Recycled Plastic Granny Square Tote Bag

This week’s recycled bag is a medium sized tote bag crocheted using a granny square stitch. It is a 12 inch square motif that was made using white and blue plastic bags. A few months ago I had crocheted a small purse very similar to this pattern. I have had several requests for a larger bag that could be used as a tote or book bag so I created this larger version. As always here is the free pattern below.

Granny Square Motif Tote Pattern

Size: Approx. 12″ square bag with strap 3/4 inches wide and 20 inches long
Hook: N (9 mm) metal crochet hook used in this Motif pattern
Materials: Large ball of white plastic bag yarn (plarn)
and small amount of blue plastic bag plarn for center Motif

With center color (White shown) Ch 4, Sl St to form ring.

Rnd 1
Using White plastic bag yarn, Ch 2, (counts as 1 Hdc) in ring work 2 Hdc,
Ch 1, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, Ch1, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, Sl St to top of Ch 2.
(4 corners & 4 shells made)
Fasten off and weave ends under on back side of Motif.

Rnd 2
With next color (Blue) attach in any Ch 1 corner space.
Ch 2, 2 Hdc, Ch1, 3 Hdc, all in the same ch 1 corner space.
*Sk next 3 Hdc, 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the next Ch 1 corner space.*
Repeat between * 2 more times, Sl St to top of the beginning Ch 2.

Rnd 3
Sl St across remaining Hdc’s to corner.
Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space.
*Sk 3 Hdc, make 3 Hdc in between shells, Sk next shell, make 3 Hdc, Ch 1,
3 Hdc in corner.* Repeat 2 more times then Sl St to top of first Hdc.
Fasten off and weave ends under on back side of Motif.

Rnd 4
Change back to White yarn, attach in any Ch 1 corner space.
Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space.
*Sk 3 Hdc, make 3 Hdc in between shells, Sk next shell, make 3 Hdc, Ch 1,
3 Hdc in corner.* Repeat 2 more times then Sl St to top of first Hdc.

Rnd 5-11
Sl St across remaining Hdc’s to corner.
Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space.
Continue working in established pattern of Sk 3 Hdc (shell),
3 Hdc in between each of the shells, Sk next shell,
until you reach the corner again and then make 3 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc in each corner.
At the completion of each rnd, Sl St to top of the beginning Ch 2 and Sl St to corner space.
Then begin again with Ch 2 (counts as 1 Hdc) 2 Hdc, Ch 1, 3 Hdc, all in the corner space and so on.
Complete 8 rnds using white bag yarn.
Fasten off and weave ends under on back side of Motif.

Make two Motifs panels.

Tip: At end of second Motif panel, leave your white yarn attached. Sl St to corner.

Sides
With wrong sides together, weave them together by attaching white yarn (or using tip above) at corner and work 1 rnd of Sc around 3 sides of the bag. (The right sides of the bag should be facing out when you Sc around 3 sides of bag.)
Don’t fasten off. Leave yarn attached to make strap handle.

Strap
With yarn attached at top edge, Ch 40 for strap handle. Join with a Sl St at top edge of opposite side.
Turn and Sc around chain back down to other side and join with a Sc into st next to starting st of strap at top edge. Turn.

Working back up strap, Sc in ea st of strap to other side. Join with a Sc into st next to last joining st at top edge of bag.

Turn and Sc in ea st of the strap back to other side. Join with a Sc next to last joining st at top edge of bag.

Finish off by working a Sl st into bag to create a smooth finish to strap attachment. Weave under long ends to secure strap to body of bag. FO.

Tip: To square up your bag, apply low heat from a blow dryer and gently shape your bag as needed.

If you have any questions or find discrepancies in this pattern, please email me using contact tab above.

Abbreviations:
Ch – Chain
FO – Finish Off
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Sc – Single Crochet
Sl St – Slip Stitch
St – Stitch
Sk – Skip
Rnd – Round

This pattern is copyrighted by Cindy of My Recycled Bags {dot com} and may only be used for private individual use. No commercial sales or use is permitted. Links to this pattern are acceptable. ©2007

****Please do not copy my patterns on your blog site or post my patterns on Internet sites. I do not allow my patterns to be republished without expressed written permission. Posting of my patterns, without written permission is in violation of my copyrights and is content theft.