Rainbow Pocket Market Bag

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Tamara Kelly

Inspiration is a funny thing. The Rainbow Pocket Market Bag was brewed up in my brain as a crazy combination of Earth Day, the Beatles Yellow Submarine, my constant struggle with getting organized, and the desire for a little color in a cloudy rainy week! And the result is a free crochet market bag pattern thats useful all year long!

To make this fun reusable bag I used a couple of specific crochet techniques, and Ive included links to them in the bullet points of the pattern. I also borrowed the mesh pattern from the Artfully Simple Infinity Scarf though worked in rounds, not spirals. I also remembered the lesson from a discussion on the Moogly Facebook pageabout bags and included directions for two different types of handles! So lets get to that crochet pattern!

Rainbow Pocket Market Bag Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue

US I, 5.5 mm hook US F, 3.75 mm hook (optional, for making button) 200 yards Worsted weight yarn: 120 yards Color A, 10-40 yds each of Colors B-G (As shown: Color A is Bernat Handicrafter in Lemon Swirl Ombre; Colors B G are Lily Sugarn Cream in Hot Purple, Hot Blue, Hot Green, Tangerine, Hot Pink, and Red)

Button (optional, if you choose not to make your own) Special techniques (click for tutorials): Magic circle; Standing dc;Seamless join; Back loop only BLO (for all other sts used, please see the Video Tutorials page)

Color A Circle Instructions: Round 1: Starting with a Magic circle, ch 2, work 12 dc into the circle. Join to the first dc with a sl st. (12 sts) Round 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st around. Join to the first dc with a sl st. (24 sts) Round 3: Ch 2, dc in the first st, 2 dc in the next st. *Dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st. Repeat from * to end. Join to the first dc with a sl st. (36 sts) Round 4: Ch 2, dc in the first 2 sts, 2 dc in the next st. *Dc in the next 2 sts, 2 dc in the next st. Repeat from * to end. Join to the first dc with a sl st. (48 sts) Round 5: Ch 2, dc in the first 3 sts, 2 dc in the next st. *Dc in the next 3 sts, 2 dc in the next st. Repeat from * to end. Join to the first dc with a sl st. (60 sts) Round 6: Ch 2, dc in the first 4 sts, 2 dc in the next st. *Dc in the next 4 sts, 2 dc in the next st. Repeat from * to end.This circle should be approximately 7 1/2 across. Break yarn and use the Seamless join to join to the 2nd dc of the round. Weave in ends. (72 sts) Colors B G Circle Instructions: Round 1: With Color B, start with a Magic circle, ch 2, work 12 dc into the circle. Break yarn and use Seamless join to join to the 2nd dc of the round. Weave in ends. (12 sts)

Round 2: With Color C, use the Standing dc to join to any st. Dc in the same st, then work 2 dc in each remaining st around. Break yarn and use Seamless join to join to the 2nd dc of the round. Weave in ends. (24 sts) Round 3: With Color D, use the Standing dc to join to any st, then work 2 dc in the next st. *Dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st. Repeat from * to end. Break yarn and use Seamless join to join to the 2nd dc of the round. Weave in ends. (36 sts) Round 4: With Color E, use the Standing dc to join to any st. Dc in the next st, then work 2 dc in the next st. *Dc in the next 2 sts, 2 dc in the next st. Repeat from * to end. Break yarn and use Seamless join to join to the 2nd dc of the round. Weave in ends. (48 sts) Round 5: With Color F, use the Standing dc to join to any st. Dc in the next 2 sts, then work 2 dc in the next st. *Dc in the next 3 sts, 2 dc in the next st. Repeat from * to end. Break yarn and use Seamless join to join to the 2nd dc of the round. Weave in ends. (60 sts) Round 6: With Color G, use the Standing dc to join to any st. Dc in the next 3 sts, then work 2 dc in the next st. *Dc in the next 4 sts, 2 dc in the next st. Repeat from * to end. Break yarn and use Seamless join to join to the 2nd dc of the round. Weave in ends. This circle should be the same size as the Color A circle, though very slight differences are okay. (72 sts) Assemble the Pocket Bottom of the Bag: Place the two circles Right Side together, with the Color A circle on the bottom, as shown below.

Insert hook through a st of both circles, and using Color A yarn, sc through both layers for 56 sts.

Then, sc through the remaining 16 sts of Color As circle ONLY. Join to the first sc with a sl st. (72 sts)

Make the Mesh Sides of the Bag: Round 1: Ch 3, and dc in the next st. Ch 5, skip 4 sts. *Dc in the next 2 sts. Ch 5, skip 4 sts. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first dc (skipping the ch 3).

Round 2 15: Ch 3, dc in the next ch sp. Ch 5, skip the rest of the ch sp and the next dc. *Dc in the next dc, dc in the next ch sp. Ch 5, skip the rest of the ch sp and the next dc. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first dc (skipping the ch 3).

Round 16: Ch 1, work 2 sc in first st. Work 4 sc in each ch sp and 1 sc in the top of each dc st around (skipping the ch 3). Break yarn and Seamless join to the 2nd sc of the round. (72 sts) Make the Handles: (I used only 5 colors for the handles, so use the 5 you like best or add another round!) Round 17: With Color B, join to any st of Round 16 and sc in each st around. Break yarn and Seamless join to the 2nd sc of the round. Weave in ends. (72 sts)

Round 18: With Color C, join to any st of Round 17 and sc in each st around. Break yarn and Seamless join to the 2nd sc of the round. Weave in ends. (72 sts) Round 19: With Color D, join to any st of Round 18 and sc in the first 12 sts. For Short Handles, ch 14; for Long Handles, ch 50 (or longer if desired). Skip the next 12 sts, sc in the next 24 sts, ch same amount for second handle (14 or 50), skip the next 12 sts, sc in the last 12 sts. Break yarn and Seamless join to the 2nd sc of the round. Weave in ends. Round 20: With Color E, join to any sc st of Round 19. Sc in each sc, and sc in the BLO of each ch around. Break yarn and Seamless join to the 2nd sc of the round. Weave in ends. (76 or 148 sts) Round 21: With Color G, join to any st of Round 20 and sc in each st around. Break yarn and Seamless join to the 2nd sc of the round. Weave in ends. (76 or 148 sts) Make the Button and Loop:
TO MAKE YOUR OWN BUTTON:

Use the F hook and any color of yarn. Round 1: Starting with a Magic circle, work 6 sc into the circle. Join with a sl st. Round 2: Ch 1, and work 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc) Break yarn and use Seamless join to finish off. Embellish with Surface Crochet or embroidery sts if desired. Sew to multicolored circle at opening, as shown.

TO MAKE THE LOOP:

With Color A, ch 15 or long enough to get loop around the button of your choice. Sew both ends to the Color A circle opposite the button, as shown.

Now you can take a little rainbow everywhere and never be without a bag when you need one! Reusable bags are definitely the way to go, and I never head to the store without them! I hope youve enjoyed the pattern for the Rainbow Pocket Market Bag I look forward to seeing your photos on Facebook and Ravelry! Written pattern copyright Tamara Kelly 2013. Please do not reprint or repost this pattern, but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others. If you wish to make baskets for sale from this pattern, please visit the About page for details.