WOOLCRAFTING – A GREAT SITE FOR CROCHETERS!

Looking for a lightweight, stylish, and oh-so-practical tote to take with you everywhere this season? The Pancake Crochet Market Bag might just become your go-to favorite. Whether you’re heading to the farmers market to grab some fresh produce, packing snacks and sunscreen for a relaxed summer stroll, or dashing out the door for a quick last-minute errand, this bag is ready to tag along.

It’s surprisingly roomy—big enough to carry all your essentials (and then some!)—yet it folds up small enough to tuck into your car or coat closet without fuss. The openwork stitch gives it a breathable, airy texture that’s super satisfying to crochet and even more delightful to carry. Plus, it’s endlessly reusable and eco-friendly, so you can ditch the plastic and feel great about your handiwork.

I stitched mine up using a warm mustard cotton I had on hand (a little stash buster win!), but honestly, this pattern would look beautiful in just about any color. Try a bold berry for a pop of personality, a classic cream for a minimalist vibe, or even stripes if you’re feeling playful. Once you’ve made one… fair warning: you’ll probably want to make more!

Let’s dive into the pattern!

What You’ll Need:

Worsted weight cotton yarn, about 250 yards
Hook: 5.0 mm (or whatever suits your tension)
Yarn needle
Scissors
Stitch markers (optional but helpful!)

Finished Measurements:

Approximately 15” wide x 13” tall (not including handles)

Stitch Abbreviations (US terms):

ch – chain
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
sl st – slip stitch
st(s) – stitch(es)
sk – skip
rep – repeat

Special Notes:

The base is worked in joined rounds.
The body of the bag is stitched in the round, but you won’t be joining after each round—just keep going in a spiral and use a stitch marker to track the first stitch.
The handles are created by chaining across stitches, then the final edge is reinforced.

Let’s Crochet the Base:

Round 1: Begin with a magic circle, ch 1. Work 8 sc into the ring. Pull it tight and join to the first sc with a sl st. (8 sts)
Round 2: Ch 1, make 2 sc in each st around. Join. (16 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in first, 2 sc in next—repeat from * to * around. Join. (24 sts)
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next—repeat around. Join. (32 sts)
Round 5: Ch 1, sc in next 3, 2 sc in next—repeat. Join. (40 sts)
Keep increasing in this manner, adding one more sc between increases each round until you reach 80 sts (about Round 9).

Build the Bag Body:

Now switch to working in continuous rounds.

Rounds 10–13: sc in each st around. (80 sts)
Round 14: [dc in next, ch 1, sk 1]—repeat around. (approx. 80 sts depending on exact starting point)
Round 15: dc in ch-space, ch 1—repeat.
Rounds 16–25: Repeat Round 15.

Alternate a few more rounds of single crochet with rounds of [dc, ch 1] to build height and texture. Keep going until the bag measures about 12–13” tall from the center of the base.

Add the Handles:

Next Round (handle setup):

sc in next 12 sts
ch 30 (for handle), sk 15 sts
sc in next 25 sts
ch 30, sk 15 sts
sc to end of round.

Final Round: sc around, placing 1 sc in each sc and 1 sc in each ch across the handle chains. This gives the straps some strength and a nice finish.

Fasten off and weave in all ends. Give your bag a little stretch or light steam block if needed.

Tips:

Cotton yarn gives the bag structure and durability.
You can easily size up the bag by adding more rounds to the base before beginning the body.
Try using multicolor yarn for a fun summer vibe.

Comments

Tina Smith says
May 8, 2012 at 3:56 am
Buttons
Collecting buttons has been one of the most popular hobbies of all times. Buttons can be used for a variety of purposes, right from holding a coat secure, to card-making and appliqué-work. But most importantly buttons add a touch of beauty and colour to life. Buttons are one of those little joys that create life delightful.
Some museums and art galleries hold culturally, historically, politically, and/or artistically significant buttons in their collections.
The Victoria & Albert Museum has many buttons, particularly
in its jewellery collection, as does the Smithsonian Institution.
Hammond Turner & Sons, a button-making company in Birmingham, hosts an online museum with an image gallery and historical button-related articles, including an 1852 article on button-making by Charles Dickens. In the USA, large button collect are on public display at The Waterbury Button Museum of Waterbury, Connecticut, and the Keep Homestead Museum of Monson, Massachusetts, which also hosts an extensive online button archive.
Early button history
Buttons and button-like objects used as ornaments or seals rather than fasteners have been discovered in the Indus Valley Civilization during its Kot Diji phase (circa 2800-2600 BCE) as well as Bronze Age sites in China (circa 2000-1500 BCE), and Ancient Rome.
Buttons made from seashell were used in the Indus Valley Civilization for ornamental purposes by 2000 BCE. Some buttons were carved into geometric shapes and had holes pierced into them so that they could be attached to clothing with thread. Ian McNeil (1990) holds that: “The button, in fact, was originally used more as an ornament than as a fastening, the earliest known being found at Mohenjo-daro in the Indus Valley. It is made of a curved shell and about 5000 years old.”
Functional buttons with buttonholes for fastening or closing clothes appeared first in Germany in the 13th century. They soon became widespread with the rise of snug-fitting garments in 13th- and 14th-century Europe.
Clothing Buttons.