Whit's Knits: Crocheted Linen Grocery Tote

It looks like the days of the plastic bag may be numbered. Bangladesh illegalized them seven years ago, and South Africa, Rwanda, Somalia, and even San Francisco have since followed. Lots of other places have put heavy taxes on plastic bags or have banned the free distribution of them. Chalk one up for the earth and its inhabitants!

Legally compelled or not, it's always a good time to eschew the plastic bag in favor of an earth friendly one. My favorite choice is the netted grocery tote. It has all the conveniences of a plastic bag and none of the detriments. I love that it scrunches up into a tiny ball inside my purse, weighs nothing, and fits more groceries than I can even carry - magic!

Our knit version of this bag has been a perennial favorite at Purl (check out Elisa's Nest Tote), so here, finally, is a crocheted option. It's made out of Louet's Euroflax Linen, which is as durable as it is beautiful. My favorite summertime yarn, the Euroflax has the rawness of a hardworking natural linen, balanced by a delicate luster and a graceful drape. Buying groceries will never be the same!

To get started on your own bag, please visit my Linen Grocery Tote Project Journal. Thanks! - Whitney

P.S. This is a great project for beginner crocheters. Calia will be teaching a Purl workshop in October which will walk participants through every step of making this tote. Please link to our class schedule for dates and registration information.

Comments

[Lu]

I have been itching to get my crochet started or the fall months and this is the perfect project to do that. Love hearing about so many places banning the plastic bags. That is awesome.

[tiphaine]

It's just great !!! But I stuck to my basket...it is a cute portuguese coloured one....

[angie]

Ooooo... I want to make this! I think I will knit one first, but I've been wanting to learn (relearn since learning as a child) how to crochet and I think this will be my first project!

[caroladas]

I love it. Bye, bye plastic bags.

[darlene]

My neighbour / friend made me one and I love it!

[Emily]

This looks wonderful. I can't wait to make one (or seven...)!

[Anne Lecrivain]

First, thank you for sharing this great pattern. Second, I think that even small choices like reusable bags add up to make big changes. However, I think that it would be a greater impact toward the goals hope to be achieved by banning plastic bags could be better reached by less packaging on the goods we buy. I always reuse my pbs. but I have never reused the four or five plastic bags that contained my salad in a bag earlier in the week(long story that involves my fridge still being on order). One awesome thing I recently saw was someone using a strip of pb as her waste yarn while doing an invisible provisional CO.

[Rachel]

Oh wow, this is gorgeous and so wonderful for gifting. Thanks so much! I'll be linking.

[Kim]

I made one in a cranberry color. its so cute. i cant wait to use it. and it only took me a few days to make it.

[Shae]

Can a non-knitter like myself buy one of these from someone here?

Thanks!

[Sirine Rached]

So pretty and yet practical - I'm sure nothing else will convince my mother to quit plastic bags! I'll run fetch my needles...

[maureen]

I finished mine this morning. I taught myself crochet just so I could make this bag - and it wasn't that hard after all! I'm very pleased, thanks for sharing the pattern.

And to Kim, the non-knitter above, I bet you could make one. It's easy once you get started, and fun! ;)