Crafting your way to a self sufficient life that is not only sustainable and beneficial to our planet, but that also looks grrreat is becoming easier and more accessible by the day. It fills me with hope to see so many people reducing -and even eliminating- their need for single-use products such as plastic bags, make-up remover wipes and period products by making their own reusable alternatives. 

This shopping bag is nothing new or groundbreaking; I've made a few string bags similar to this in the past trying out some of the various patterns out there, and I've owned one or two that I bought in a market. This pattern is essentially me documenting my perfected string bag pattern, which is a pastiche of other patterns and elements that I've put together to create my ideal string bag.

Unlike some of the string shopping bags I've seen in the shops, this one has a solid base, which the netted stitches then radiate out of, starting small and compact and getting larger and more open as the bag grows; I prefer this construction as it makes for a stronger bag and means you avoid things poking out through the bottom - like flower stems or pointy carrots. You could totally play around with that circular base and try different designs of round crochet motif.

You will need:

• 2 x balls / 200g of Wool & The Gang billie jean cotton yarn (or similar aran/worsted weight yarn)
• 4.5mm crochet hook
• scissors for snipping threads

Abbreviations (please note that we are using UK crochet terminology)

ch - chain
dc - double crochet (US equivalent: single crochet)
tr - treble crochet (US equivalent: double crochet)
st - stitch
sl st - slip stitch
rnd - round

The base of the bag

Start by making a magic circle / sliding loop.

Rnd 1 - ch 3 (counts as 1st tr), 11 tr into the ring, pull the tail to close the ring tight. Join with a sl st to top of ch3 (12 tr).

Rnd 2 - ch 3 (counts as 1st tr), tr in same st, 2 tr in each tr around, join with a sl st to top of ch3 (24 tr).

Rnd 3 - ch 1 (counts as 1st dc), dc in same st, ch 2 and skip 1 tr, *dc in next tr, ch 2, skip 1 tr; repeat from *. Join with a sl st to 1st dc.

Rnd 4 - ch 3 (counts as 1st tr), 3 tr in next ch2 space, *tr in next dc, 3 tr in next ch2 space; repeat from *. Join with a sl st to top of 1st ch3.

Rnd 5 - same as rnd 3.

Rnd 6 - ch 3 (counts as 1st tr), 2 tr in next ch2 space, *tr in next dc, 2 tr in next ch2 space; repeat from *. Join with a sl st to top of 1st ch3.

The net body of the bag

Rnd 7 - ch 1 (counts as dc), *ch 3, skip 1 tr, dc in next tr; repeat from *. Join with a sl st in 1st ch1.

Rnds 8-9 - sl st over to the centre of the 1st ch3 space, *ch4, dc in next ch3 space; repeat from *. Join with a sl st at the base of the first chain loop.

Rnds 10-12 - sl st over to the centre of the 1st ch4 space, *ch 5, dc in next ch4 space; repeat from *. Join with a sl st at the base of the first chain loop.

Rnds 13-16 - sl st over to the centre of the 1st ch5 space, *ch 6, dc in next ch5 space; repeat from *. Join with a sl st at the base of the first chain loop.

Rnds 17-20 - sl st over to the centre of the 1st ch6 space, *ch 7, dc in next ch6 space; repeat from *. Join with a sl st at the base of the first chain loop.

Rnds 21-24 - sl st over to the centre of the 1st ch7 space, *ch 8, dc in next ch7 space; repeat from *. Join with a sl st at the base of the first chain loop.

Rnds 25-27 - sl st over to the centre of the 1st ch8 space, *ch 9, dc in next ch8 space; repeat from *. Join with a sl st at the base of the first chain loop.

The top edge border

Rnd 28 - sl st over to the centre of the 1st ch9 space, dc, *ch 2, 1 dc in next ch9 space; repeat from * over the next 7 ch9 spaces, *ch 4, dc in next ch9 space; repeat from * over the next 9 ch9 spaces, *ch 2, 1 dc in next ch9 space; repeat from * over the next 7 ch9 spaces, *ch 4, dc in next ch9 space; repeat from * over the next 9 ch9 spaces, join with a sl st to 1st dc. This results in two sections of the bag's border that are more gathered; this is where the handles will grow out of.

Rnd 29 - ch 1, *1 dc in ch2 space, 1 dc in dc; repeat from * until you get to the ch4 spaces, *3dc in ch4 space, 1 dc in dc; repeat from * until you get to the next set of ch2 spaces and repeat from the 1st * until you get back to the beginning. Join with a sl st in 1st dc.

Rnd 30 - ch 3 (counts as 1st tr), 1 tr in each dc around. Join at the top of the ch3.

The handles

Carrying on from where you ended the last rnd, ch 70. Being careful not to twist the chain, anchor it down approx 16 stitches along with a sl st. The handles are positioned at either end of the gathered section. 

1 dc in next tr, turn your work and make 1 dc in each ch. Anchor this 2nd row with a sl st in the next tr along from where the chain started. 1 dc in next tr, turn your work and make 1 dc in each dc.

Repeat this process for two more rows so that your handle is 4 rows deep.

Slip stitch over to the next gathered section, approx 30 stitches along. Repeat the last steps to make a second handle.

Fasten off your work and weave in any loose tails of thread.