Criss Cross Mini Tote – Free Crochet Pattern

The Criss Cross Mini Tote is a sweet, small sized tote bag with beautiful texture. This bag was designed with kids in mind, to have a little tote bag that is perfect for their size. However, I can also picture an adorable Mommy and Me Tote bag set, so I have also included an adult size of the bag too!

The Criss Cross Mini Tote is worked from the bottom up, with the straps being added in the last few rounds at the top of the bag. If you’d like to make your bag larger so it’s a generous adult sized tote, no problem at all! This is quite easy for this bag – just see the notes further down in the pattern for the details.

I used the Loops & Threads Cotton Colors yarn for these bags and am loving the fun colorways of this yarn! Any worsted weight yarn will work for this project, however I do recommend cotton or a cotton blend yarn to keep your bag nice and light and prevent a lot of stretching.

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The Criss Cross Mini Tote is featured in week 1 of the Stash Busting Challenge! From June 15-21, you can download the PDF version for free! Head to the blog post and roundup for more details and the coupon code. Then come back here and click the “download this free pattern” button further down in this post. You’ll be taken to the pattern on Ravelry where you can enter the coupon code at checkout for FREE!

Materials:

• Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn – You can use any #4 worsted-weight cotton yarn (or cotton blend). I used Loops & Threads Cotton Colors yarn. The bags you’ll see in this pattern are made with the Taffy and Coral coloways, but there are a lot of beautiful ones to choose from!  Each skein of this yarn is 394yds/360m. The mini tote will take approximately half of the ball (180m/200yds), while the adult tote will take just under a full ball (315yds/300m). Two balls of this yarn are enough to make two mini totes and one adult tote with just a small amount of yarn leftover.
  • Since I’ve written this pattern, Michaels has stopped carrying the Loops and Threads Cotton Colors yarn, however, you can use any other worsted weight cotton yarn for this bag. I love the color variety in the Dishie yarn by WeCrochet! Plus it’s also great to work with!
• Crochet hook – 4mm size (this yarn was a lighter worsted weight and I wanted the stitches to be a bit tighter. A 5mm crochet hook would also work for this bag, especially if your yarn is a little thicker on the worsted scale.
• Yarn needle for weaving in ends

Stitches Used:

• Ch – chain
• Sl St – slip stitch
• SC – single crochet
• DC – double crochet
• Criss Cross Double Crochet Stitch – Skip next stitch, double crochet in next stitch, then go back and double crochet in the skipped stitch.

Gauge:

• Gauge is not that important for this bag, but 8 SC stitches is approx. 2 inches wide, 7 rows of SC stitches is approx. 2 inches tall

Finished Size:

• When laying flat, this child-sized bag is approx. 10 inches wide and 8 inches tall , not including the handles. The adult-sized bag is approximately 13 inches wide and 10.5 inches tall, not including the handles.

Important Notes:

• Joined Rounds – This bag is worked in joined rounds. At the end of each round, you will be joining the last stitch of the round to the first stitch with a slip stitch.
• Starting Each Round – Start the first stitch of each round in the same stitch as the chain 1 or chain 2.  The chain 1 or 2 stitches at the start of each round do not count towards the stitch count of each round.
• Bag Size – this bag was designed in a child and adult size. If you would like to make your own custom sized bag, here are some tips to help:
  • If you are happy with the bag base size, but want to make your bag taller, just add extra rounds of the stitch repeat for the size of bag you are making. Then when you are happy with the height, move on to the rounds making the handles.
  • If you would like to make a bag with a larger or smaller base, you can begin the pattern with a longer starting chain and then just add as many rounds as you’d like for the height of the bag.
    • Note that for the criss cross stitches to work, you will need to have an even number of stitches when you are finished the increase rounds in working the base of the bag. To achieve this, start with an odd numbered chain length.
    •  If you are changing the size of the bag, please note that you may need to use some math to figure out the placement of the straps to match the larger bag. I have some tips on this in my How to Crochet Tote Bag Handles video tutorial.
• Video Tutorial – I have created a short video tutorial to show how the stitch pattern works for the body of this bag. You can find the video here: Criss Cross Mini Tote Video Tutorial
  • Some other videos you might find helpful in working up this pattern are:
    • How to Crochet a Tote Bag Base
    • How to Crochet Tote Bag Handles

The Pattern

Child-Sized Bag:

We will start with working the base of the bag, and then will move to crocheting the rounds making the height, and then finish with working the handles.

Row/Round 1: Ch 29, SC in 2^nd chain from hook and in each chain across, make 4 SC in the last chain. Now continue around so you are working on the other side of the chain. SC in each stitch across, make 3 SC in last stitch. Join with a sl st to first SC, ch 1. (60)

Round 2: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 26 stitches. 2 SC in each of the next 4 stitches (these are the ones at the end of the chain), SC next 26, 2 SC in the last 3 stitches. Join, ch 1. (68)

Round 3: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 27 stitches. *2 SC in next stitch, 1 SC in next. Repeat from * three more times. Then SC in next 26 stitches. *2 SC in next stitch, 1 SC in next. Repeat from * two more times. Join, ch 1. (76)

Round 4: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 28 stitches. *2 SC in next stitch, SC in next 2 stitches. Repeat from * three more times. SC in next 26 stitches. *2 SC in next stitch, SC in next 2 stitches. Repeat from * two more times. Join, chain 1. (84)

You have finished making the base of the bag. It should measure approximately 8 inches across. Now you will be working on the height of the bag. Remember if you have trouble working the base, height, or handles for this bag, please refer to the Important Notes above for links to the video tutorials that will help.

Rounds 5-10: SC in each stitch around. Join, ch 1. (84)

*After round 10, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 11: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (84)

Rounds 12-13: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (84)

*After round 13, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 14: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (84)

Rounds 15-16: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (84)

*After round 16, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 17: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (84)

Rounds 18-19: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (84)

*After round 19, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 20: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (84)

Rounds 21-22: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (84)

*After round 22, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 23: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (84)

Rounds 24-25: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (84)

In these next few rounds, you will be working the handles/straps for the bag. If you would like a longer or shorter handle/strap, you can add or remove chain stitches as needed to achieve your desired strap length. Watch the How to Crochet Tote Bag Handles Video Tutorial to help you with this step, if needed.

Round 26: SC in first 14 stitches, chain 55, skip 18 stitches, SC in next 24 stitches, chain 55, skip 18 stitches, SC in last 10 stitches, join, ch 1.

Round 27: SC in each stitch around and in each of the chain stitches (to form the handles), join, ch 1.

Rounds 28-29: SC in each stitch around, join, ch 1. *after round 29, do not chain 1. Fasten off and weave in ends.   *Note: If you’d like a wider handle, you can repeat round 29 one or two more times before fastening off.

Adult-Sized Bag

Note – I also used a 4mm hook for the adult sized bag, however, if you want your bag to be slightly larger or with slightly looser stitches, you may want to go up to a 5mm hook.

Row/Round 1: Ch 41, SC in 2^nd chain from hook and in each chain across, make 4 SC in the last chain. Now continue around so you are working on the other side of the chain. SC in each stitch across, make 3 SC in last stitch. Join with a sl st to first SC, ch 1. (84)

Round 2: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 38 stitches. 2 SC in each of the next 4 stitches (these are the ones at the end of the chain), SC next 38, 2 SC in the last 3 stitches. Join, ch 1. (92)

Round 3: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 39 stitches. *2 SC in next stitch, 1 SC in next. Repeat from * three more times. Then SC in next 38 stitches. *2 SC in next stitch, 1 SC in next. Repeat from * two more times. Join, ch 1. (100)

Round 4: 2 SC in first stitch, SC in next 40 stitches. *2 SC in next stitch, SC in next 2 stitches. Repeat from * three more times. SC in next 38 stitches. *2 SC in next stitch, SC in next 2 stitches. Repeat from * two more times. Join, chain 1. (108)

You have finished making the base of the bag. Now you will be working on the height of the bag.

Rounds 5-13: SC in each stitch around. Join, ch 1. (108)

*After round 13, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 14: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (108)

Rounds 15-17: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (81084)

*After round 17, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 18: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (108)

Rounds 19-21: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (108)

*After round 21, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 22: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (108)

Rounds 23-25: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (108)

*After round 25, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 26: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (108)

Rounds 27-29: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (108)

*After round 29, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 30: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (108)

Rounds 31-33: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (108)

*After round 33, chain 2 (instead of chain 1).

Round 34: Work Criss Cross Double Crochet stitches around: Skip first stitch, DC in next stitch, then DC in skipped stitch. Repeat around, join, ch 1. (108)

Rounds 35-38: SC in each stitch around, join ch 1 (108)

In these next few rounds, you will be working the handles/straps for the bag. If you would like a longer handle/strap, you can add chain stitches as needed to increase the length. If you would like a shorter handle/strap, you can just chain less stitches than written in the pattern.

Round 39: SC in first 20 stitches, chain 70, skip 25 stitches, SC in next 28, chain 70, skip 25 stitches, SC in last 10 stitches, join, ch 1.

Round 40: SC in each stitch around and in each of the chain stitches (to form the handles), join, ch 1.

Rounds 41-43: SC in each stitch around, join, ch 1. *after round 41, do not chain 1. Fasten off and weave in ends.   

*Note: If you’d like a wider handle, you can repeat round 40 one or two more times before fastening off.

You are all finished! I hope you enjoyed making this Criss Cross Stitch Mini Tote Bag pattern!

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