Long Loop Shell Tote Bag

Hey there!

This week has been absolutely insane. I’m potty training my toddler and even tho it’s been easier than I thought it would be, I’m definitely on my last nerve. Have you noticed that nobody ever talks about potty training kids that don’t talk? You want to know why? Cause it’s HARD. My daughter is 2 and a couple months, and she says like 10 words. And “potty” is definitely not one of them. We’ve accomplished peeing only on the potty. That’s good, thank god. (No more surprise puddles! Yay!🥳) Now we just need to get her to pull her pants down each time. Working on that. Oh, and not spilling the pee out of the little potty on the way to the toilet. Cause she HAS to dump it herself, or I’m pretty sure the world will end. 😂 Lots of spills, lots of laundry, and lots of paper towels, and soon we’ll have a potty trained toddler on our hands. Maybe. Hopefully. Please?

Anyway, to keep my sanity, I’ve been designing! I’ve fallen in love with this Long Loop Shell pattern, and decided it needed to be a tote bag! I made the chains smaller than on the sunhat, so that things didn’t fall out of my bag, and I LOVE how it came out – everything’s just a bit tighter. In fact, stay tuned for the whole line – including toddler skirt, shirt, and sunhat, and an adult yoke-top shirt! I’m even considering making a lightweight triangle shawl in this pattern, too!

So, without further ado:

Long Loop Shell Tote Bag

Unless otherwise noted, ch2 or ch1 at the beginning of each round does NOT equate to a stitch, so you will make the first stitch in the same stitch. Ch4 at the beginning of round 8 DOES equate to a stitch, so you will slip stitch at the end of the round to the 4^th chain to close the round.

Special Stitches:

Long Loop Stitch, topped with 4 Sc: Yarn over, insert hook in first stitch, yarn over, pull thru stitch, and PULL TALL (dc or tr height) (3 loops on hook). **From this point on, it is helpful to keep a finger over the yarn on your hook, to make sure the tall loops do not shorten.** Yarn over, insert hook in same (first) stitch, yarn over, pull thru stitch, and PULL TALL (5 loops on hook). Yarn over, insert hook into SECOND stitch, yarn over, pull thru stitch, and PULL TALL (7 loops on hook). Yarn over, insert hook into same (SECOND) stitch, yarn over, pull thru stitch, and PULL TALL (9 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull thru 8 loops (2 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull thru two loops (1 loop on hook). Insert hook back thru the center of the 8 long loops, and perform 4 sc thru the center of and around all 8 threads of the tall loops just created. This should create a small hole in the center of the loops. See pictures below. This is a little complicated, so here’s a GREAT youtube tutorial of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMo84x12Zhs

Caron Cotton Cakes – 300 yards – But any #4 cotton yarn will do!

5.5mm hook – gauge not important

Pattern written in US terminology

Ch28.

Round 1: 3Dc in 3^rd chain from the hook, dc in each ch until the last chain. Work 6dc in the last chain, and work back along the chain, dc in each ch until the last chain. Work 3dc. In the last chain. Sl st to top of first dc. (60)

Round 2: Ch2. 2dc in next 3 sts. Dc in next 24 sts. 2dc in ea of the next 6 sts. Dc in next 24 sts. 2dc in ea of the last 3 sts. Sl st to top of first dc. (72)

Round 3: Ch2. Repeat (dc, 2dc) 3x. Dc in 24 sts. Repeat (dc, 2dc) 6x. Dc in 24 sts. Repeat (dc, 2dc) 3x. Sl st to top of first dc. (84)

Round 4: Ch2. Dc BLO around, BUT, increase by 1 dc in the last st. Sl st to top of first dc. (85) – For this, I like to crochet into the back loop AND the loop behind that. To me, that makes it sturdier, which I like in a tote bag, but it is not necessary.

Round 5: Ch2. Dc in ea st around. Sl st to top of first dc (85)

Round 6: Ch1. *Sc in next st (for first st, this is the same st as the join), ch 3, skip 2 st. Sc in next st, ch3, skip 2 st. Sc in next st, ch 1, skip 1 st. Sc. Hdc. Dc in next 4 sts. Hdc. Sc. Ch1. Skip 1 sts.* Repeat * to * around. Sl st to first sc. (5, 8-st starter-shells, and 10 ch3 spaces)

Round 7: Sl st to the center of the ch3. Ch1. *Sc in next space (same space as the ch1 at the start of the round). Ch3, sc in next chain space. Ch 1. Skip sc and ch1. {Long Loop Crochet over next two stitches, topped with 4 sc. Ch1.} repeat {} a total of 4x. Skip ch1 and sc. * Repeat * to * around. Sl st to first sc. (20 long loop crochets)

Round 8: Sl st into the ch3 space. Ch4. 7tr in same ch3 space. Ch1. Sc between first two long loop stitches. Ch3. Sc between second and third long loop stitches. Ch3. Sc between third and fourth long loop stitches. Ch1. *8 tr in ch3 space (First tr of the round will be ch4). Ch1. Sc between first two long loop stitches. Ch 3. Sc between second and third long loop stitches. Ch3. Sc between third and fourth long loop stitches. Ch 1.* Repeat * to * around. Sl st to top of the ch4. (Five 8-tr shells, and 10 ch3 spaces)

Round 9: Ch2. *{Long Loop Stitch over the next two stitches (the first stitch being in the join), topped with 4 sc. Ch1.} repeat {} a total of 4x. Sc in ch3 space. Ch 3. Sc in next ch sp. Ch 1. Skip ch1 and sc. * Repeat * to * around. Sl st to the first sc in the top of the first Long Loop Stitch. (20 Long Loops)

Round 10: Sl st across to the ch1 at the end of the first long loop. Ch1. *Sc between first and second long loop stitches (same space as the first ch1). Ch3. Sc between second and third long loop stitches. Ch3. Sc between third and fourth long loop stitches. Ch 1. 8 tr in ch 3 space. Ch 1. * Repeat * to * around. Sl st to first sc. (Five 8-tr shells, and 10 ch3 spaces)

Rounds 11-20: Repeat rounds 7-10, ending on a round 8.

Round 21: Ch1. *Sc in each tr (including the join), sc in ch 1 space, sc in sc, 2 sc in ch3 space, sc in sc, 2 sc in ch3 space, sc in sc, sc in ch1 space.* Repeat * to * around. Sl st to first sc. (85 sc)

Rounds 22-23: Ch1. Sc around. Sl st to first sc. (85)

Round 24: Ch1. Sc 12 (including the join), ch 60, skip 20, sc 22, Ch 60, skip 20, sc 11. Sl st to first sc. (45 sc and two 60 ch spaces)

Rounds 25-26: Ch1. Sc around (putting one sc in each chain). Sl st to first sc. (165 sc).

Round 27: Sl st around. FO.

And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed this pattern. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions, and if you liked this pattern, be sure to follow me on Instagram @springintofalldesign to be the first to know when new designs are coming! I also love seeing all your makes, so please tag me to show me your beautiful bags! Ravelry @springintofall

Long Loop Stitch, topped with 4sc:

Yarn over, insert hook in first stitch, yarn over, pull thru stitch, and PULL TALL (tr height) (3 loops on hook). **From this point on, it is helpful to keep a finger over the yarn on your hook, to make sure the tall loops do not shorten.** Yarn over, insert hook in same (first) stitch, yarn over, pull thru stitch, and PULL TALL (5 loops on hook). Yarn over, insert hook into SECOND stitch, yarn over, pull thru stitch, and PULL TALL (7 loops on hook). Yarn over, insert hook into same (SECOND) stitch, yarn over, pull thru stitch, and PULL TALL (9 loops on hook):