by Let’s create a fantastic and colorful striped crochet tote bag that’s perfect for beginners! This project is designed to be straightforward, using basic stitches and simple color changes to achieve a stylish, functional bag. It’s an excellent way to practice working in rows and changing colors, resulting in a unique and vibrant accessory for everyday use.
How to Crochet a Striped Tote Bag for Beginners
This detailed guide will walk you through making a practical and eye-catching striped tote bag. We’ll focus on creating sturdy panels and a comfortable strap, all while incorporating color changes to add visual interest.
Skill Level: Beginner
This project is ideal if you’re comfortable with (or ready to learn!):
- Holding your hook and yarn: The fundamental grip.
- Making a slip knot: The starting point.
- Chain (ch): The basic foundation stitch.
- Single Crochet (sc): A dense stitch, great for sturdy bag fabric.
- Changing colors: An easy technique to add stripes.
- Working in rows: Crocheting back and forth.
- Fastening off: Securing your work.
- Weaving in ends: The essential finishing touch.
- Basic seaming: Joining two edges with a yarn needle or slip stitches.
Finished Tote Bag Dimensions (Approximate):
Using worsted weight yarn and the suggested hook, your finished tote bag will typically measure about 12-14 inches (30-35 cm) wide and 14-16 inches (35-40 cm) tall (excluding the strap). This is a versatile size for groceries, books, or daily essentials.
Materials You’ll Need:
Gathering your materials beforehand makes for a smoother crocheting experience.
- Yarn: Approximately 400-500 yards (365-457 meters) of Worsted Weight (Medium #4) Cotton or Cotton Blend Yarn.
- Why Cotton? Cotton yarn is highly recommended for bags because it’s durable, has minimal stretch, and provides excellent stitch definition, which helps the bag hold its shape. Acrylic yarn can work, but may stretch more over time.
- Color Choices: Choose two or three contrasting or complementary colors for your stripes. For example:
- Color A (Main/Base Color): Approx. 200-250 yards (183-228m) – e.g., a neutral like cream, grey, or black.
- Color B (Stripe 1): Approx. 100-125 yards (91-114m) – e.g., a bright blue or red.
- Color C (Stripe 2 – Optional): Approx. 100-125 yards (91-114m) – e.g., a sunny yellow or deep green.
- Crochet Hook: Size H/5.0mm. This hook size works well with worsted weight yarn to create a dense, sturdy fabric for your bag.
- Yarn Needle (Tapestry Needle): Essential for seamlessly weaving in all your loose yarn tails and for seaming the bag panels together. It has a blunt tip and a large eye, making it easy to thread yarn through.
- Scissors: Any pair of sharp scissors will do for cutting your yarn.
- Stitch Marker (Optional): Useful for marking the start or end of rows, especially when you’re starting out and changing colors. A small safety pin or a scrap of contrasting yarn works perfectly.
Understanding the Tote Bag Construction: Simple Panels with Stripes
This tote bag is built in a straightforward manner using two main panels, a bottom/side strip, and a strap, all incorporating stripes:
- Two Identical Panels: You’ll crochet two identical flat rectangles that will form the front and back of your bag. These will have your chosen stripe pattern.
- Side/Bottom Strip: A single long strip will form the sides and bottom of the bag, also with stripes, adding depth and structure.
- Seaming: The panels and the strip will be sewn together to form the bag’s body.
- Strap: A sturdy crocheted strap will be added for carrying.
Let’s Crochet Your Striped Tote Bag!
Follow these steps carefully. Consistency in your tension and neat color changes are key for a great-looking bag.
Part 1: Crocheting the Front and Back Panels (Make 2)
These are the main flat pieces of your bag, where your stripes will really shine. We’ll use single crochet (sc) for a dense, durable fabric.
- Starting Chain (Color A):
- Begin by making a slip knot with Color A and placing it onto your H/5.0mm crochet hook.
- Chain (ch) 41. (This determines the width of your bag. Adjust for wider/narrower, but keep in mind your stitch count will be one less than your starting chain.)
- Row 1 (Color A):
- Work 1 single crochet (sc) into the 2nd chain from your hook.
- Continue to work 1 sc into each remaining chain across the entire row. You should have a total of 40 single crochet stitches.
- Chain 1 (ch 1) (this turning chain does NOT count as a stitch; it just gives height for the next row).
- Turn your work.
- Color Changing Technique (at the end of a row):
- To create clean stripes, you’ll change colors on the last yarn over of the last stitch of the row before you want the new color to start.
- Let’s say you’re about to finish a row in Color A, and the next row should be Color B.
- Work the last single crochet stitch of the current row up until you have two loops left on your hook.
- Drop Color A. Pick up Color B.
- With Color B, yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook to complete the stitch. Color B is now on your hook.
- Chain 1 (with Color B), then turn your work. You are now ready to work the next row in Color B.
- Stripe Pattern for Panels (Approximate for 35 rows total):
- Rows 2-5 (4 rows in Color A): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color B at the end of Row 5).
- Rows 6-9 (4 rows in Color B): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color A at the end of Row 9).
- Rows 10-13 (4 rows in Color A): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color B at the end of Row 13).
- Rows 14-17 (4 rows in Color B): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color A at the end of Row 17).
- Rows 18-21 (4 rows in Color A): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color B at the end of Row 21).
- Rows 22-25 (4 rows in Color B): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color A at the end of Row 25).
- Rows 26-29 (4 rows in Color A): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color B at the end of Row 29).
- Rows 30-33 (4 rows in Color B): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color A at the end of Row 33).
- Rows 34-35 (2 rows in Color A): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn.
- Note on carrying yarn: For small stripes (like 2-4 rows), you can gently carry the non-working yarn up the side of your work by laying it along the top of the previous row and crocheting over it. This avoids cutting and rejoining yarn constantly, but can make the edge slightly bulkier. For wider stripes, it’s usually better to cut the yarn and weave in ends. For this project, you can try carrying for efficiency.
- Fasten Off:
- After completing your last row (Row 35 in Color A), cut your yarn, leaving a tail about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long.
- Yarn over with your hook, pull the cut tail completely through the loop left on your hook, and gently tug to secure the knot.
- Repeat these steps to make a second identical panel.
Part 2: Crocheting the Side and Bottom Strip
This long strip will give your bag its depth and shape, carrying the stripe pattern.
- Starting Chain (Color A):
- Make a slip knot with Color A.
- Chain (ch) 111. (This length is calculated as 40 stitches for the bottom + 35 stitches for one side + 35 stitches for the other side + 1 stitch for stability at the corner. Adjust if your panels are different sizes.)
- Row 1 (Color A):
- Work 1 single crochet (sc) into the 2nd chain from your hook.
- Work 1 sc into each remaining chain across the entire row. You should have a total of 110 single crochet stitches.
- Chain 1 (ch 1), turn your work.
- Stripe Pattern for Strip (Approximate for 5 rows total):
- Rows 2-3 (2 rows in Color A): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn. (Change to Color B at the end of Row 3).
- Rows 4-5 (2 rows in Color B): Work 1 sc into each sc across. Ch 1, turn.
- Note: You can vary the stripe pattern on this strip to match your panels, or keep it simpler with wider stripes. For this example, we’ll keep it simple with 2 rows of each color.
- Fasten Off:
- After completing your last row (Row 5 in Color B), cut your yarn, leaving a very long tail (at least 40-50 inches / 100-125 cm) for seaming. This is crucial for joining the strip to the panels.
Part 3: Assembling the Bag Body
This is where your striped pieces come together to form the bag!
- Prepare for Seaming:
- Lay one of your large striped panels flat.
- Take your long striped side/bottom strip. Find the center of the strip’s length. This will be the bottom center of your bag.
- Align the center of the strip with the center of one of the long sides of your panel.
- You’ll be sewing the strip around three edges of the panel: one long side (the bottom) and two short sides (the height).
- Seaming the First Panel:
- Thread the very long yarn tail from your side/bottom strip onto your yarn needle.
- Starting from one of the bottom corners of your main panel, begin to stitch the strip to the panel. Use a simple whip stitch or a mattress stitch. Aim to go through both loops of the stitches on both pieces for a strong seam.
- Stitch down one side, across the bottom, and up the other side of the panel. Ensure your corners are neat. You can make an extra stitch or two in the corner to help it turn smoothly.
- Continue stitching until the entire three sides of the first panel are securely attached to the side/bottom strip.
- Secure the end of your seam (if you run out of yarn, simply join a new long piece and continue) and weave in any remaining tail neatly into the fabric.
- Seaming the Second Panel:
- Now, take your second main panel.
- Align it precisely with the un-seamed edges of the side/bottom strip. Make sure all edges match up.
- With a new long yarn tail (about 40-50 inches / 100-125 cm, from Color B for consistency with the last stripe of the strip), thread your yarn needle.
- Start stitching from one of the bottom corners, working your way up one side, across the bottom, and up the other side, just as you did with the first panel.
- Ensure your seams are neat and tight. When you reach the end, secure the yarn and weave in the tail.
- Tip: Take your time with seaming. Neat seams make a huge difference in the finished look of your bag.
Part 4: Crocheting and Attaching the Shoulder Strap
A comfortable and sturdy strap is essential for your tote. You can make it in a solid color or continue the stripes! For simplicity, we’ll suggest a solid strap in Color A.
- Crocheting the Strap (Color A):
- Make a slip knot with Color A.
- Chain (ch) 101. (This will create a strap of about 25-30 inches / 64-76 cm. Adjust for desired length; a longer strap is often better for a shoulder bag.)
- Row 1: Work 1 sc into the 2nd ch from your hook. Work 1 sc into each remaining ch across. [Total: 100 sc]
- Chain 1, turn.
- Rows 2-4: Work 1 sc into each sc across the row. [Total: 100 sc]
- Chain 1, turn. (You can make more rows if you want a wider, thicker strap.)
- Fasten off, leaving a very long tail (at least 15-20 inches / 38-50 cm) at each end of the strap for sewing.
- Attaching the Strap to the Bag:
- Lay your bag flat and find the center point of the top opening on each side.
- Position the ends of your crocheted strap on the inside of the bag’s top opening, aligning them with the side seams or slightly inward (about 1-2 inches / 2.5-5 cm in from the side seam).
- Thread one of the long tails from the strap onto your yarn needle.
- Stitch firmly back and forth, through the strap end and into the top edge of the bag, making sure to go through multiple stitches for a very strong attachment. Work your needle in a way that the stitches are discreet.
- Repeat for the other end of the strap, ensuring it’s not twisted.
- Weave in all remaining strap tails very securely into the top edge of the bag.
Part 5: Final Finishing Touches
- Weave in ALL Remaining Ends:
- This is crucial for a clean, neat, and durable bag. You’ll have tails from your panel starts, strip joins, color changes, and strap attachments.
- Use your yarn needle to meticulously weave in every single loose yarn tail.
- How to Weave Neatly: Thread the yarn tail onto your yarn needle. Weave the tail into the stitches of the same color. Go in one direction for at least 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm). To truly secure it, subtly change direction (e.g., weave along a row, then turn and weave back through some of the same stitches diagonally or perpendicularly) to “lock” the tail in place and prevent it from unraveling. Trim any excess yarn close to the fabric, being careful not to cut any of your actual stitches.
- Blocking (Optional but Highly Recommended):
- Blocking can significantly improve the shape, even out any tension inconsistencies, and give your bag a more polished, professional look.
- Method (Wet Blocking – Ideal for Cotton):
- Gently mist your entire bag evenly with cool water using a spray bottle until it’s damp but not soaking wet.
- Carefully stuff your bag with clean towels or crumpled paper to help it hold its shape while drying.
- Smooth out any wrinkles and gently shape the bag to your desired dimensions.
- Allow the bag to air dry completely and thoroughly in a well-ventilated area. This can take several hours to a full day, depending on humidity and ventilation. Ensure it’s bone dry before handling or using it further.
Congratulations! You’ve successfully crocheted a beautiful and functional striped tote bag! This handmade accessory is perfect for carrying your daily essentials and showcases your growing crochet skills. Enjoy your stylish new creation!
