Intermediate
What the pattern's own author called it. Nothing here is graded again.
Bags 4 Laid out for paper No account, no download
Granny square tote bag made from three joined panels
Three 2-round granny squares joined into a tote, with hdc straps. Any hook, any yarn weight.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Rounds
- 4
Worsted
What the sample was worked in. Any weight works; the size moves with it.
4
Each one is typed out whole and gets its own line.
This tote is built from three granny squares, each worked in two rounds of double crochet with the standard corner sequence, then sewn side by side into a single panel. Two straps, each a chain of 100 worked in six rows of half double crochet, finish the piece. Before picking up a hook, decide on a color order for the three squares and settle on which side of the seams will face out, since that choice is made at assembly, not at the last round.
Common mistakes and their fixes
- Losing track of the four corners
- Place a stitch marker in each chain-2 corner space at the start of Round 2 so all four corners are easy to find when repeating the sequence.
- Squares finishing at different sizes
- Count rounds, not inches, on all three squares and stop each one after the same number of repeats of Round 2's corner sequence.
- Seam puckering at the joins
- Sew with the same side facing up on every seam, either all right-side-out or all wrong-side-out, rather than mixing the two across the panel.
The materials list
- Yarn in your choice of colors (example: French lilac, sun setting, and amethyst)
- Crochet hook
- Scissors
- Needle for sewing
Listed by the pattern's own author, in their words.
Key to this pattern, 5 short forms
Granny Square
Round 1
Chain 4 and create a slip stitch into the first chain; chain 3, then place 2 double crochets into the center; chain 2, place 3 more double crochets into the center, chain 2; repeat this sequence (3 double crochets, chain 2) two more times; chain 2 and slip stitch to the top of the second crochet.
Round 2
Slip stitch to move into the chain 2 space; chain 3, place 2 more double crochets into the same space; chain 2, place 3 more double crochets into the same space to form a corner; in the next chain space, repeat the corner by placing 3 double crochets, chain 2, and 3 more double crochets; repeat this for the remaining two chain spaces; slip stitch to join.Subsequent Rounds: Continue repeating the steps from Round 2 until your square is the desired size. Create 3 squares for the bag.
Strap
Row 1
Chain 100 (or as many as needed for your desired length).
Rows 2–7
Create 6 rows of half double crochets for the strap.
Assembly, in order
Step 1Lay out the 3 completed squares.
Step 2Sew the sides together, either with the seam on the outside or inside, depending on your preference.
Step 3For an outside seam, sew with the right side facing up; for an inside seam, sew with the wrong side facing up.
Step 4Sew 2 single crochets into each corner to secure the sides together.
Step 5Continue single crocheting along the edges, adding 2 single crochets in each corner.
Step 6Fold in the corners of the middle square and sew the sides together, repeating the single crochet method.
Step 7Sew the strap to the inside of the bag on each side, making sure to match and line up the strap before sewing.
Check these before you start
- Keep tension even across all three squares; a looser square will show as a wavy seam once the panel is joined.
- Work all three squares to the identical number of rounds before assembly, even if that means going past Round 2 on every square.
- Mark the first stitch of each round with a scrap of yarn if the corner chain-2 spaces are hard to spot by eye.
On one line
| Rounds | 4 |
|---|---|
| Parts | 2 |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Time | 4-6 hours |
| Yarn | Worsted |
Set-up
- Check that you have enough yarn in each color to finish all three squares to the same size, not just round 2.
- Decide how many rounds beyond Round 2 each square needs, and plan to repeat that round the same number of times on all three.
- Read through the corner sequence in Round 2 once before starting, since every later round repeats its logic at each chain-2 space.
- Work a single square first and measure it, so the strap length (chain 100) can be checked against the finished panel width.
Finishing
- Weave in every loose end from both the squares and the straps before seaming, since ends get harder to reach once panels are joined.
- Sew the three squares together side by side, choosing right-side-up for an outside seam or wrong-side-up for an inside seam, then work 2 single crochets into each joining corner to secure it.
- Fold in the corners of the middle square, sew those folded sides together, then attach the two straps and weave in the final ends.
Construction
Each granny square grows by adding a chain-2 corner space with 3 double crochets on either side at every round, which is why Round 2 repeats the same corner four times instead of introducing new stitches.
The strap is worked flat as a long chain of 100 with six rows of half double crochet rather than in the round, since a flat strip gives two straight edges to fold or seam flush against the bag opening.
Time per section
| Three granny squares | about 2-3 hours, because each square repeats the 2-round corner sequence three times over and needs even tension across all three to match |
|---|---|
| Two straps | about 1 hour, because each strap is only a chain of 100 plus six straightforward rows of half double crochet |
| Assembly and finishing | about 1-2 hours, because seaming, corner single crochets, folding the middle square, and attaching straps are all worked by hand after the pieces are complete |
Photographs of this one
Every one was taken by whoever published the pattern, in the order the source listed them.
Common questions
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.