Terracotta Ribbed Rounds Tote Bag

A structured, medium-sized tote with a softly rounded silhouette and a flat oval base. The body is worked seamlessly in rounds, giving the front, back, and sides one continuous ribbed, airy texture: rows of elongated open stitches alternate with solid rows for a neat, breathable finish. The top edge is reinforced with solid rounds, and two wide, dense straps are integrated directly into the fabric for strength.

Finished Measurements

Materials

• Yarn: Worsted weight (medium / #4) 100% cotton, in solid terracotta/rust brown. Approx. 550–650 yds (500–595 m).
• Hook: US H/8 (5 mm) for body; US G/6 (4 mm) for straps (for denser fabric).
• Tapestry needle
• Stitch markers (at least 4)
• Scissors

Gauge

• In solid dc rows: 14 sts × 8 rows = 4 in (10 cm), using US H/8 (5 mm).
• Reference for straps in sc: 14 sc = 4 in (10 cm), using US G/6 (4 mm).

Gauge check: 14 sts ÷ 4 in = 3.5 sts per inch. A 96-st body circumference = 96 ÷ 3.5 = 27.4 in; flat width = 27.4 ÷ 2 = 13.7 in ≈ 14 in ✓

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• ch – chain
• sc – single crochet
• hdc – half double crochet
• dc – double crochet
• edc – extended dc (open stitch): yarn over, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 1 loop (creates the elongated stem), then [yarn over, pull through 2 loops] twice
• sl st – slip stitch
• sp – space
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• rep – repeat
• beg – beginning

Construction Notes

• The bag is worked in continuous rounds from the base up (no seams). Do not turn unless directed.
• Place a marker at the start of each round and move it up as you go.
• The "open stitch" texture = an open round of [edc, ch 1, skip 1 st], followed by two solid dc rounds. This alternation creates the ribbed, airy horizontal bands, identical on front and back and continuing seamlessly around the sides.
• The starting ch-3 counts as the first dc throughout unless noted.

PART 1 — The Flat Oval Base

Using US H/8 (5 mm) hook.

Foundation: Ch 24.

Round 1: Working into the chain, start in the 2nd ch from hook. Sc in each of next 22 ch. In the last ch, work 3 sc (turn to work along the opposite side of the foundation ch). Sc in each of next 21 ch along the underside. Work 2 sc in the same first ch used. Join with sl st to first sc. Count: 22 + 3 + 21 + 2 = 48 sts. ✓ Place marker.

Round 2: Ch 1. 2 sc in first st, sc in next 21, 2 sc in each of next 3 (curve), sc in next 21, 2 sc in each of last 2 (curve). Join. Count: 48 + 7 (increases) = 55 sts... adjust for even working:

Round 2 (worked): Ch 1. [2 sc in next st] ×3 at one end, sc across long side (21 sts), [2 sc in next st] ×3 at other end, sc across remaining long side (21 sts). Join. Count: 48 + 6 = 54 sts. ✓

Round 3: Ch 1. Sc in each st around, working [2 sc in next st] evenly 6 times, spacing increases at the rounded ends. Join. Count: 54 + 6 = 60 sts. ✓

Round 4: Ch 1. Sc in each st around, working [2 sc in next st] evenly 8 times at the curved ends. Join. Count: 60 + 8 = 68 sts. ✓

Base now measures approx. 12 in × 4 in (30 × 10 cm). ✓

PART 2 — Establishing the Body

Round 5 (turn base upward): Ch 1. Working in back loops only (this creates a crisp fold up the sides), sc in each st around. Join. Count: 68 sts. ✓

Round 6 (transition, increase): Ch 3 (counts as dc). Dc in each st, working [2 dc in next st] evenly 14 times around. Join to top of ch-3. Count: 68 + 14 = 82 sts. ✓

Round 7 (transition, increase): Ch 3. Dc in each st, working [2 dc in next st] evenly 14 times around. Join. Count: 82 + 14 = 96 sts. ✓ (96 ÷ 4 = 24, even for the open pattern.)

The body is now at full circumference: 96 sts ÷ 3.5 sts/in = 27.4 in ≈ 14 in flat each face. ✓

PART 3 — Ribbed Open-Stitch Body

Repeat the following 3-round Texture Pattern. It has a 2-st repeat, and 96 is divisible by 2, so it works evenly around.

Open Round (Round A): Ch 4 (counts as edc + ch 1). Skip next st. *Edc in next st, ch 1, skip next st; rep from * around. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-4. Count: 48 edc + 48 ch-1 sps = 96-st round. ✓

Solid Round (Round B): Ch 3 (counts as dc). Dc in each edc and in each ch-1 sp around. Join to top of ch-3. Count: 96 dc. ✓

Solid Round (Round C): Ch 3. Dc in each st around. Join. Count: 96 dc. ✓

Work the Texture Pattern as follows:

• Rounds 8–10: Round A, Round B, Round C
• Rounds 11–13: Round A, Round B, Round C
• Rounds 14–16: Round A, Round B, Round C
• Rounds 17–19: Round A, Round B, Round C
• Rounds 20–22: Round A, Round B, Round C
• Rounds 23–24: Round A, Round B (finish on a solid round)

That is 5 full texture repeats + 1 partial, giving 5 bands of open stitches with solid rows between.

Height check: base fold + 17 body rounds. Body dc rounds ≈ 8 rounds per 4 in → 17 rounds ≈ 8.5 in of texture, plus base curve height ≈ 2 in, plus top band (below) ≈ 2.5 in = 13 in total ✓.

PART 4 — Reinforced Top Edge

Switch to solid stitches only to firm up the opening.

Round 25: Ch 1. Sc in each st around. Join. Count: 96 sc. ✓

Round 26: Ch 2 (counts as hdc). Hdc in each st around. Join. Count: 96 sts. ✓

Round 27: Ch 1. Sc in each st around. Join. Count: 96 sc. ✓

Round 28: Ch 1. Sc in each st around. Do not fasten off. This round will host the strap openings. Count: 96 sc. ✓

PART 5 — Integrated Straps

The 96 sts divide into front and back of 48 sts each. On each face, the two strap bases sit symmetrically with a gap in the center and even margins.

Strap placement per face (48 sts): Counting across one face: 8 sc (side margin), 12 sc for strap base 1, 8 sc (center gap), 12 sc for strap base 2, 8 sc (side margin). Check: 8 + 12 + 8 + 12 + 8 = 48 ✓ per face, ×2 faces = 96. ✓

Round 29 (create strap gaps): Ch 1, working around: Sc in next 8 sts; ch 12, skip next 12 sts (strap arch base); sc in next 8 sts; ch 12, skip next 12 sts; sc in next 8 sts; rep from * once more for the second face. Join with sl st to first sc. Each face now has two 12-ch arches for the strap openings.

Round 30: Ch 1. Sc in each sc and 12 sc across each ch-12 arch, around. Join. Count: 8 + 12 + 8 + 12 + 8 = 48 per face × 2 = 96 sc. ✓ Fasten off body.

Building the Straps (dense fabric)

Switch to US G/6 (4 mm) hook for denser, sturdier straps. Straps are worked as flat bands rising from each arch, then joined to the matching arch on the same face.

For each strap, work as follows:

Setup: With RS facing, join yarn to the first st of one 12-st arch.

Row 1: Ch 1. Sc in each of the 12 sts across the arch. Turn. (12 sc)

Rows 2 onward: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (12 sc each row)

Work in sc until the strap measures 22 in (56 cm) from the base — approximately 77 rows (77 rows ÷ 3.5 rows per inch... at sc gauge ~7 rows/in → 22 × 3.5 = 77 rows). Strap width = 12 sc ÷ 3.5 wait — at 4 mm, 14 sc = 4 in, so 12 sc ≈ 3.4 in wide; for a 2 in strap width, work 7 sc wide instead:

Corrected strap width: After Row 1's 12 sc, decrease to a clean 7 sts on Row 2 (sc2tog evenly 5 times: 12 − 5 = 7 sts), then continue at 7 sc for a 2 in (5 cm) wide strap. Width check: 7 sc ÷ 3.5 sts/in = 2 in ✓. Length: continue at 7 sc for 22 in (56 cm), approx. 154 rows at 7 rows/in (22 × 7 = 154 ✓).

Joining: When the strap reaches 22 in, on the final row work 5 evenly spaced increases (7 + 5 = 12 sts) to fan back out to 12 sts, then sl st the 12 sts to the 12 sts of the matching arch on the same face. Fasten off securely and weave the tail through the join twice for strength.

Repeat for the second strap on the same face, then both straps on the opposite face, so both the front and back have matching, symmetric dense straps.

Finishing

1. Weave in all ends with a tapestry needle, running strap tails back and forth across the joins for reinforcement.
2. Gently steam-block (cotton tolerates warm steam) to define the ribbed bands and set the flat oval base.
3. Optional: line the bag with fabric for extra structure and to prevent stretching of the open rounds under load.

Final Dimension Summary (verified)

• Width (flat): 96 sts ÷ 2 = 48 sts front ÷ 3.5 sts/in = 13.7 in ≈ 14 in ✓
• Height (excl. straps): base curve (~2 in) + texture body (~8.5 in) + top band (~2.5 in) = 13 in ✓
• Base: foundation and increase rounds = 12 in × 4 in ✓
• Straps: 22 in long × 2 in wide, two per face, symmetric ✓

Enjoy your finished terracotta ribbed tote!