Blackbird Mountain Designs was previously known as YarnyBird. Blog posts may contain references to YarnyBird.

Can I be real with you for a minute? I don’t like market bags…please don’t hate me. Eco-friendly market bags are REALLY popular in the crochet community. I like the idea of them. They’re fast and easy gifts to make, it’s a great way to justify buying all the pretty colors of cotton yarn, and they’re, well, eco-friendly. I haven’t been able to find a pattern that I like the look of AND enjoy making, especially making it more than once. If I have that struggle, there must be other people out there struggling, too, right?

Enter the Atlantis Market Bag. I actually pulled out a pattern I wrote last year, and didn’t get around to publishing. I wanted to make it in a yarn that was easier to photograph than what I used last year, but as I sat down to start, the image of this bag hit me and I HAD to make it a reality. The stitches are beginner friendly. There is some minor shaping to the bag that’s not scary at all. The top of the bag switches to half double crochet to bring in the top as well as give it some structure. The reverse single crochet, or crab stitch, border is the perfect finishing touch to the bag. And the handles…the handles are my favorite.

I wanted to name it the Mermaid Market Bag, but that name was already being used by someone else. It reminded me so much of something Ariel from The Little Mermaid would use, so I needed a nautical name. Atlantis, like the lost city of Atlantis. I’ve never named a pattern that quickly in my life. It’s honestly my least favorite part of pattern writing, but not this time!
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Okay, okay, I’m done! Without further ado, let’s get to the pattern!

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Atlantis Market Bag

Materials

8 oz / 226 g / 400 yards Lily Sugar n Cream or other worsted weight cotton yarn
I/9 – 5.50mm crochet hook
4 split ring stitch markers
Scissors
Yarn needle

Gauge

4” = 4 clusters of 3DC, ch1 / 4” = 6 rows of clusters

Sizing

Bag is about 18” tall, not including handles
Circumference is about 35”
Handles measure about 14 ½” from the top of the bag to the top of the handle.

Abbreviations

Ch(s)—chain(s)
Ch sp(s)—chain space(s)
DC—double crochet
HDC—half double crochet
HDC2tog—half double crochet 2 together
RevSC—reverse single crochet
SC—single crochet
SlSt—slip stitch
Sp—space
St(s)—stitch(es)

Special Stitches

Reverse Single Crochet – This is a single crochet that’s worked from left to right instead of right to left. You will chain 1, and instead of inserting your hook into the next stitch to the LEFT, you’ll insert your hook into the next stitch to the RIGHT, yarn over and pull that loop through the stitch, yarn over and pull through both loops. You’ll continue in this fashion, working the stitch to the RIGHT of where you placed your last stitch. This is also known as the Crab Stitch. (If you need a video tutorial, here’s a great one)
Half Double Crochet 2 Together – Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull that loop through the stitch (3 loops on hook now). Yarn over and insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull that loop through the stitch (5 loops on hook now. Yarn over and pull through ALL loops on hook. (If you need a video tutorial, here’s a great one)

Pattern Notes

For a taller bag, add more repeats of rounds 9 & 10 after round 20.
To change the handle length, adjust the number of chains and HDC on the handle to the length you want.
Chain 2 at the beginning of alternate rounds does count as a stitch. The chain 1 at the beginning of rounds counts as a chain space in the main body of the bag.
The stitch count at the end of each round is the number of chain spaces in that round, since that is where we are working for most of the pattern.

PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

Round 1 – Ch 3 (counts as first DC). 2 DC in 3rd ch from your hook. Ch 1. *(3 DC, ch1) in same st.* Repeat 2 more times. Sl st to top of your starting chain to join. (4 ch sp)

Round 2 – Ch 1. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in each ch sp around. Sl st to starting chain 1 space to join. (8)

Round 3 – Ch 2. (2 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in same sp as starting chain. (3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. *(3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. (3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp.*Repeat 2 more times. Sl st to top of starting chain 2 to join. (12)

Round 4 – Ch 1. (3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in each of the next 2 ch sps. (3 DC, ch1) in next 4 ch sps. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in each of the next 2 ch sps. (3 DC, ch1) in next 3 ch sps. Sl st to starting chain 1 space to join. (16)

Round 5 – Ch 2. (2 DC, ch1) in same sp. (3 DC, ch1)in next ch sp. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. *(3 DC, ch1) in next 3 ch sps. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. *Repeat 2 more times. (3 DC, ch1) in last ch sp. Sl st to top of starting chain 2 to join. (20)

Round 6 – Ch 1. *(3 DC, ch1) in next 4 ch sps. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp.*Repeat 3 more times. Sl st to starting chain 1 space to join. (24)

Round 7 – Ch 2. (2 DC, ch1) in same sp. (3 DC, ch1) in next sp. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. *(3 DC, ch1) in next 5 ch sps. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp.*Repeat 2 more times. (3 DC, ch1) in next 3 ch sps. Sl st to top of starting chain 2. (28)

Round 8 – Ch 1. (3 DC, ch1) in next 5 ch sps.*(3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. (3 DC, ch1) in next 6 ch sps.*Repeat 2 more times. (3 DC, ch1, 3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. (3 DC, ch1) in last ch sp. Sl st to starting chain 1 space to join. (32)

Round 9 – Ch 2. (2 DC, ch1) in same sp. (3 DC, ch1) in next ch and all ch sps around. Sl st to top of starting chain 2 to join.

Round 10 – Ch 1. (3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp and all ch sps around. Sl st to starting chain 1 space to join.

Rounds 11-20 – Repeat rounds 9 & 10.

(Rounds 21 & 22 are decrease rounds, so be sure to read closely!)

Round 21 – Ch 2. (2 DC, ch1) in same ch sp. (3 DC, ch1) in next ch sp. 3 DC in next 2 ch sps. (DO NOT ch 1 between these two 3 DC clusters. Place a stitch marker between these and each decrease to mark the decreases) Ch 1. *(3 DC, ch1) in next 6 ch sps. 3 DC in next 2 ch sps. Ch 1.*Repeat 2 more times. (3 DC, ch1) in last 4 ch sps. Sl st to top of starting chain 2 to join. (28)

Round 22 – (DO NOT work in between the previous round decreases, where you placed the markers) Ch 1. (3 DC, ch1) in next 5 ch sps. 3 DC in next 2 ch sps. Ch 1. *(3 DC, ch1) in next 5 ch sps. 3 DC in next 2 ch sps. Ch 1.*Repeat 2 more times. Sl st to starting chain 1 space to join.(24)

(Round 23 will be worked in both the DC and ch sp from previous round)

Round 23 – Ch 1. HDC in next 3 sts. HDC2tog over ch sp & next st. (HDC in next 2 sts, HDC2tog over ch sp & next st) 4 times. *HDC in next 5 sts. HDC2tog over ch sp & next st. (HDC in next 2 sts, HDC2tog over ch sp & next st) 5 times. *Repeat 2 more times. HDC in next 4 sts. HDC2tog in last st and last ch sp. Sl st to starting chain 1 to join. (84 sts)

Round 24 – Ch 1. *HDC in next 2 sts, HDC2tog.*Repeat around. Sl st to starting chain 1 to join. (63 sts)

Round 25 – Ch 1. HDC2tog in first 2 sts. HDC in next 14 sts. HDC2tog in next 2 sts. HDC in next 13 sts. HDC2tog in next 2 sts. HDC in next 12 sts. HDC2tog in next 2 sts. HDC in next 14 sts. HDC2tog in last 2 sts. Sl st to starting chain 1 to join. (58 sts)

Round 26 – Ch 1. HDC in next 27 sts. HDC2tog. HDC in next 27 sts. HDC2tog. Sl st to starting chain 1 to join. (56 sts)

Round 27 – Ch 1. HDC around. Sl st to starting chain 1 to join. (56 sts)

(Now starting handles & the border edge of the bag.)

Round 28 – Ch 1. HDC in first 7 sts. Ch 70. Sk 14 sts, sl st to next st. HDC in same st and next 13 sts. Ch 70. Sk 14 sts, sl st to next st. HDC in same st and next 6 sts. Sl st to starting chain 1 to join.

Round 29 – Ch 1. Reverse single crochet around the bag, working only into the HDC and leaving the chains/handles unworked. When you get to the handles, push them toward the inside of the bag & work in front of them. Sl st to starting chain 1 to join.

Fasten off yarn.

Handle #1

Join yarn to the first chain of one of the handles. Ch 1. HDC 150 times over the chain (don’t work INTO the chains, crochet OVER them). Sl st to the other end of the chain. Fasten off yarn.

Handle #2

Join yarn to the first chain of the other handle. Ch 1. HDC 150 times over the chain (don’t work INTO the chains, crochet OVER them). Sl st to the other end of the chain. Fasten off yarn.

You’ll want to shift the HDC’s around evenly on the handles so they cover the chain.