Crocheted French Market Bag
① Lydia Bianchi
Materials:
· 1,100 yards bulky wool yarn (make sure it's feltable wool) 600 yards main color (MC) 500 yards contrast color (CC) · Size N crochet hook · 2 sets of different colored markers - pattern will call these orange and green for clarity. ·Rowcounter Work entire bag in single crochet. Gauge is not terribly important, but you want your stitches to be somewhat loose for good felting. Rectangular Bag Base With CC, CH 70 ork back and forth rows in SC until you have a rectangle about 8 inches x 24' Do NOT fasten off. From this point forward, you'll be working in the round, joining each round with a slip stitch to the first stitch in the round. To begin the next round, CH 1, and SC into each SC of the previous round. . Work around the entire base in SC for 2 rounds, working about 30 sC into the end of your rows down each short side of the base. Add stitches in the corners as needed to keep the base flat for the first round. You should have about 2o0 stitches in the first round. Join with a slip stitch to the first stitch in the round. CH1, and begin your second round,
Crocheted French Market Bag
working 1 SC into each SC, without any more additions. Fasten off. This is your bag base.
Bag Body
Switch to MC. Find center of bag on both long sides and place markers opposite each other. Move these markers up as the bag grows. Starting at one corner, Single Crochet all the way around, joining at the end of each round. (not a continuous spiral). Continue until you have at least 35 rounds, and sides are 10 inches tall. Bag should resemble a canoe. Take a picture of a cat inside the bag and smile to yourself.
Bag Handles
Recount all of your stitches and adjust markers to center. Working out from center of each long side, count 12 stitches and place an orange marker. Count 25 more stitches, and place a green marker. Do this for both sides. You will now have handle placement for four handles with a 25 stitch space between them on each side. \*\*\* Row 1 - Starting on outside (green) marker of handle #1, join MC with a slip stith, and SC 25 toward center of bag and (orange) handle marker. Place row marker at beginning of row 2 and work back. Work to end of row 3 and change marker to "4".....we will be counting rows from the beginning of the row. At beginning of row 4 and every 4t row, make a decrease (SC2tog) until you are finished with row 16. At the beginning of subsequent even rows, make a decrease (SC2tog) until you have 9 stitches remaining. This should bring you to row 40. Finish row 40 and place a marker in the last stitch to hold your place. Cut yarn, leaving about 6 inches of yarn for end. \*\*\* Note: These handles will be short. They will fit over your shoulder and nicely hang under your arm. If you want longer handles for the bag to hang lower, continue for 10 more rowsof9chains. Handles will slant away from center of the bag and be straight on outside rows. Repeat for all four handles. When all four handles are done, join the front left and front right handles together with a seam at the top. Repeat for the back left and back right handles. You now have one handle on each side of bag. @ 2011, Lydia Bianchi
Crocheted French Market Bag
Optional Pocket
After starting bag body, on row 10, count out 8 stitches right and left of center (16 total). With alternate color, SC in back loop only of these 16 stitches, then continue for 5 or six rows back and forth and secure this little flap to bottom of bag with a clip. Continue working your bag, just SC in the front loop of those 16 stitches. When you have finished crocheting bag, go back and finish pocket to desired height. I suggest about 2 rows short of top edge of bag. Stitch sides of pocket to inside of bag before felting. Felt the bag. Rejoice. Take another picture of cat inside your new bag. Block felted bag, and dry completely. Take your new bag to a French (or other) Market. Be sure to tell everyone you made it yourself. Lydia Bianchi is an experienced knitter and crocheter based in Canada. When she's not serving as a crochet instructor at her LYs, Heaven Is Handmade, you can bet she's creating unique and beautiful felted baskets and bags. She is a certified night owl, and doesn't consider it a full day unless she's felted something. If you have any questions about this pattern, message Lydia on Ravelry. Ravelryname: lydiabianchi
