Marigold Market Bag

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Hello friends! I’m hitting you up with a crochet post today… the first one in a while, so it was time, especially since I just finished writing up the pattern for this beautiful crochet market bag!

Just in time for all those wonderful summer farmers’ markets, I wanted a market bag that was mesh but had a more stable base, and I wanted it to be beautiful, so a mandala base is the key feature of this lovely bag. Made with Yarnspirations Bernat Softee Baby Cotton, the detail of the stitches is so beautifully defined. What’s better is that it only uses one skein! It works up so quickly, you’ll want one in every color!

Update April 22, 2020: This pattern was made as a Crochet-A-Long last year, but I’m now combining the posts to have the pattern all in one place. That said, the Facebook group I created to host the CAL is still active. It’s a great place to ask questions, get inspiration, and talk to other crocheters. So go join the group Marigold Market Bag CAL on Facebook, grab your materials, and get ready!

Because of the mandala base, I’m classifying this pattern as an intermediate-level crochet pattern. There are a variety of basic stitches that most will be familiar with, but a few may not be as familiar. For those special stitches, I have linked to my crochet tutorials for you. While most of the stitches may be familiar, I use some techniques for the mandala that require a bit of familiarity with working decorative stitches in rounds. These techniques are explained and accompanied by photos, so don’t get intimidated! You can do it! But if you need additional support, you should consider purchasing the PDF version of this pattern, which comes with a stitch chart for extra visual aid.

Materials

The yarn I used was Yarnspirations Bernat Softee Baby Cotton, but I know that’s not readily available to everyone. Suitable alternatives are Lion Brand’s 24/7 Cotton, Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Cotton — even though they are actually size 4, when worked with a G hook, the measurements come out pretty much the same. Outside the States, my knowledge of yarns diminishes exponentially, but one of my testers in the UK used James Brett 100% Cotton. Just keep in mind required yardage / meters: 254 yds / 233 m.

I also really strongly recommend a stitch marker for your mesh rounds. I worked the mesh rounds in joined rounds, like everything else, so that I would have a nice even top edge. The stitch marker comes in handy to know when you’ve worked your way back around to the beginning of the round.

Materials List

• 1 skein Bernat Softee Baby Cotton or 254 yds / 233 m comparable category 3 DK Cotton
• Crochet hook in size G / 4 mm
• Stitch marker (optional)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Stitches & Abbreviations (US Terms)

• Magic Circle / Adjustable Ring – Tutorial Available
• Chain (ch)
• Chain Space (ch sp)
• Skip (sk)
• Slip Stitch (sl st)
• Single Crochet (sc)
• Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog)
• Half Double Crochet (hdc)
• Double Crochet (dc)
• Double Crochet 3 Together (dc3tog) – Tutorial Available
• Treble Crochet (tr)
• 3 Double Crochet Cluster (3dcCl) – Tutorial Available

Finished Measurements

Finished Mandala (up to round 13): 9″ / 23 cm diameter
Bag Height (round 14 – 37): 15.25″ / 38.75 cm

Gauge

6 sc x 6 rows = 1.375′ / 3.5 cm square

Notes

• This pattern is written in US Standard terms.
• Chain stitches at beginning of rounds do not count as a stitch unless otherwise noted.
• This pattern is worked in joined rounds, unless otherwise noted in the pattern.
• Slip stitches used to close rounds are NOT counted in the stitch count for that round.
• Round 2 is worked using the chains from your cluster stitch as stitches themselves, so that the pattern can increase accordingly in the round.
• Some rounds will end with a double crochet or treble crochet into the beginning stitch of that round instead of finishing a space using all chains.  This is so that the start of the next round begins in the center of that chain set.
• I recommend a stitch marker for your repeating mesh rounds, as it is difficult to see where you started when you work back around.

Part 1: Mandala Base

The bag portion will be worked in joined rounds, unless otherwise noted.  Begin with a magic circle / adjustable ring, or alternatively, you can ch 3 and sl st to the first ch to form a ring.  Round 1 will be worked into the center of your ring.

R1: Ch 2, *3dcCl, ch 1 (counts as a stitch), repeat from * 5 more times, sl st to top of first 3dcCl to close. (6 3dcCl, 6 ch-1s)

NOTE: a tutorial for the 3dcCl can be found here.

R2: Ch 1, *2 hdc into cluster, 2 hdc into ch-1 sp, repeat from * 5 more times, sl st to first hdc of round to close. (24 hdc)

R3: Ch 1, * sc, ch 2, sk 1, repeat from * 11 more times, sl st to top of first sc of round to close. (12 sc, 12 ch-2 sp)

R4: Ch 3 (counts as a dc), * 4 dc into ch-2 sp, sk st, rep from * 10 more times, 3 dc into next ch-2 sp, sl st to top of ch-3 from beginning of the round to close. (48 dc)

R5: Ch 1, * sc, sk 3, ch 4, repeat from * 10 more times, sc next, sk 3, ch 2, dc into the top of the first sc of this round to close. (12 sc, 12 ch-4 sp)

PRO TIP: The double crochet at the end of Round 5 is going to substitute for the last two chains of this last “ch-4 space” so that you will start the Round 6 in the center of the space.

R6: Ch 1, * sc in ch-4 sp, [2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc] in next, repeat from * 11 more times, sl st to top of first sc of round to close. (12 sc, 48 dc, 12 ch-2 sp)

NOTE: If you want to make a cute set of coasters, stop after this round, block and admire your handiwork!

Update April 2020: For a tutorial on making two different Marigold Boho Coasters using this pattern, click here.

R7: Ch 7 (counts as a dc + ch 4), dc into same, sc into ch-2 sp, *[dc, ch 4, dc] into sc from previous round, sc into ch-2 sp, repeat from * 10 more times, sl st to top of third chain from beginning of the round to close. (24 dc, 12 sc, 12 ch-4 sp)

R8: Ch 1, * sc, 5 sc into ch-4 sp, sc next, sl st next, repeat from * 11 more times, sl st to top of the first sc of the round to close. (84 sc, 12 sl sts)

NOTE: slip stitches to close rounds are NOT counted in your final stitch counts for the rounds.

R9: Ch 3 (counts as a dc), * sk 3, sc next (3^rd sc in the ch-4 sp from previous round), sk 3, 8 dc next (the sl st from previous round), repeat from * 10 more times, sk 3, sc next, sk 3, 7 dc next, sl st to top of ch-3 from the beginning of the round to close. (96 dc, 12 sc)

R10: Ch 2 (counts as a hdc), * dc into next 2 sts, hdc into next 2 sts, sc next, 2 sc into next st, sc next, hdc next 2 sts, repeat from * 10 more times, dc into next 2 sts, hdc into next 2, sc next, 2 sc into next st, sc next, hdc next, sl st to top of ch-2 from the beginning of the round to close. (48 hdc, 24 dc, 48 sc)

R11: Sl st to the top of the first dc from the previous round (does not count as a stitch), ch 1, * sc, ch 4, sk 4, sc next 2 sts, ch 4, sk 3, repeat from * 11 more times, sl st to the top of the first sc of the round to close. (36 sc, 24 ch-4s)

R12: Ch 1, * 5 sc into ch-4 sp, sc2tog, 5 sc into ch-4 sp, sl st into next, repeat from * 11 more times (120 sc, 12 sc2tog, 12 sl sts)

NOTE: final sl st will go into the sc from the previous round, NOT the first sc of the current round

R13: Ch 1, * [sc, hdc, ch 2, hdc, sc] into same (the sl st from previous round), sk 2, 2 sc into next, sk 2, [sc, hdc, ch 2, hdc, sc] into next (the sc2tog from previous round), sk 2, 2 sc next, sk 2, repeat from * 11 more times, sl st to the top of the sc from the beginning of the round to close. (96 sc, 48 hdc, 24 ch-2s)

End of Part 1

Whew! That was fun! By this point, you should have a lovely mandala that you might not want to make into a bag, maybe just leave it as a work of art all its own, mounted and framed, or stretched into a dream catcher. Or maybe frog back to Round 6 and make a few more just like it for a cute coaster set! The possibilities are endless! Or, you know, finish making a cute market bag! On to Part 2!

Part 2: Mesh Body

R14: Sl st to the center of the ch-2 sp (see NOTE following these round instructions), ch 1, * sc into ch-2 sp, ch 6, repeat from * 22 more times, sc into ch-2 sp, ch 3, tr into the top of the sc at the beginning of the round to close. (24 sc, 24 ch-6s)

NOTE: The slip stitches at the beginning of this round do not count as stitches.  You may need 2 or 3 slip stitches to arrive at the center of the ch-2 space.

NOTE: The treble crochet at the end of Round 14 is going to substitute for the last three chains of this last “ch-6 space” so that you will start the Round 15 in the center of the space.

R15: Insert stitch marker at beginning of this round, * Ch 6, sc into the middle of the ch-6 sp, repeat from * 22 more times, ch 3, tr into the top of the tr from the previous round to close. (23 sc, 24 ch-6s)

NOTE: The treble crochet at the end of Round 15 is going to substitute for the last three chains of this last “ch-6 space” so that you will start the Round 16 in the center of the space.

NOTE: I used only 23 single crochets instead of 24 here because of the stretch in the top of the treble stitches would have thrown the center off when I started the next round.  If you prefer, you may start this round with a ch 1 and single crochet, ch 6, sc in middle of ch-6 sp, and repeat 22 times, ch 3, tr into the top of the sc from the beginning of the round to close. (24 sc, 24 ch-6s)

R16-35: Repeat R15. (23 sc, 24 ch-6s)

R36: Ch 1, 3 sc into current ch-6 sp (see NOTE following these round instructions), sc into the top of the tr from R34, * 6 sc into ch-6 sp, sc into next, repeat from * 23 more times, 3 sc into last ch-6 sp, sl st to the first sc of this round to close. (168 sc)

NOTE: The first 3 single crochets of this round are going to be worked around the treble crochet used to close the previous round.

R37: Ch 2, dc in next 2 sts, * dc3tog, dc in next 4 sts, repeat from * 22 more times, dc3tog, dc last 2 sts, sl st to first dc of the round to close. (92 dc, 24 dc3tog)

NOTE: A tutorial for the dc3tog can be found here.

END OF PART 2!

You’re in the home stretch now! Just need to finish with straps and then you’re all set! Now for the strap(s)!

Part 3: Straps

The strap(s) will be worked in turned rows, starting where you closed the last round.  The number of rows depends on whether you prefer a shorter shoulder strap (85 rows, 19.5″ / 49.5 cm) or a longer cross body strap (120 rows, 27.5″ / 70 cm).  Keep in mind that the bag and strap will stretch with use.

R1: Ch 1, sc into each of the next 6 sts, turn

R2 – 85/120: Repeat R1.

Attach to the opposite side via your preferred method (slip stitch, sc, or sewn).  Tie off, weave in ends!

END OF PART 3! CONGRATULATIONS!

That’s it, you’re done! Congratulations! Give yourself a pat on the back, then share pictures of your finished bag on Instagram and Facebook with the tags #MarigoldMarketBag and / or #LaBelleVieForMe because I want to see!

This pattern has been featured on the It’s In The Bag Blog Hop, hosted by MadameStitch!

For today only, May 17, 2023, you can download a copy of the PDF version of this pattern for FREE! Grab the coupon code from the Round Up post linked below, if you haven’t yet, then follow the directions there to download your pattern on Ravelry!

Want to skip the hassle of the daily check-in? Miss a bunch of patterns? Check out the bundle! You can get all 17 bag patterns for a great deal by clicking the image below!

If you have any problems with the pattern, make sure you’ve joined the Facebook Marigold Market Bag CAL group! There is a whole community of people who have made this same pattern who can help you out. Not on Facebook? That’s okay too! If you have any questions, please comment below or contact me!

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Happy yarning!

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