These crochet mesh bags are incredibly versatile and so easy to make. They hold a surprising amount of stuff. Today I would like to share my crochet mesh bag pattern with you.
I’m going back to basics with these crochet mesh bags. While I was going through some of my older posts, I stumbled upon my Mini Plarn Tote Crochet Pattern. I decided to tidy the pattern up just a tiny bit…and then wondered what had happened to the t shirt yarn mesh bags I had made from the same pattern (altered ever so slightly).
So I had a rummage around on my computer and realized that the photos for the crochet mesh bags were just as bad as I had feared. Soooo…I dragged my lazy body up to the loft and hauled the bags down for a bit of a photo shoot. While I was going through the new photos on my computer, Jaco got hold of one of the bags and filled it with Ben-10 aliens and Gormiti men. And of course I couldn’t resist using him as a model.
As you can see from the photos, these crochet mesh bags stretch QUITE a bit when full, so a little bag really does go a long way.
The pattern is suitable for beginners as you only need to know how to make chain stitches and single crochet stitches. In fact, working a mesh like this, where you don’t crochet into the stitches, but into the spaces between them, is excellent for a first-time project as you can just concentrate on the feel of crocheting without having to worry about sticking the hook into the wrong bit!
A Word About Yardage
Because of the nature of t-shirt yarn, it is impossible to tell you how many t-shirts you would need to cut up with any degree of accuracy. Not only are t shirts all different sizes, but they don’t all stretch equally!
I have made another 2 bags in an effort to answer this question. For the one bag I used less than 3 t shirts, for the other one I used 5!! Both took about 120 – 150 meters (130 – 165 yards) of t shirt yarn, but they varied greatly in weight. It IS possible to figure out roughly how many t-shirts you will need, but you’ll need to do a bit of arithmetic.
Here’s how to figure it out (ish)
If you are using a t-shirt that is about 30 cm wide (12″), each “round” will give you about a meter of yarn (width x 2 x 1.5 {to allow for the natural stretch}).
If the usable part of your t-shirt, excluding the hem and the arms, is 30 cm long (12″), and you are cutting 1 cm (roughly 1/2″) strips, you’ll get 30 meters (32 yards) out of one t-shirt (length of t-yarn per round x number of rounds). So you will need at least 4 t-shirts to make one bag.
Helpful Hint: Use t-shirts made from the same thickness and type of fabric. If you use a very stretchy lycra-type top and a not-so-stretchy XL men’s shirt, your bag is going to come out very wonky.
Alternatively, raid your fabric stash and use all those bits of jersey cotton you KNOW you will never find another use for. Or just buy some t shirt yarn from Amazon or Wool Warehouse.
Crochet Mesh Bag Pattern
©Dedri Uys 2011. All Right Reserved.
Abbreviations
- Ch – Chain
- Ch-1 space – the space between 2 sc’s formed by making a ch st between them
- Ch-3 space – the space between 2 sc’s formed by making 3 ch st’s between them
- Sc – single Crochet
- Sl st – slip stitch
- St – stitch
- () – Repeat all instructions between parentheses the amount of times specified.
Materials
- Susan Bates 10 mm crochet hook
- T shirt yarn – have a look at THIS TUTORIAL if you would like to make your own fabric yarn. Alternatively you can buy some (like Scheepjes Noodle or Premier Craft-Tee Yarn
).
- Yarn needle for finishing off
Instructions
Foundation Chain: Chain 24.
Round 1: This round is made using the linen stitch. See THIS TUTORIAL if you need visual help. Sc in one loop only of the fourth ch from the hook. (Ch,sc) in one loop only of every second st across. (Ch,sc) into the last (same) st again and then continue working around the foundation chain inserting your hook into both remaining loops of each stitch you work into. (Ch, sc) into the remaining loops of every second st across. When you reach the end of the round, (ch, sc) into the same (lasts) stitch. {24 linen stitches in total – the initial 3 ch’s count as a linen stitch}
Round 2: Continuing around: (Ch 3, sc) into the space formed by the initial ch-3 at the beginning of round 1, which counts as your first ch-1 space. (Ch 3, sc) into every ch-1 space around. {24 (ch-3, sc) groups}
Rounds 3 – 24: Repeat Round 2, working into the ch-3 spaces of the previous round. {24 (ch-3, sc) groups}
When you have completed the last round, fold your bag flat. The last stitch should now be 2 st’s away from the fold. Because you are working in a spiral, the first st of every round will creep steadily to the right.
If you want a longer or shorter bag, add more rounds/leave some rounds out until you get the desired length. If you alter the length, the last st of your last round will fall in a different place (that is on the fold, before the fold or waaay past the fold). Just make sure that you finish 2 st’s past the fold. So add a few more stitches or leave a few out.
You will now make the handles.
Handles
Round 1: Starting 2 st’s past the fold: Ch 15. Skip 8 ch-3 spaces. (Ch,sc) into the next four ch-3 spaces. These 4 linen stitches should fall over the fold on the other side. Ch 15 again and skip 8 ch-3 spaces. (Ch, sc) into the last 4 ch-3 spaces.
Round 2: *(Ch,sc) 9 times, working into the ch-15 space from the previous round. (Ch,sc) into each of the next 3 ch-1 spaces.* Repeat from * to * one more time.
Round 3: (Ch, sc) into each of the 24 ch-1 spaces from the previous round. Sl st in the next ch-1 space and fasten off. Work away your tails of yarn.
For the flowers, I used THIS TUTORIAL by Linda Permann. For the inside of the flowers I made a very big french knot.
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Happy Hooking!
Caitlyn says
These handles feel awkwardly short compared to the body. When my bag lays flat, the handles flatten out to be nearly parallel with the top of the bag. Is that intended or was my tension just too tight with those chains?
Jenny Lowman says
Hi Caitlin, as you can see from the pattern pics, the handles are quite short, but it could also be an issue with tight chains if they feel so awkward.
BW Jenny :)
Jebamalar J says
Hi..the link for the flowers isn’t working.. can you please share the link again? I’m done with the bag..it looks thick.. it’s quite sturdy.. this is my first project with t shirt yarn..and I’m loving it
Jenny says
It appears the link is no longer available.
Maybe check out the designer’s blog? She may have patterns for more flowers available there. Hope that helps.
HERE
BW Jenny :)
Sarah Jane Sell says
This may be a silly question, but what happens if I just use yarn?
Dedri Uys says
Nothing ;) It will just stretch slightly less, but it will still stretch.
Rachel Dale says
Hi love the idea of the bag I am doing a practice one with wool to get use to the pattern when you have done the 24 foundation chain do you join with a slip stitch to make a round or do you just turn and do rows thanks I want to get this right
Dedri Uys says
Hi Rachel. You will be working into one side of the foundation chain and then down the other side in a spiral. This video demonstrates the technique.
Rachel Dale says
Thank you video was a great help I have not seen this before, I’m use to doing a magic ring and working into that this will be fun to try
Laura says
Thank you for posting this pattern! I just finished a grocery-sized tote using about 7 t-shirts. I feel so eco-conscious making it out of old and thrifted shirts :)
LORETTA KAMLOT says
Made with some old t-shirts my husband gave me. I tie died them and made yarn – it took 3 t’s to make a small bag. My friend loves it !
Dedri Uys says
Brilliant :)
Graciela says
Hola Dedri, me encantaron las bolsas y había guardado la foto que me llego en un boletín periódico, pero no había conseguido el tutorial. No estoy familiarizada con la organización de la información para los tutoriales, sin embargo quede enamorada de las bolsas y quiero hacerme una de trapillo. Soy mas o menos hábil para tejer, aunque no muy experta para entender las diferentes denominaciones, en algunos lugares se le llama punto de… cadeneta, patica, medio punto, pilares, etc., de acuerdo si la traducción viene de México o España, etc. Las abreviaturas traducidas que trae el tutorial no las entiendo, por ejemplo no se que significan Sc, Sl st, quizás si tuviera una descripción o referencia a otro tutorial para verlas me animaría a comprar los materiales. Por ahora tengo el trapillo que obtuve de una camiseta y una aguja N.8 y estoy buscando precios de los materiales. Gracias por tu atención. SON HERMOSAS!
Jenny says
Hi.
SC means single crochet and SL st means slip stitch.
Hope that helps.
Jenny :)
Sheila says
I just finished this. I like it. I used t shirt yarn by Loops and Threads . My measures 14 x 20 not including handles. It is a little heavy but I expected that given my yarn choice. Seems right for keeping in the car for the farmers market. Thanks for sharing your talents.
Leonieke says
It took me some time but then i figured the pattern out, but no grocery shopping for me with this bag :-) it is tiny! (But lovely)
Dedri Uys says
Hi,
My bags were quite big (as you can see from the photos), so I am interested in learning how your bag differed from mine. What did you use and how big were they?
Dedri
Greta Wells says
I’m glad I’m not the only one that found it tiny. I used a noodle yarn and it is small. I don’t anything could use it for anything as the opening is small too
Dedri Uys says
Have you got a photo of your bag and what is the finished size?
Greta Wells says
No sorry I undid it already.
bluebell says
jaco is such a good modeler. so cute. i saw ur t-yarn shoes pattern. how m
any shirts do i need to make it?
Dedri Uys says
bluebell, that really depends on how big the t-shirts are and how thin you are cutting your strips. Using home-made t-yarn is not an exact science at all. I think I used 2 large white t-shirts and 1 extra large blue shirt.
Rhonda Reed says
Dear Dedri
I loved this pattern and bought T shirt yarn to start with as I havn’t crochet for 40 years. I had to start from scratch. The bag so far looks similar to yours. I just cannot get the handles correct is there any way you could do a short video. When I look at the pictures it looks like you have decreased – I really feel so dorf
Regards Rhonda
Dedri Uys says
Rhonda, if you send me a photo of your progress and tell me where you got up to, I can help you out. The first round of the handles does decrease because you are only making 1 ch st between sc’s, not 3. Does that make sense?
Rhonda Reed says
Hi Dedri Many thanks for replying -I have reached the part where I need to start the handles you say start 2 st past the fold ( is it 2 clusters or literally 2 chain st) : Ch 15.( here I have a length of chain) Skip 8 ch-3 spaces.Do I skip 8 of the 15 created). I don’t understand where I must go round? Is it round the 15 chain that is crochet? I’l try take a photo.
Regards
Dedri Uys says
Hi Rhonda, I have already replied via email, but thought I should try and clear it up here as well.
You should end up 2 clusters past the fold. Once you have chained 15, skip the next 8 ch-3 spaces in the last round of the bag and continue the round as instructed. The first round of the handles is worked into the last round of the bag, if that makes sense. So don’t do anything with the ch-15. just leave it alone until you work over it in the next round.
As soon as I get home from holiday, I will do a photo tutorial.
jací albernaz says
adorei suas bolsas elas são muito bonitas e coloridas
Helga says
I love the bag and can’t wait to make one. Are you from South Africa? Not too many people outside of S.A. use the word “chuffed” :)
Dedri Uys says
Yes, Helga. South African to the bone :) I grew up on an Ostrich farm in the heart of the Little Karoo.
Dedri Uys says
Well, I am chuffed to hear that :)
Lyn says
Hi Dedri, I love these beautiful bags & have put one on my Christmas list to make for my daughter. She is very environmentally aware & hates plastic bags – she will love these bags for her shopping. Maybe I’d better make more than one!
I have just knitted a t-shirt rug for my bathroom & I found that it sheds a lot of small fibers, does that stop happening after a while, or after a wash?
Dedri Uys says
Hi Lyn
Thank you for your comment :) It all depends on which kind of t-shirt fabric you use. As a rule of thumb t-shirt yarn that “tubes” very easily won’t shed. By that I mean: when you pull on the strips of t-yarn, they will either form a natural tube, or they will just stretch and look a bit bleagh. T-yarn that just stretches (instead of “tubing”) when you pull it, will shed.
This does go away after a wash or two, though. I made a rug out of mostly yukky un-tubing t-yarn and after the third wash it stopped shedding little bits of fluff.
I hope this makes sense. Let me know if you need me to explain it differently x
Judy says
Great bags, love the colors! Can you tell us approximately how many Tshirts are needed for each bag?
Thanks.
Dedri Uys says
Hi Judy. Thank you for your comment. You will need about 4 t-shirts. I have updated the post above to include a rough guide on how to work out how many t-shirts you would need.
Ann says
how many t-shirts to make the bag? It is soooo cute. Thanks.
Rosanne van de Peppel says
What is it with women and bags? Every time I see a great pattern like this one , I just can’t resist it. I am gonna make one!!
Dedri Uys says
Lol, dunno. Bags and shoes!! Thank you for the nice comment, Rosanne x