The Hearty Tote Bag: Crochet Mesh Tote Bag Pattern with a Heart

 

Pattern name: Hearty Tote Bag

Designer: Mirrymas

Difficulty: Intermediate

Hook size: 5.00 mm

Size: One size: 36 cm (about 14 in) tall and 32 cm (about 12.5 in) wide

Gauge: 9 stitches x 10 rows = 4 in (10 cm), in single crochet

Steps: 15

Images: 19

Description

The Hearty Tote Bag is an open mesh tote with a solid heart worked right into the front. It is made in the round from the bottom up, in one piece: a single crochet bottom, mesh sides of double crochet and chains, and handles chained into the top rounds. Every round is written out in full, with stitch numbers for each row of the heart.

Materials

• Hook — 5.00 mm crochet hook
• Yarn — macramé cord, rope yarn, t-shirt yarn or any other bulky yarn about 3 mm thick; about 190 metres (208 yards)
• Stitch markers — 7, with 1 in a different colour to mark the start of the round [icon: notions]
• Notions — scissors [icon: notions]

Special Stitch Instructions

• Mesh: 1 double crochet, then chain 1 and skip 1 stitch, repeated all the way round. Every chain 1 counts as a stitch, so each mesh round has 66 stitches (33 double crochet and 33 chain 1s).
• Starting a mesh round (Rounds 6 to 18): chain 4 (the first 3 chains count as the first double crochet and the 4th is the first chain 1), skip the 2nd stitch and work 1 double crochet into the 3rd stitch.
• Ending a mesh round (Rounds 6 to 18): chain 1, skip 1 stitch, and join with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of the chain 4. The slip stitch does not count as a stitch.
• Filling in the heart: work 1 double crochet into every stitch between the markers. Over a chain 1, work into the chain stitch itself, not into the space under it.

Step 1: The Bottom, Round 1 (Foundation Round)

1. Make a slip knot and chain 32.

2. Work 1 single crochet into the 2nd chain from the hook. Place a stitch marker in this stitch to mark the start of the round.

3. Work 1 single crochet into each of the next 29 chains, until you reach the last chain.

4. Work 4 single crochet into the last chain.

5. Now work along the back of the starting chain: work 1 single crochet into the back of each chain until only one chain is left (the one that holds your very first single crochet).

6. Work 3 single crochet into that last chain to complete the round. (66 stitches)

Step 2: The Bottom, Rounds 2 to 5

Round 2: work 1 single crochet into the first stitch and move the marker into it. Work 1 single crochet into each stitch until you are back at the starting point. (66 stitches)

Rounds 3 to 5: repeat Round 2 three more times. At the end of Round 5, join the last stitch to the first stitch with a slip stitch. (66 stitches in each round)

Step 3: The Mesh, Round 6

1. Chain 4. The first 3 chains count as the first double crochet, and the 4th chain is the first chain 1.

2. Skip the next stitch and work 1 double crochet into the 3rd stitch.

3. Chain 1, skip 1 stitch, and work 1 double crochet into the next stitch. Repeat this all the way round.

4. At the end of the round you will have 1 stitch left, plus the slip stitch from Round 5, which does not count as a stitch. Chain 1, skip the last stitch, and join with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of the chain 4. (66 stitches: 33 double crochet and 33 chain 1s)

Step 4: The Mesh, Round 7

1. Chain 4, skip the 2nd stitch and work 1 double crochet into the 3rd stitch.

2. Chain 1, skip 1 stitch, and work 1 double crochet into the next stitch. Repeat this all the way round.

3. Chain 1, skip 1 stitch, and join with a slip stitch into the 3rd chain of the chain 4. (66 stitches)

Step 5: The Heart, Round 8

Count every stitch from the first stitch of the round, including the chain 1s. In the mesh, the odd-numbered stitches are double crochets and the even-numbered stitches are chain 1s, so every heart section starts and ends on a double crochet. Start and end each heart round like Round 7.

1. Place stitch markers in stitches 17 and 19.

2. Work the mesh as in Round 7 until you reach stitch 17.

3. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 17, 18 and 19.

4. Carry on with the mesh (chain 1, skip 1 stitch, 1 double crochet into the next stitch) until the round is done. (66 stitches)

Step 6: The Heart, Round 9

1. Place stitch markers in stitches 15 and 21.

2. Work the mesh as in Round 7 until you reach stitch 15.

3. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 15 to 21 (7 stitches).

4. Carry on with the mesh (chain 1, skip 1 stitch, 1 double crochet into the next stitch) until the round is done. (66 stitches)

Step 7: The Heart, Round 10

1. Place stitch markers in stitches 13 and 23.

2. Work the mesh as in Round 7 until you reach stitch 13.

3. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 13 to 23 (11 stitches).

4. Carry on with the mesh (chain 1, skip 1 stitch, 1 double crochet into the next stitch) until the round is done. (66 stitches)

Step 8: The Heart, Round 11

1. Place stitch markers in stitches 11 and 25.

2. Work the mesh as in Round 7 until you reach stitch 11.

3. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 11 to 25 (15 stitches).

4. Carry on with the mesh (chain 1, skip 1 stitch, 1 double crochet into the next stitch) until the round is done. (66 stitches)

Step 9: The Heart, Rounds 12 to 14

Round 12:

1. Place stitch markers in stitches 9 and 27.

2. Work the mesh as in Round 7 until you reach stitch 9.

3. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 9 to 27 (19 stitches).

4. Carry on with the mesh (chain 1, skip 1 stitch, 1 double crochet into the next stitch) until the round is done. (66 stitches)

Rounds 13 and 14: repeat Round 12 two more times.

Step 10: The Heart, Round 15

This round starts the two curves at the top of the heart.

1. Place stitch markers in stitches 11, 18 and 25.

2. Work the mesh as in Round 7 until you reach stitch 11.

3. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 11 to 17. Chain 1 and skip stitch 18. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 19 to 25.

4. Carry on with the mesh (chain 1, skip 1 stitch, 1 double crochet into the next stitch) until the round is done. (66 stitches)

Step 11: The Heart, Round 16

1. Place stitch markers in stitches 13, 15, 21 and 23.

2. Work the mesh as in Round 7 until you reach stitch 13.

3. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 13, 14 and 15. Chain 1 and skip stitch 16, then work 1 double crochet into stitch 17. Chain 1 and skip stitch 18, then work 1 double crochet into stitch 19. Chain 1 and skip stitch 20. Work 1 double crochet into each of stitches 21, 22 and 23.

4. Carry on with the mesh (chain 1, skip 1 stitch, 1 double crochet into the next stitch) until the round is done. (66 stitches)

Step 12: The Top, Rounds 17 to 19

Rounds 17 and 18: repeat Round 7 two more times. (66 stitches in each round)

From Round 19 to Round 21, do not join the rounds with a slip stitch. Keep going round in a spiral, moving the start marker up into the first stitch of each round.

Round 19: chain 1 and place the start marker in it; this chain counts as the first stitch. Work 1 single crochet into the next stitch, which is a chain 1 from the round below, then 1 single crochet into each stitch all the way round, including the chain 1 stitches. Do not join; carry straight on. (66 stitches)

Step 13: Marking the Handles

1. Lay your bag flat. Place a stitch marker at one side edge and another at the other side edge.

2. On the front of the bag, count 9 stitches in from one edge marker and place a stitch marker. Do the same from the other edge marker. These 2 markers show where the first handle will go.

3. Turn the bag over and do the same on the back, to mark the second handle.

4. Remove the 2 edge markers. You now have 5 markers: 2 on each side of the bag and the one marking the start of the round.

Step 14: The Handles, Round 20

1. Work 1 single crochet into each stitch from the start of the round until you reach the next marker.

2. Work 1 single crochet into the marked stitch, then chain 50, or as many chains as you need for the length of handle you want.

3. Join the chain with a single crochet into the next marked stitch. This is the first handle.

4. Carry on with single crochet, and make the second handle in the same way on the other side of the bag.

5. Work single crochet to the end of the round.

Step 15: Round 21

Work 1 single crochet into each stitch all the way round, including every chain of the handles. Cut the yarn and fasten off.

Your Hearty Tote Bag is complete!

Author Notes

• You work in rounds and do not turn your work.
• The number at the end of a round is the total number of stitches you should have for that round.
• In the mesh rounds every chain 1 counts as a stitch, just like every double crochet, so the mesh rounds still have 66 stitches.
• The slip stitch that joins a round does not count as a stitch, so do not work into it.
• The heart at a glance: Round 8, stitches 17 to 19; Round 9, 15 to 21; Round 10, 13 to 23; Round 11, 11 to 25; Rounds 12 to 14, 9 to 27; Round 15, 11 to 17 and 19 to 25; Round 16, 13 to 15 and 21 to 23.

Video

Watch the video tutorial

Conclusion

Congratulations, your Hearty Tote Bag is ready to carry! I love how the solid heart stands out against the open mesh, and it looks lovely in any colour. You are very welcome to sell finished bags made from this pattern; please credit Miriam from Mirrymas Crafts as the designer with a link to my shop.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below or email me at mirrymascrafts@gmail.com. I'd love to see your finished bags, so please share your photos and tag me on Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest at @mirrymascrafts.

More patterns to try:

• Forest Green Classic Handbag: a structured handbag with built-in handles, a button and a tassel.
• The Mellow Tote: an easy, roomy double crochet tote with built-in handles.
• Crochet Granny Stripe Stitch: the classic granny look worked in rows.
• Crochet Cobblestone Stitch: round bumps made with single and treble crochet.

Thank you so much for supporting independent crochet design, and happy crocheting!