will be easy to remove.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting the tutorial! It's been a long time since I've crocheted so I hope I can do it. I need to make about 10 of these. :)
ReplyDeleteI love your pattern. I made one and then I altered the pattern to make it a little larger, just by adding one more increasing round. I changed the yarn color through the sides, then added three more rounds and finished the handles with the starting yarn color. I'm so excited that I started another one!
ReplyDeleteI made this bag this week in my free time and it turned out great! The best part is it doesn't use much yarn, so I was able to use some leftover 100% cotton that was left from another project. I hate waste, so project that use what I already have are the best. Thanks for posting the pattern!!
ReplyDeleteThese bags are also great for laundry!! I have one that I use for socks. I'd say one for each member of the family if I were still raising children.
ReplyDeleteI'm a beginner in crochet and I find it easy to follow your patern in the begining because of the picture. I'd like to see how you do the finishing in picture please.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much
This is a very great idea
I LOVE this pattern! I've made 4 of these produce bags so far, purple cotton. Just love them, and the pattern is incredibly easy to tweek if needed. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteThe Girl in the Pink Dress
Thanks for this pattern! I just made one last night and I love it. It is so easy to make. I'm going to make several.
ReplyDeleteThis would be awesome to make from "plarn"-plastic yarn made from recycling shopping bags by cutting them into strips and connecting them together! *sigh* Now I'll have to pull up the YouTube plarn video again! LOL
ReplyDeleteI love this patten and have made it once, but then, starting my second one, noticed that I had made the first one incorrectly, because it says you need to chain 3 and attach it to the 4th chain at the end of the round... This part really does not make sense to me, I've tried to figure it out. Why not just chain 7 like normal? It makes for a very strange ladder rung in the pattern. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, this step does make a seam-like line down the back of the bag, but the reason this happens is because the previous round ends in the center of a scallop of chain. If you really don't like the way the seam looks, a good alternative method is to slip stitch into the next "petal" f chain until you reach the center, then just chain 7 and attach to the center of the next "petal". Hope that helps and thanks so much for the great question!
At the end of rnd 16, how many sc should I have? If I did my math correctly, 96? And I sc in each ch from previous rnd, not the sl st, correct?
ReplyDeleteSorry, it does seem very simple but I'm just used to patterns that note # of stitches in brackets at end of each row/rnd. (#)
Thanks, it's looking good so far :) Just doing a trial, all I had was acrylic yarn.
So going to make this with plarn to keep in the shower for my daughter's bath toys! Been looking everywhere for a pattern just like this! Thanks
ReplyDeleteWonderful pattern! Just wish there were more precise instructions. I am not terribly bright. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of seed bead netting; it's a very similar process. As soon as I make a few for my own use, to get the hang of it, I'm thinking Christmas gifts! Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteHey! I love your patterns! May I sell products made from your patterns?
ReplyDeleteSure!
DeleteWhat do I do on the rounds that do not end in a chain 3? Where do I attach my chain 7 so I do not accidentally increase?
ReplyDeleteDirectly in the center of the first petal of the round.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteQuick question...Is Worsted Weight the same as 8 ply? (in Australia we use "ply" rather than weight)
also, can this be made using crochet cotton similar to that used for swimsuits?
This looks easy from a quick read through, it should be great!
We have just had our supermarkets ban free plastic shopping bags, just waiting for them to ban plastic produce bags as well, so I want to be ahead of the game when they do :)
I believe that's correct! You'd be looking for a yarn that has about 218 yards in 100 grams.
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