How I make my Shopping Bags

I have been asked for a pattern for my shopping bags but I thought it would be better to just do a picture tutorial and show you how it is done.

I start by making a  disk.

The Starting Disk

The pattern for the disk is as follows.

ch 5, sl st to form a ring
ch 1, 12 sc into ring
ch 3 (counts as dc), dc into first sc, 2 dc into each sc around, sl st to join (24 stitches)
ch 4 (counts as dc, ch), dc + ch into each dc around, sl st into 3rd ch of starting ch (48)
ch 3, dc into next ch sp, dc into next dc, continue all the way around, sl st into starting ch. (48 dc)
ch 3, dc into each dc around, sl st into starting ch (48 dc)
ch 1, sc into same place as sl st, sc into each dc, sl st intp 1st sc (48 sc)

For bags with a pouch I make 2 disks.

Two disks that will form a pouch

I then join the two disks with scs making sure to leave a 12 stitch opening.

Two Disks Joined

I then work approximately 30 loops around by doing sc into 1st sc, ch 5, sk next sc, sc in next sc, ch 5, sc in next sc, until the last loop. The last loop is formed by doing ch 2, dc into 1st sc.

Single disk with first row of loops

Pouch with first round of loops

Continue each round with ch, sc into loop, ch 5, sc into next loop, finishing with ch 2, dc into 1st sc for a total of 30 rounds.

Bag with 30 rounds of loops

The finishing depends on whether I am making handles or a drawstring. If handles, I do 3 dc in each loop starting with ch 3, dc in 1st loop, finishing with 1 dc in the 1st loop, sl st into 3rd ch of starting ch. co. If drawstring, replace 1 dc in each loop with a ch.

Bag read for drawstring

Drawstring for drawstring Bag

Finished Bag

To finish the bag with pouch I make a pair of handles and add a button and button hole to the pouch to hole the bag in the pouch.

Finished Bag with pouch and handles

Finished Bag in its pouch

I haven't described how I make the handles bcause I use a farely complex method that is hard to describe but I'm sure experienced crocheters cand figure out how to make handles.

Hope this helps you make your own bags.

Richard.