Summer is here, why not start it by sharing this beautiful Star Stitch Crochet Tote Bag pattern.

The crochet tote bag pattern begins from the tote base and works upward. You may add or reduce the number of rounds for the tote body to create a tote bag of different lengths.

In this free crochet pattern, the handles are crocheted from cotton yarn too. However, you may replace it with some ready-made handles. The ready-made handles will give a different look and feel to this star stitch tote bag.

Materials

• YARN: DROPS YOU 9, yarn group A
• Hook:  5 mm/H-8
• Yarn Needle, Scissors, Stitch marker 

Stitch Key (US terminology)

• ch = chain
• mc = magic circle
• hdc = half double crochet 
• yo = yarn over 
• sc = single crochet 
• st = stitch
• sts = stitches
• slst = slip stitch
• slsts = slip stitches
• slst blo = slip stitch back loop only 

Specialty Stitch & Technique Key

Star stitch – explained in the instructions 

Notes

• Working with three strands of yarn at once.
• Working in joined rounds on the base and body.
• Working in spiral rounds on the upper edge and handles with sl st blo. Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch. 

Instructions

Round 1: 18sc in mc, sl st to join. 

Round 2: ch 3, turn. Pick up 5 sts (beg in 2nd ch from hook, 3rd ch from hook under v, in the base of ch3 and next two sts(= 6 sts on hook)), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, work 1 ch to make a hole over the 6 sts, * pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same ch as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in each of the 2 next ch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch *, repeat from *-* 7 times. For the last star stitch pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same st as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, 1 st in next st and 1 st in the 1st stitch where we began the star stitch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch. Finish with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round.

Round 3: ch1, turn. *Work 5 hdc in next “star hole”* repeat 8 times. Work 4 hdc in the last “star hole”. Finish round with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round = 9 stars. 

Round 4: ch 3, turn. Pick up 5 sts (beg in 2nd ch from hook, 3rd ch from hook under v, in the base of ch3 and next two sts(= 6 sts on hook)), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, work 1 ch to make a hole over the 6 sts, * pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same ch as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in each of the 2 next ch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch *, repeat from *-* 18 times. For the last star stitch pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same st as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, 1 st in next st and 1 st in the 1st stitch where we began the star stitch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch. Finish with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round.

Round 5: ch 1, turn. *Work 3 hdc in next “star hole”* repeat 22 times. Finish round with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round = 22 stars. 

Round 6: ch 3, turn. Pick up 5 sts (beg in 2nd ch from hook, 3rd ch from hook under v, in the base of ch3 and next two sts (= 6 sts on hook)), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, work 1 ch to make a hole over the 6 sts, * pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same ch as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in each of the 2 next ch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch *, repeat from *-* 31 times. For the last star stitch pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same st as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in next st and 1 st in the 1st stitch where we began the star stitch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch. Finish with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round.

Round 7: ch1, turn. *Work 3 hdc in next two “star holes” and 2 hdc in next* repeat 11 times. Finish round with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round = 33 stars. 

Round 8: ch 3, turn. Pick up 5 sts (beg in 2nd ch from hook, 3rd ch from hook under v, in the base of ch3 and next two sts (= 6 sts on hook)), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, work 1 ch to make a hole over the 6 sts, * pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same ch as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in each of the 2 next ch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch *, repeat from *-* 42 times. For the last star stitch pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same st as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in next st and 1 st in the 1st stitch where we began the star stitch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch. Finish with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round.

Round 9: ch1, turn. *Work 3 hdc in next “star hole” and 2 hdc in next* repeat 22 times. Finish round with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round = 44 stars. 

Round 10: ch 3, turn. Pick up 5 sts (beg in 2nd ch from hook, 3rd ch from hook under v, in the base of ch3 and next two sts (= 6 sts on hook)), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, work 1 ch to make a hole over the 6 sts, * pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same ch as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in each of the 2 next ch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch *, repeat from *-* 53 times. For the last star stitch pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same st as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in next st and 1 st in the 1st stitch where we began the star stitch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch. Finish with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round.

Round 11: ch1, turn. *Work 2 hdc in next 4 “star holes” and 3 hdc in next* repeat 10 times and work 2 hdc in last “star hole”. Finish round with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round = 55 stars. 

Round 12 (working in blo just for round 12!): ch 3, turn. Pick up 5 sts (beg in 2nd ch from hook, 3rd ch from hook under v, in the base of ch3 and next two sts (= 6 sts on hook)), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, work 1 ch to make a hole over the 6 sts, * pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same ch as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in each of the 2 next ch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch *, repeat from *-* 53 times. For the last star stitch pick up 1 st in the hole, pick up 1 st in the side on the last of the 6 sts, pick up 1 st in same st as the last of the 6 sts was picked up in, pick up 1 st in next st and 1 st in the 1st stitch where we began the star stitch (= 6 sts on hook), make a YO and pull through all 6 sts, 1 ch. Finish with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round.

Round 13: ch1, turn. *Work 2 hdc in each”star hole”* repeat 60 times. Finish round with 1 sl st in 1st st at beg of round = 60 stars. 

Repeat round 12 and 13 until round 33. At the end of the row 31 sl st in the beginning stitch and turn. 

Round 34 – 39: Don’t ch 1, just sl st blo across. 

Handles

Round 38: sl st in next 16 sts, ch 36, sk 29 sts, sl st in next 31 sts, ch 35, sk 29 sts, sl st in remaining 15 sts. 

Round 39 – 42: sl st across. 

Finish off.

Tassel

Instructions are in the video tutorial.