Crochet Chart and Instructional Video

This pattern has become fairly popular since I first published it in October of 2017, and since that time I’m made several updates. The latest is adding this crochet chart. My hope is it reduces the confusion from my written instructions. (Jump to the written instruction here).

I also made two video tutorials to go along with this pattern! The first covers the whole pattern with handles, but the bag I finish is actually two increasing rounds bigger than the bag described in the pattern. The second video is the follow up video showing the bag as described in the pattern (only increasing through Round 6) and covers the foundation single crochet in a little more detail.

Lightweight Crochet Produce Bag

Small Crochet Produce Bag featuring Foundation Single Crochet

December 2019 Update: I was playing around with modifying the start of this pattern to make it more like a regular rectangular shopping bag, and found that the new pattern also doubles as an excellent gift bag!

I used a fancy yarn with sequins that I got from the 757 Creative ReUse Center for $1 to make this bag using my Crushable Shopping Bag crochet pattern.

April 2019 Update: If you’re looking for a similar style but much bigger bag, check out my Mesh Market Bag Pattern. I made it in a worsted weight, but you could do the same with crochet cotton and a G or F hook, and just modify the decreasing and handles.

Mesh Market Bag | Free Crochet Pattern, Video Tutorial, Crochet Chart | HandyFinch.com

Introduction

This pattern began when I was spending a few months living with my aunt. I was a ways into my own zero waste and plastic free journey, and she was very patient with me as I pushed my own values on her. I hated seeing her use the plastic produce bags at the grocery store – it seemed so unnecessary to me – and she promised that if I gave her an alternative, she’d use it.

I made some for my dad to field test as well. After some feedback, “my banana peppers fall through the holes,” I have revisited my original pattern and made some tweaks!

crocheted produce bag filled with two oranges and 2 apples — A small crocheted, reusable produce bag featuring drawstring and hanging hook.

This bag is smaller, and features a tighter netting using double crochets instead of triple crochets. It still holds a fair amount of produce (2 apples and 2 oranges with room to spare), but also worked up a lot faster than the larger bags.

I also remembered to take pictures as I went, so you can see what each round looks like on its own.

Printables

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Please note one small difference between the PDF instructions and the instructions here: in the PDFs, each round starts with “chain 4” counting as a double crochet plus chain 2, rather than a “chain 5.” Either works, but I think chain 5 is more “correct.”

Small Crocheted Produce Bag Pattern

Materials

Aunt Lydia’s #10 crochet cotton

Size F crochet hook

Instructions

For even simpler instructions, check out my Simple Mesh Market Bag Pattern! Both patterns start out the same. After the first 6 rounds in the mesh market bag, stop increasing and pick up at Round 7 here.

Round 1

6 single crochet into a magic ring. Slip stitch into first single crochet. (If you don’t know what a magic ring is, follow the link or watch my video above. It’s an amazing trick!)

Round 2

Chain 5 (counts as a double crochet + chain 2), double crochet into the same single crochet, then chain 2.

In each of the remaining 5 single crochets of round 1, work *double crochet, chain 2, double crochet, chain 2* all the way around to the beginning, then slip stitch into the chain 5 you started with.

This makes 12 “spokes” in your wheel, going from a round of 6 single crochets, to the equivalent of 12 double crochets.

In this round, we doubled our stitches.

Round 2 - two double crochets into each single crochet - for crochet produce bag — Round 2 completed

Round 3

Chain 5 (counts as a double crochet + chain 2), then in the same space (the chain 5 of the previous round) double crochet, then chain 2.

Then in the next space (the chain 2 of the previous round), double crochet, then chain 2. In the next space, double crochet, then chain 2.

*In the next space, instead of doing just one double crochet + chain 2, do a second double crochet + chain 2.

Then in the next space, double crochet, then chain 2. In the next space, double crochet, then chain 2.*

Repeat from * to * around. Then slip stitch into the initial chain 5 that you started the round with.

So basically, we’re just alternating the number of double crochets in each space (the chain 2 spaces from the previous round): “2”, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1. At the end of this round there are 16 spokes.

I put “” around the first “2” because it technically isn’t “double crochet then chain 2, then in the same space double crochet then chain 2” because the first “double crochet then chain 2” is actually just the chain 5 we started the round with.

In this round we increased by 4 stitches.

Round 3 - increase every 3rd stitch - for crochet produce bag — Round 3 completed

Round 4

In this round we are increasing by 4 stitches again. Round 4 is the same concept as round 3, except the pattern for increasing is: “2”, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1.

So here’s the step by step around:

Chain 5 (counts as a double crochet + chain 2), then in the same space (the chain 5 of the previous round) double crochet, then chain 2.

Then in each of the next 3 spaces, do one double crochet + chain 2.

*In the next space, instead of doing just one double crochet + chain 2, do a second double crochet + chain 2.

Then in each of the next 3 spaces (the chain 2s of the previous round), do one double crochet + chain 2.*

Repeat from * to * around. Then slip stitch into the initial chain 5 that you started the round with. At the end of this round you will have 20 stitches/spokes.

In this round we increased by 4 stitches.

Round 4 - increase every — Round 4 completed

Round 5

Just like the previous 2 rounds, we will increase by 4 stitches again, with the pattern being: “2”, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1.

Here’s the step by step around:

Chain 5 (counts as a double crochet + chain 2), then in the same space (the chain 5 of the previous round) double crochet, then chain 2.

Then in each of the next 4 spaces, work one double crochet + chain 2.

*In the next space, instead of doing just one double crochet + chain 2, do a second double crochet + chain 2.

Then in each of the next 4 spaces (the chain 2s of the previous round), do one double crochet + chain 2.*

Repeat from * to * around. Then slip stitch into the initial chain 5 that you started the round with. At the end of this round you will have 24 spokes/stitches.

Round 5 - increase every fifth stitch - for crochet produce bag — Round 5 completed

Round 6

This is the last round of increasing, and again we add 4 stitches/spokes, with the pattern being: “2”, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1.

Chain 5 (counts as a double crochet + chain 2), then in the same space (the chain 5 of the previous round) double crochet, then chain 2.

Then in each of the next 5 spaces, do one double crochet + chain 2.

*In the next space, instead of doing just one double crochet + chain 2, do a second double crochet + chain 2.

Then in each of the next 5 spaces (the chain 2s of the previous round), do one double crochet + chain 2.*

Repeat from * to * around. Then slip stitch into the initial chain 5 that you started the round with. At the end of this round you will have 28 spokes/stitches.

For gauge, at the end of Round 6, my mesh granny square is about 5″ on each side (about 13 cm).

Round 6 - last increasing round - for crochet produce bag — Round 6 completed

Round 7

We’re done with all the increasing!! (If you want to make a bigger bag, you can work another round or 2 in the same fashion, increasing by 4 each round. But keep in mind, these bags are very VERY stretchy so you probably don’t need to go as big as you think to hold a lot of produce!)

This round’s pretty easy. Every space gets just one double crochet + chain 2.

Again, we start out with chain 5, which is equivalent to a double crochet + chain 2.

*Then in the next space, double crochet, then chain 2.*

Repeat from * to * around. At the end, slip stitch into the chain 5 that you started the round with. You will still have 28 spokes/stitches at the end of the round.

Crocheted produce bag - round 7 - side view — Round 7 – Side View

Crocheted produce bag pattern - seven rounds — Round 7 completed

Repeat

Repeat Round 7 eleven to fourteen (11-14) more times, until bag is desired length. Unstretched, I like my bags to be about 11″ tall (28 cm).

Everyone is tempted to make their bags bigger because they look “so tiny” but remember, they will stretch, and they are very strong so even these “tiny little guys” can hold a lot.