Intermediate
What the pattern's own author called it. Nothing here is graded again.
Bags & Totes 12 Laid out for paper No account, no download
Crochet net bag pattern: open mesh tote with shoulder strap
Open mesh tote worked bottom-up in joined rounds with a 4.5mm hook and cotton yarn; mesh body spans rounds 5-20 for
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 5-7 hours
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Hook
- 4.5 mm
- Rounds
- 12
Worsted
What the sample was worked in. Any weight works; the size moves with it.
12
Each one is typed out whole and gets its own line.
This net bag starts as a compact oval base built in joined single crochet rounds, then opens into an airy double crochet mesh body worked to about 12 inches tall. Two flat panels at the top form reinforced handles, each shaped around a long chain that becomes the strap opening. Before picking up a hook, have 450 yards of medium-weight cotton on hand, a 4.5 mm hook, a stitch marker for tracking rounds, and a yarn needle for finishing. The structure depends on a firm base and a steady mesh repeat, so read through the round sequence once before starting.
Common mistakes and their fixes
- Missing an end increase on the base
- Count stitches at the end of Round 1 and Round 2 before moving on; the base should read 64 then 72 stitches, and a short count there will throw off every mesh round that follows.
- Losing the 36 mesh spaces
- After Round 5, count the ch-1 spaces rather than the stitches, since each repeat of Round 6 depends on working into exactly 36 spaces to keep the mesh grid square.
- Joining into the wrong chain space
- Slip stitch into the actual ch-1 space at the start of each mesh round, not into the top of the dc cluster, or the mesh grid will shift diagonally instead of stacking straight.
The materials list
- Medium weight cotton yarn: approximately 450 yards (411 meters)
- 4.5 mm crochet hook (US 7)
- Yarn needle for weaving ends
- Stitch marker
- Scissors
Listed by the pattern's own author, in their words.
Key to this pattern, 7 short forms
Base Instructions
Construction note The bag is worked from the bottom upward. Turning chains do not count as stitches unless specifically stated. Slip stitches are used only for joining rounds.
Round 1
Ch 31. Sc in second ch from hook and across 29 chains. Work 3 sc in the last chain. Turn the work and continue along the opposite side of the chain. Sc in each stitch across. Work 2 sc in the final stitch. Join with sl st. (64 sts)
Round 2
Ch 1. Sc in each stitch around, placing 2 sc in each of the three end stitches on both curved ends. Join with sl st. (72 sts)
Round 3
Ch 1. Sc around evenly. Join with sl st. (72 sts)
Round 4
Ch 1. Sc around. Join with sl st. (72 sts)
Mesh Body Instructions
Round 5
Ch 3 (counts as first dc). Dc in same stitch. Ch 1. Skip 1 stitch. *2 dc in next stitch, ch 1, skip 1 stitch.* Repeat from * around. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch-3. (36 mesh spaces)
Round 6
Sl st into first ch-1 space. Ch 3. Dc in same space, ch 1. *2 dc in next ch-1 space, ch 1.* Repeat around. Join with sl st. (36 mesh spaces)
Rounds 7–20
Repeat Round 6 thirteen more times until the mesh body measures approximately 12 inches (30 cm) from the base.
Top Edge
Round 21
Ch 1. Sc in each dc and each ch-1 space around. Join with sl st. (108 sts)
Round 22
Ch 1. Sc around. Join with sl st. Fasten off.
Handle Instructions
Attach yarn at one side of the bag opening.
Row 1
Sc across 12 stitches. Ch 45. Skip 30 stitches. Sc across next 12 stitches. Turn.
Row 2
Ch 1. Sc across the first section, sc in each chain of the handle, then sc across the second section. Turn.
Rows 3–6
Ch 1. Sc across all stitches. Turn after each row. Fasten off and weave in ends.Repeat the handle instructions on the opposite side of the bag for the second shoulder strap.
Special Stitch
Mesh Block: Skip 1 stitch, dc in next stitch, ch 1, skip 1 stitch, dc in next stitch. Continue across the round. This creates evenly spaced open sections.
Check these before you start
- Keep the 4.5 mm hook size consistent through both the sc base and the dc mesh; a looser hook at this stage will make the open spaces uneven across rounds.
- Move the stitch marker up at the start of every joined round so the sl st join point stays traceable once the mesh rounds blur the stitch outline.
- Mesh fabric stretches under load, so keep tension slightly firmer through the base rounds and the handle rows than through the open mesh body.
- This pattern uses US crochet terms. Gauge is approximately 16 single crochet stitches by 18 rows for a 4 inch by 4 inch (10 cm by 10 cm) swatch, and the finished bag measures approximately 15 inches wide by 16 inches tall (38 cm by 41 cm), excluding the handles.
- a different look, experiment with natural cotton colors or striped yarn changes across the mesh rounds.
On one line
| Rounds | 12 |
|---|---|
| Parts | 5 |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Time | 5-7 hours |
| Hook | 4.5 mm |
| Yarn | Worsted |
Set-up
- Confirm the full 450 yards of cotton yarn is wound and ready, since the mesh body alone runs sixteen repeated rounds and will use the bulk of it.
- Set a stitch marker on round 1 before working the base increases, since the 64-stitch and 72-stitch counts depend on catching every increase at the curved ends.
- Work a small mesh swatch in the double crochet repeat from Round 5 to check that your ch-1, 2-dc pattern lies flat before committing to all 36 mesh spaces.
- Read Round 5 fully before starting it, since it sets the 36 mesh spaces that every following round simply repeats.
Finishing
- Weave in all loose ends from the base, the mesh body, and both handle panels using a yarn needle, securing each end along a stitch rather than across an open mesh space.
- Lightly dampen the finished bag and arrange it into its intended oval shape, letting the mesh spaces open evenly as it dries.
- Before regular use, hand wash or machine wash inside a protective bag, then lay the piece flat to dry so the base and handles keep their shape.
Construction
The base increases are concentrated at the two curved ends only: 3 sc in the last chain and 2 sc in the final stitch on Round 1, then paired 2-sc increases at both ends again on Round 2, which is what turns a straight chain into a stable oval rather than a flat strip.
The handles are worked flat instead of in the round because each strap spans a 45-chain bridge over 30 skipped stitches; working back and forth across the two 12-stitch sections lets the chain opening sit cleanly at the top edge instead of inside a closed round.
Time per section
| Base, Rounds 1-4 | about 45-60 minutes because the two curved-end increases need careful stitch counting before the fabric is level |
|---|---|
| Mesh body, Rounds 5-20 | about 3-4 hours because sixteen rounds are needed to reach the 12-inch mesh height |
| Handles and top edge | about 45-60 minutes because each strap is worked flat across six rows on both sides of the bag before the top edge is finished |
Common questions
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.