STITCH ROUND Ocean jellyfish crochet market bag pattern
Tick off 11 rounds to crochet a cotton market bag with wave stripes and jellyfish appliqués.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Rounds
- 11 rounds
- Yarn weight
- Worsted
- Hook
- 5.0 mm
- Time
- 4-6 hours
Intermediate
What the original page called it. Nothing here is graded a second time.
11 rounds
Each one gets its own line, with a box beside it to tick as you go.
Worsted
What the sample was made in. Any weight works — the size moves with it.
About this pattern
This market bag starts flat and ends up round, with a rectangular base worked in rows before the sides pick up as joined rounds. Counting the base, the joining round, the side rounds, the Color B section, the main body section and the top border, there are 11 rounds to tick off before the bag itself is done. The jellyfish appliqués are made and attached afterward, so the body can be finished in one sitting.
- Work the base flat in rows to build a rectangle that will become the bag floor.
- Join around the base perimeter to turn the flat rectangle into a round starting point for the sides.
- Shift through the Color B section and main body section to carry the ocean color story up the bag.
- Finish the opening with the top border rounds, then attach the handles.
- Make the jellyfish and bubble appliqués separately, add the safety eyes and stuffing, then attach them to the finished bag.
What goes wrong
- Losing the round marker Place a stitch marker at the start of the joining round and move it up every round so the color changes land in the right spot.
- Uneven sc count around the base Check the stitch count after the joining round before working any side rounds, since an off count on the perimeter throws off every round that follows.
- Stuffing after adding the eyes Insert the safety eyes first while the jellyfish piece is still open and easy to flatten, then stuff and close it.
Yarn, hook and the rest
Copied from the source pattern's own materials list.
Yarn
- Main Color (MC): Light lavender/dusty purple, worsted weight (4), approximately 300 yards
Color A
- Medium blue, worsted weight (4), approximately 75 yards
Color B
- Light blue/aqua, worsted weight (4), approximately 50 yards
Color C
- White, worsted weight (4), approximately 40 yards
Color D
- Pink/mauve, worsted weight (4), approximately 30 yards
Color E
- Light purple, worsted weight (4), approximately 30 yards
Color F
- Multicolor pastel (for smallest jellyfish), worsted weight (4), approximately 20 yards
Tools
- 5.0mm (H/8) crochet hook for bag body
- 4.0mm (G/6) crochet hook for jellyfish appliqués
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Stitch markers
- Small safety eyes, 6mm (6 total for three jellyfish)
- Fiberfill stuffing (small amount for jellyfish heads)
Progress tracker
0 of the 11 rounds on this page are ticked.
The pattern, round by round
Kept in the order and the wording the source used. Tick a round as you finish it; the ticks stay on this device.
Base
Using MC (lavender) and 5.0mm hook:
Round 1
Ch 41. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (40 sc)
Rounds 2–15
Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (40 sc) You should now have a rectangular base measuring approximately 10 inches by 4 inches.
Joining for Body
Now we’ll work around all four edges of the base to start the sides.
Round 1
Ch 1, do not turn. Working around the entire perimeter of the base, sc evenly around. Work 40 sc across the short end, 15 sc along the long side, 40 sc across the other short end, 15 sc along the remaining long side. Sl st to first sc to join. (110 sc)Place a stitch marker at the beginning of your round.
Side Rounds
Rounds 2–8
Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (110 sc) At the end of Round 8, change to Color A (medium blue) in the last pull-through of your slip stitch join.
Color A Section (Wave Base):
Rounds 9–12
Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (110 sc) At the end of Round 12, change to Color B (light blue).
Color B Section
Rounds 13–15
Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (110 sc) At the end of Round 15, change back to MC (lavender).
Main Body Section
Round 16
45 Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (110 sc) Your bag body should now measure approximately 12 inches tall from the base.
Top Border
Round 46
Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around, sl st to join. (110 sc) This creates a nice ridge that defines the top edge.
Rounds 47–48
Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (110 sc)
Round 49
Decorative Round Ch 1, *sc in next 3 sts, ch 2, skip 2 sts*. Repeat from * around. Adjust the last repeat as needed to end evenly. Sl st to join.
Round 50
Ch 1, sc in each sc and 2 sc in each ch-2 space around. Sl st to join. Fasten off MC.
Color F
I recommend a cotton or cotton blend yarn
for this market bag. Cotton holds its shape beautifully and won’t stretch out when you load it up with groceries. Brands like Lily Sugar’n Cream, Paintbox Cotton DK, or Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton work wonderfully.
Tools: 5.0mm (H/8) crochet hook for bag body 4.0mm (G/6) crochet hook for jellyfish appliqués Tapestry needle Scissors Stitch markers
Small safety eyes, 6mm (6 total for three jellyfish)
Fiberfill stuffing (small amount for jellyfish heads)
Attaching Handles
Position handles approximately 15 stitches in from each side edge of the bag opening. Pin in place, then whip stitch securely using your tapestry needle. I recommend going over your stitches twice for extra durability.
Medium Jellyfish
Follow the large jellyfish instructions but stop increasing at Round 4 (24 sc). Work Rounds 5-7 even before decreasing and finishing.
Small Jellyfish
Follow the large jellyfish instructions but stop increasing at Round 3 (18 sc). Work Rounds 4-6 even before decreasing and finishing.
Medium Bubble
Make 8 to 10 bubbles in various sizes and scatter them across the bag around your jellyfish.
Attaching
Using matching yarn colors and your tapestry needle, whip stitch around the edges of each jellyfish head. Take your time here. Secure stitching will keep your appliqués in place through many washes.
Attach bubbles with a few small stitches through their centers.
Finishing
Weave in all remaining ends on the inside of the bag. For extra security on a market bag that will carry weight, I recommend weaving ends back and forth through several stitches rather than just snipping them short.
Check your count
- Base · Round 1: 40 sts
- Joining for Body · Round 1: 110 sts
- Top Border · Rounds 47–48: 110 sts
Finish
- Weave in every end left by the color changes on the bag body before moving to the appliqués.
- Insert the safety eyes into each jellyfish piece and add a small amount of fiberfill stuffing before closing it up.
- Attach the handles to the top border, then position and attach the three jellyfish appliqués to the bag front.
Bigger or smaller
- Larger
- Swap to a heavier yarn weight with a larger hook than the 5.0mm called for, which makes every round of the base and sides sit bigger and produces a roomier, heftier bag.
- Smaller
- Work fewer repeats of the side rounds, which shortens the bag height while keeping the same base size and top border finish.
Photographs of this one
Every photograph on this page was taken by whoever published the pattern, and they are printed in the order the source listed them.
FAQs
Asked and answered
These answers came from whoever first published the pattern, kept word for word.
Does this bag need cotton yarn specifically?
Cotton or a cotton blend is recommended because it holds its shape under weight instead of stretching out. An acrylic worsted weight will work for the appliqués but is not ideal for the bag body itself.
Can the safety eyes be left out?
They can be swapped for embroidered eyes if preferred, since the eyes are a decorative detail on the jellyfish appliqués rather than part of the bag's structure. Any 6mm-scale alternative will sit in the same spot.
How many jellyfish does the finished bag have?
The materials call for six 6mm safety eyes across three jellyfish appliqués, made from the Medium Jellyfish, Small Jellyfish, and Medium Bubble sections. Each is worked separately with the smaller 4.0mm hook before being attached.
Why does the pattern use two different hook sizes?
The 5.0mm hook is used for the bag body so the market-bag fabric stays sturdy enough to hold shopping. The smaller 4.0mm hook is used for the jellyfish appliqués so their stitches stay tight enough to hold the stuffing.