Turn ordinary plastic grocery bags into a sturdy reusable tote with this free plarn bag crochet pattern. The finished bag is surprisingly durable and can be washed in warm, soapy water, air-dried, and used again and again.
If you’re new to crocheting with plarn, the name simply combines “plastic” and “yarn.” Instead of traditional yarn, strips cut from plastic grocery bags are joined together to create a material you can crochet with. See my How to Make Plarn tutorial to learn how to make your own before starting the tote.
Plarn Grocery Tote Crochet Pattern
Pattern Details
- Skill level: Easy
- Yarn: Plarn made from approximately 40–45 plastic grocery bags
- Hook: 10 mm (US N/P-15)
- Finished size: Approx. 15 × 12 in. (38 × 30.5 cm)
- Construction: Worked from the bottom up, beginning in joined rounds and continuing in a spiral; handles are formed with chain spaces and covered with single crochet.
Materials
- Plarn made from approximately 40–45 plastic grocery bags
- 10 mm (US N/P-15) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Stitch marker
Crochet Abbreviations
- ch – chain
- hdc – half double crochet
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
This free crochet pattern is written in U.S. crochet terms and abbreviations. Stitch counts are provided throughout the pattern to help you keep on track.
Helpful Crochet Resources: Refer to my Crochet Abbreviations and U.S. to U.K. Crochet Conversion Chart as you work through the pattern.
Pattern Notes
- Beginning ch 2 counts as a half double crochet.
- Rounds 1–3 are joined with a slip stitch.
- Beginning with Round 4, the tote is worked continuously in a spiral without joining.
- Use a stitch marker to mark the beginning of each round and move it up as you work.
- Stitch counts include chain stitches unless otherwise noted.
Plarn Grocery Tote Instructions
Ch 12.
Round 1: 2 hdc in 3rd ch from hook and 1 hdc in next 8 ch, work 5 hdc in last ch, working along opposite side of the chain, work 1 hdc in the next 8 ch, 2 hdc in last ch, join with a sl st in top of beginning ch-2 — 26 sts.
Round 2: Ch 2, 2 hdc in same st as join, 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in each of the next 10 sts, 2 hdc in next, 3 hdc in next, 2 hdc in next, 1 hdc in each of the next 10 sts, 2 hdc in last st, join with a sl st in top of beginning ch-2 — 34 sts.
Round 3: Ch 2, 1 hdc in same st as join, 3 hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next, 1 hdc in each of the next 14 sts, 2 hdc in next, 3 hdc in next, 2 hdc in next, 1 hdc in each of the next 14 sts, join with a sl st in top of beginning ch-2 — 42 sts.
Round 4: Ch 2, 1 hdc in each st around, do not join — 42 sts.
Round 5: 1 hdc in top of ch-2 from previous round and in each st around, do not join — 42 sts.
Round 6: 1 hdc in top of first hdc from previous round and in each st around, do not join — 42 sts.
Rounds 7–23: Repeat Round 5 — 42 sts.
Handles
Round 24: 1 hdc in first 13 sts, ch 23, skip next 8 sts, 1 hdc in each of the next 13 sts, ch 23, skip next 8 sts — 72 sts.
Round 25: 1 hdc in top of first st from previous round and in each of the next 12 sts, work 38 sc evenly around ch-23 handle, 1 hdc in each of the next 13 sts, work 38 sc evenly around ch-23 handle — 102 sts.
Finishing
Work 1 sc in each of the next 2 sts, then sl st in next st to smooth the end of the spiral. Fasten off and weave in ends.
More Crochet Bag Patterns
- Hamptons Tote … T-Shirt Yarn Crochet Bag Pattern
- Crochet Bag Pattern – Easy Summer Tote
- Felted Crochet Bag Pattern
- Pretty Little Felted Purse Pattern
- Granny Square Purse Crochet Pattern
I love the project, but stuck on round 25. “Work 38 sc over ch 23 to cover”.
Does cover mean top of bag? And do I work 38 sc evenly into the 23 chains?
Is there a tutorial for this bag ?
Hi, I would love to use this amazing project in a round up on my site. Please let me know if that would be okay with you. salvagesista@gmail.com
Love this! I have waaaaay too many bags that need a good purpose. I did have a couple of questions, though. First, does this bag stretch to a larger size to accomidate things like cereal boxes? If not, how can I make it bigger? Thanks!
Hi Kayla 🙂 It does have a small amount of give to it but not as much as yarn would.
I can’t believe that you can crochet all of those bags together. I am a fan of recycling and love to crochet. I might have to try this sometime. I usually end up donating my plastic baggies to the daycare that my son used to go to.
Donating them to your sons school sounds like a great way to recycle them as well 🙂
This is ingenious. I’ve seen these types of items, but never even considered how easy it would be to make. Now I need to find a store that uses yellow or red ones all I get near me is grey, white, tan, or blue 🙂
So glad you like the idea!
I get my yellow from Grocery outlet, but haven’t found a good source of red ones yet
Love love love this!! I made a large grocery tote and everyone who sees it loves it! Now I have everyone collecting their bags – lol. I may try the doormat idea too – sounds great!
Glad you like it!! Let me know how the doormat comes out 🙂
Just found your site – good pattern! I’ve made plarn bags in the past, but with a twist. I use a strandof plarn and a strand of leftover yarn together. Didm this as I was unsure of the strength of the plarn by itself. Any acrylic yarn will do – variegated works well, making an interesting tweedy pattern. I have a fairly large stash of bags which I guard jealously, as many communities in my area have outlawed single use plastic bags. Will definitely try your bag pattern next time I make a tote.
Lynn
San Jose, CA
I really like your idea of adding strand of yarn! I will have to try that 🙂
Hello. I am very new at crocheting and am attempting to make your Grocery Tote. At the end of each round the directions say …slip stitch in top of beginning ch-2 — 34 (or however many) stitches. What kind of stitches? I don’t think you mean chain stitches. Sorry for my lack of understanding. Thank you
No problem at all! I am glad to help 🙂 The numbers at the end of each round indicate how many stitches you should have in the round, in this pattern, they are half double crochet stitches. So for the example you used, there would be 34 half double crochets in that round. But don’t forget that the beginning chain counts as your first half double crochet of the round. Does this help clarify? If not, let me know and I will try again 🙂
Yes, that does help. I was thinking you were saying to make 34 stitches but I get it now. Another mistake I made is that I was using different types of plastic bags. Some were stiffer than the regular grocery bags. When I crocheted them with the others, it created an uneven, lumpy effect. Fortunately I was only on the foundation round when I figured it out. Thank you so much for your help. I am looking forward to finishing my new tote.
Nancy
If you want to use stiffer bags because of color, cut the strips smaller to make them less lumpy. I’ve gotten better at judging how wide to make the strips based on the thickness of the bag, but I often cut off one strip and do a quick chain with it to check the thickness before I cut up the rest of the bag.
I like the idea of using this for a door mat. I would think a door mat would be thicker than the totebag so would you recommend making the strips wider to make the thicker door mat? This is such a wonderfull idea. Thank you very much for posting it. I can’t wait to get started.
Jeannie
A door mat does sound like a good idea! Yes, I think I would try wider strips and a larger hook. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Thank you Kara, I will try that. Thank you for responding so quickly. I am so new to this blogging stuff I was not sure I posted the question right. I will let you know how it works and if it looks good I will try to post a picture. Thank you again.
Great! I can’t wait to hear 🙂
I was at a laundromat many years ago. A lady there opened a package she had received in the mail. It was 2 doormats crocheted from bread bags. She just laughed and brought them over to show us. She couldn’t believe her Mom had made them from bread bags! I had forgotten all about it until I saw this pattern today. I should make both a bag and a mat! I sure have plenty of bags!