If your yarn scraps are taking over your craft space, it’s time to turn them into something beautiful and practical! This Easy Granny Square Tote Bag is the perfect project to bust through your stash while creating a stylish, everyday accessory.
If you’ve ever avoided making a lined bag because you hate sewing, you are going to love the brilliant “aha!” moment behind this design. By simply crocheting two classic granny squares to match a standard canvas tote, you get a gorgeous, structured lining with almost zero sewing required. This is a fantastic beginner-friendly project you can easily finish this weekend. If you are new to this iconic motif, check out our guide on mastering the basic granny square before you begin!
Materials Needed
- US G-6 (4 mm) hook
- Scissors
- Needle
- Thread
- Approx. 40x40cm/16″x16″ light canvas tote
- Yarn: approx. 250g/8.8oz of DK weight yarn, preferably cotton or cotton blend. (Sample uses Drops Cotton Light)
- Note: You can use anywhere from 1 to 36 colors depending on your stash!
Abbreviations Used
- ch – chain
- ch-sp – chain space
- dc – double crochet
- rep – repeat
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st/s – stitch/es
This pattern uses USA crochet terminology.
Pattern Notes
- Finished Size: 40x40cm/16×16″
- Gauge: 10 cm/4” = 5 3dc clusters x 8 rows
- Squares are crocheted in turned rounds.
- Start each round with ch3, which counts as a dc throughout.
- After each round, cut off yarn and join another color to make the next round, unless you wish to have a solid color bag.
- When you change colors, make the last yarn over of the final slip stitch using the new color before you cut off the current color.
- IMPORTANT: Instructions are given to match a 40x40cm/16″x16″ canvas tote, HOWEVER you can easily make it bigger or smaller by adding or removing rounds. You can also use any yarn from your stash and forget the gauge entirely—just make round after round and check if it matches your tote size!
Pattern Instructions
Granny Squares (Make 2)
Ch4. Sl st to 1st ch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch3 (counts as dc throughout), 2dc into ring, ch2, 3dc into ring, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (12 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 2: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (24 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 3: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, 3dc between two 3dc clusters, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, 3dc between two 3dc clusters, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (36 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 4: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) twice, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) twice, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (48 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 5: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 3 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 3 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (60 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 6: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 4 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 4 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (72 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 7: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 5 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 5 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (84 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 8: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 6 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 6 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (96 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 9: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 7 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 7 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (108 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 10: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 8 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 8 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (120 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 11: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 9 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 9 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (132 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 12: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 10 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 10 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (144 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 13: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 11 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 11 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (156 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 14: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 12 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 12 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (168 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 15: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 13 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 13 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (180 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 16: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 14 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 14 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (192 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 17: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 15 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 15 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (204 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Round 18: Sl st into ch-2sp, ch3, 2dc into ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 16 times, 3dc into next ch-2 sp, ch2, 3dc into same ch-2sp, (3dc between two 3dc clusters) 16 times, 3dc into next ch-2sp, ch2, rep – two more times, sl st to top of beg ch3, turn. (216 sts, 4 ch-2sp)
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Joining the Squares
Align both squares. Join yarn to one of the corners. Working through both squares, sc along three sides, 1sc in each st, 3sc in each corner. When three sides are joined, sc along each of the remaining square edges separately. Sl st to st in corner. Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Assembly
Place the canvas bag inside the „pocket” formed by two granny squares. Sew the bag to squares along the top edge.
Taylor Swift Colorway Option
If you want to jump on the trendy crochet dress bandwagon, you can easily adapt this pattern into a Taylor Swift-inspired colorway! Using a sport weight cotton yarn and a 3mm hook, crochet 22 rounds total for each square.
For the first square, work 4 rounds of peach, 2 rounds of sweet orchid, then alternate 1 round of coffee and 1 round of off-white four times, and repeat that sequence once more. For the second square, reverse the order by starting with off-white and coffee, then doing 4 rounds of peach, 2 rounds of sweet orchid, and repeating. The joining and assembly remain exactly the same!
If you love this motif, you might also enjoy making a free crochet granny square scarf or trying out a daisy granny square for your next project.
Conclusion
Congratulations on finishing your Granny Square Tote Bag! This clever canvas lining hack gives you all the structure of a sewn lining with minimal effort. Share your beautiful scrap-busting creation in the comments below!
