Foldable Flower Crochet Market Bag

If it’s possible to be in love with a crochet market bag, I’m totally head over heels. This one is perfection. A showstopper crossbody flower bag.. but wait, it folds inside out to form a beautiful market bag.

If you’ve been wanting to crochet a useful market bag with an easy (and beautiful) way to store it and carry it around until you need it, run for your crochet hook because this is the perfect crochet flower market bag.

This pattern has been a long time coming. At least 2 (maybe 3) years ago, I discovered the fold back into itself market bags. I loved that you could have the ability to store the bag inside a pouch when not in use and then with a little flip inside out action, you could pop out a completely useful market bag when you needed it.

I immediately thought it would be so cute if the “storage” pouch could feature a beautifully texture flower AND be carried crossbody. That way I could sling several over my shoulder at once while shopping in the farmer’s market and use them as needed.

I also thought it would be a great re-purposing of my Crochet Wallflower pattern. I love the petals on that pattern and thought it would be the perfect with a few tweaks, of course.

And then it took me 2 YEARS to fully design and implement my vision. I’m going to be honest and say that the whole “fold into itself” concept was hard for me to grasp. All the things needed to work properly. Where to attach each of the components, of course. But also the best construction method in a way I could explain it well to all my readers.

I am so happy with how this beautiful crochet market bag turned out!

I can’t even tell you how many people stopped to ooh and ahh over it when we were in our local farmer’s market taking photos. And then.. when they saw it converted into a market bag?! Swoon! They were blown away!

Another feature that seems like small detail but is actually really useful is the button and loop closure. I’ve reinforced the pocket opening with a round of single crochet and incorporated a loop to accommodate a button. When wearing the flower market bag crossbody, the loop and button close the opening for a nice finish.

But it does double duty because when the bag is in the market bag position, you can STILL close the bag with the same loop and button. I love this because it fixes a problem I noticed with other foldable market bags.

The bags I researched just left that gap open. I didn’t like that for a few reasons. First without reinforcing the opening where you turn the bag inside and out, those areas could become stress points and stretch out over time. More importantly, the gap created by the opening caused the bottom of the market bag to look loose and messy.

Photos can be deceiving sometimes and you might not have noticed that other foldable market bags seem to let that gap stay open. I didn’t like that so I fixed it and honestly I think it makes the market bag all the better for it.

For my bags, I used 2 skeins of Dishie crochet cotton. I love all the colors available and I love crocheting with this cotton yarn. You can get it over on WeCrochet or if you’re impatient likeI often am, Amazon has it too. Or use a similar crochet cotton like Lily Sugar ‘n Cream which you can often find locally.

How to Crochet A Market Bag

Traditionally a crochet market bag worked in the round features a circular bottom piece worked in a solid stitch pattern followed by a chain netting effect for the sides. My foldable flower crochet market bag is worked similarly. You’ll work the first round base primarily in double crochet in the round through the back loop. This will leave the front loops available for the flower petals and attaching the 2nd base later.

After crocheting that first base, you’ll go right into crocheting the mesh portion of the bag and the market bag carrying handles. I love working the bag this way as this will use up most of one ball of yarn without running out of it. Having to cut and reattach yarn in the mesh section is best avoided and this construction method solves that potential problem.

After that you’ll go back, reattach yarn to the front loops of the first base and work those glorious petals. Then you’ll work the 2nd round base, attach it and crochet around the pocket opening to reinforce it create the button loop. And finally you’ll crochet and attach the exterior long crossbody strap and sew on the button.

I could gush on and on about this floral crochet market bag pattern, but by now I’m sure you’re ready to crochet your own. So, let’s get to it!

Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern: Crochet Abbreviations, US to UK Crochet Conversion Chart.  Find links to stitches on the “Tutorial” menu: Getting Started will show basic stitches used in many patterns and Crochet Stitch Dictionary shows our growing collection of crochet stitch tutorials.

Gauge:

Row 1-7 of bag base 1 = 7.25”

Crochet Abbreviations:

• ch(s) = chain(s)
• sc = single crochet
• hdc = half double crochet
• dc = double crochet
• sl st = slip stitch
• st = stitch(es)

Finished Market Bag Size

Mesh bag measures 13.5” tall without handles and approximately 21.5” with handles.  When bag is folded into floral storage pouch, it is approximately 7” across, 2” deep and 27” long with shoulder strap extended.

Market Bag Base Side 1 (Petal Side):

Make a magic ring

R1:  12 sc into ring.  Place stitch marker and work in continuous rounds.  (12 st)

**Work Rounds 2-7 in the back loops only**

R2:  2 Hdc in ea st.  (24 st)

R3:  *Dc in next st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (36 st)

R4:  *Dc in next 2 st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (48 st)

R5:  *Dc in next 3 st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (60 st)

R6: *Dc in next 4 st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (72 st)

R7: *Dc in next 5 st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around until last stitch.  In last stitch work 1 hdc and 1 sc. Slip stitch to next stitch. Do NOT fasten off. (84 st)

Mesh Bag:

Continue to work with the yarn from round 7 to work mesh bag, working in both loops, as follows

R1: Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 5, skip next 2 st, *sc in next st, ch 5, skip next 2 st.  Repeat from * 26 times, sc in next st, ch 2, dc in the first sc of round to form last loop.  (28 loops)

R2 – 22: Ch 1, sc in last ch loop from previous round.  *ch 5, sc in next ch loop from previous round.  Repeat from * 27 times, ch 2, dc in 1^st sc in round to form last loop. (28 loops)

Do NOT fasten off, continue to work the border and handles.

Market Bag Border and Handles

Work R1 stitches in the loops formed by the prior row.

R1: Ch 1, 2 sc in same loop as join, *4sc in next loop, 3sc in next loop.  Repeat from * around, working 1 sc in the opposite side of the 1^st loop in the round and join to the 1^st sc in the round. (98 st)

R2: Ch 1, sc in same st as joining, sc in next 11 st, ch 60, skip next 24 st on bag, sc in next 25 st, ch 60, skip next 24 st on bag, sc in next 13 st.  Join with sl st to 1^st sc in round.

R3: Ch 1 and sc around bag, working a sc into each sc from the prior round and a sc into each chain of handles around bag.  At end of round, join with a sl st to 1^st st and fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Flower Petal Round

Petals are worked in the free front loop of the Bag Base Side 1.  Use a stitch marker to mark the last stitch of the round so you can count the petals at the end of each round.  Do NOT join rounds.

Join yarn with a slip stitch to the first free front loop in round 1 of base.

R1: *Sl st in next st, (sc, hdc) in next st, 2 dc in next st, (hdc, sc) in next st.  Repeat from * twice. (3 petals)

R2: *Sl st in next st, (sc, hdc) in next st, 2 dc in next st, (hdc, sc) in next st.  Repeat from * 5 times. (6 petals)

R3: *Sl st in next st, (sc, hdc, dc) in next st, tr in next st, (dc, hdc, sc) in next st.  Repeat from * 8 times. (9 petals)

R4: *Sl st in next st, (sc, hdc, dc) in next st, 2 tr in next st, (dc, hdc, sc) in next st.  Repeat from * 11 times.  (12 petals)

R5: *Sl st in next st, (sc, hdc) in next st, 2 dc in next st, 2 tr in next st, 2 dc in next st, (hdc, sc) in next st.  Repeat from * 9 times.  (10 petals).  Sl st to next st.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Note:  this will leave one row with FLO showing on the petal base.  We’ll use this for attaching the 2 bases together later.

Base Side 2 (Back of Folded Bag):

Make a magic ring.  Note:  The back of the bag is worked in BOTH loops.

R1:  12 Sc into ring.  Place stitch marker and work in continuous rounds.  (12 st)

R2:  2 Hdc in ea st.  (24 st)

R3:  *Dc in next st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (36 st)

R4:  *Dc in next 2 st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (48 st)

R5:  *Dc in next 3 st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around.  (60 st)

R6: *Dc in next 4 st, 2dc in next.  Repeat from * around until last stitch.  In last stitch work 1 hdc and 1 sc. Slip stitch to next stitch. Do NOT fasten off. (72 st)

Attach Market Bag Bases

In order to make the bag foldable, it’s time to attach the plain base to the flower petal base.  You will be working in the FLO left over from the last round worked on the petal base. 

Use stitch markers to identify the 12 stitches that will form the “top” of the bag.  I did this by finding the center point of one of the handles and then making this the center point on the petal circle and identifying the 12 center stitches.  Those 12 stitches will be UNWORKED on this attachment round.  So, place a stitch marker on the next stitch on either side of the 12 stitches.

Lay the right side of the back base (side 2) just worked on top of the petals.  So that the right sides of both Base side 1 and Base side 2 will be together.  Position the piece so that the next stitch worked will be right in front of the left most marked stitch on the petal base.

Note that as you’re preparing to work, you’ve turned the back base so the wrong side is facing you and you will be working your stitches from the wrong side.  In other words, the very first stitch is going into the last stitch worked on the back base in the previous round.

R1:  Sc in the next stitch on the back base (Step 1).  Remove hook from work.  Insert hook into the FLO on the petal base (this will be the marked stitch on the left of what will be the opening).  Then, pull the loop through the FLO stitch on the petal base. (Step 2) 

This connects the first stitch.

(Step 3)  *sc in the next stitch on the back base, remove hook, insert hook through the FLO of the petal round from top to bottom.  Repeat from * around, continuing to attach the bases together, working the last connecting stitch in the stitch marked with the stitch marker to the right of the opening. Step 4 photo shows completion of 2 connected sts.

Here’s another photo with all 4 steps together:

At the end of R1, your work looks like this:

The remaining unworked stitches will finish off the opening and form buttonhole loop so that the bag can be foldable.  When you’ve finished attaching the bases, there will 12 stitches on base 1 (with the petals) that have unworked front loops only.  R2 begins by working into the 1^st unworked FLO.

R2: Ch1, working in the remaining FLO on petal base side, sc in next 6 st to the center, ch 8, then sl st to same st to form a loop, sc in next 6 st.  Work 2 sc on end, over joining area (this strengthens the join), then rotate work so you are working on the inside/right side of the back circle.  Continue to sc across the 12 stitches on the back circle.  Work 2 sc on the 2^nd end, then join to the 1^st sc of the round with an invisible join (or with a sl st).  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Market Crossbody Strap and Finishing

Turn the connected bases right-side out and tuck bag into pocket so that the petal bases are showing and the market mesh portion of the bag is tucked inside.

Using needle and thread, sew button to back opposite the loop.  Fasten the bag closed.

Make strap:  Ch 180, then sc in 2^nd ch from hook and each ch across.  Fasten off at end.  Sew each end of the strap to the bag, positioning the strap on each side 6 stitches from the opening.

Weave in any remaining ends.

To convert the bag to a market bag, unbutton the button, and flip the bag inside out through the opening.  The bases can still be buttoned together with the button to close the opening.

Make It Your Own

One of my favorite things about this foldable crochet market bag is how easy it is to make it completely your own!

Try:

• A bright, cheerful color for a bold statement flower
• A soft neutral for a sweet everyday look
• Different colors for the flower and mesh bag portions
• A fun vintage or wooden button
• A shorter or longer crossbody strap for the perfect fit

You could even make several in different colors and keep them tucked in your car, purse or suitcase. They’re perfect for farmers markets, shopping trips, vacations and all those times you suddenly realize you could really use an extra bag!

Final Thoughts on this Beautiful Market Bag

I loved designing this foldable crochet market bag! From the gorgeous flower petals to the perfectly sized mesh bag to the clever little button closure. I love that the folded bag is pretty enough to wear crossbody all on its own. Then, with a quick flip inside out, it transforms into a useful market bag ready to carry all your treasures.

It’s practical, beautiful and just a little bit unexpected—which might be my favorite combination of all. Whether you make yours for trips to the farmers market, everyday shopping or as a thoughtful handmade gift, I hope you love using it just as much as you enjoy crocheting it. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself making another in every color!

I love seeing your finished projects! If you enjoyed making the Foldable Floral Crochet Market Bag I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @crochet365knittoo. If you are on Facebook, stop over to the Crochet 365 Knit Too Facebook page or pop over to the Crochet365KnitToo Club and share a photo! I’d love to see your work!