Ocean Blue Granny Square Tote Free Crochet Pattern

If you have been eyeing granny square bags and thinking they look too complicated, I am here to happily tell you otherwise. If you can chain, double crochet and slip stitch, you already have every skill this tote needs. You make one 3.5 inch square, then another, and before you know it you have a pile of beautiful motifs ready to become a bag.

This ocean blue tote frames each square in deep navy, with sage green centres and crisp white accents for a fresh coastal feel. We will make 30 squares, join them into front, back, side and base panels, assemble the body, and finish with a neat top border, a handmade tassel, a fabric lining and faux-leather handles on D-rings.

The finished bag measures about 14 inches wide by 10 inches tall by 4 inches deep, not counting the handles, and the handle drop of about 10 inches sits comfortably on your shoulder. Each square takes about 20 to 30 minutes, which makes this a perfect pick-up-and-put-down project.

Materials

• 600 yards worsted weight (weight 4) yarn in navy blue (colour A)
• 200 yards worsted weight (weight 4) yarn in sage green (colour B)
• 150 yards worsted weight (weight 4) yarn in white (colour C)
• 4.0mm (US G-6) crochet hook
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
• 0.5 yard medium-weight cotton fabric for lining, plus sewing needle and matching thread
• 2 navy blue faux-leather bag handles, about 24 inches total strap length each
• 4 silver D-rings, 0.75 inch opening
• 4 silver rivets or Chicago screws
• 1 navy blue tassel, about 4 inches long (or make your own, below)
• 1 small lobster claw clasp and jump ring for the tassel (optional)
• Rust-proof straight pins, blocking mats and a spray bottle

Abbreviations

• ch: chain
• sl st: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• dc: double crochet
• sp: space
• ch-sp: chain space
• sk: skip
• st/sts: stitch / stitches
• RS: right side
• WS: wrong side
• rep: repeat
• rnd: round
• MR: magic ring

Special Stitches

• Classic Granny Cluster: 3 dc worked into the same chain space. This is the heart of every granny square.
• Corner Cluster: work a 3-dc cluster into a corner ch-2 space, ch 2, then work another 3-dc cluster into the same corner space.
• Flat Slip-Stitch Join: place two finished squares with wrong sides together (right sides facing out), insert the hook through the back loop only of the corresponding stitch on both squares at once, draw up a loop and pull through. This makes a nearly invisible seam on the right side.

Gauge & Size

• Finished size: about 14 inches wide x 10 inches tall x 4 inches deep, excluding handles; handle drop about 10 inches
• Gauge: one completed granny square through Round 4 measures 3.5 x 3.5 inches (9 x 9 cm) after wet blocking; in dc fabric, 14 dc x 8 rows = 4 inches
• Construction: 30 granny squares joined into panels (front 8, back 8, sides 2 each, base 6), flat slip-stitch assembly, sc top border, lining and riveted handles
• Skill level: Intermediate
• Colour sequence: Round 1 in B (sage), Round 2 in B (sage), Round 3 in C (white), Round 4 in A (navy). Finish the final sl st of each round with the new colour, and fasten off each colour for the cleanest results

Granny Square (Make 30)

We need 26 squares for the bag (8 front, 8 back, 2 per side, 6 base) and 4 extras for gauge corrections or replacements. All squares are worked in rounds without turning, and the ch-3 at the start of each round counts as the first dc of the first cluster.

Round 1 (colour B, sage): Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 2 more dc into the ring (first cluster complete). Ch 2, work 3 dc into the ring, ch 2, work 3 dc into the ring, ch 2, work 3 dc into the ring, ch 2. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3 and pull the ring tail to close the centre firmly. Fasten off colour B. (12 dc total, 4 ch-2 corner spaces)

Round 2 (colour B, sage): Join colour B with a sl st to any ch-2 corner sp. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 2 more dc into the same corner sp, ch 2, work 3 dc into the same corner sp (corner 1 complete). Ch 1, work 3 dc into the natural space between the next two adjacent Round 1 clusters (side cluster 1). Ch 1, work a corner cluster (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into the next ch-2 corner sp (corner 2). Ch 1, work 3 dc into the space between the next two Round 1 clusters (side cluster 2). Ch 1, work a corner cluster into the next ch-2 corner sp (corner 3). Ch 1, work 3 dc into the space between the next two Round 1 clusters (side cluster 3). Ch 1, work a corner cluster into the last ch-2 corner sp (corner 4). Ch 1, work 3 dc into the space between the remaining Round 1 clusters (side cluster 4). Ch 1, join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. Fasten off colour B. (36 dc, 4 ch-2 corner sp, 8 ch-1 side sp)

Round 3 (colour C, white): Join colour C with a sl st to any ch-2 corner sp. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 2 dc into the same corner sp, ch 2, work 3 dc into the same corner sp (corner 1). Ch 1, work 3 dc into the next ch-1 sp, ch 1, work 3 dc into the next ch-1 sp, ch 1. Work a corner cluster into the next ch-2 corner sp (corner 2), then ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1. Work a corner cluster into the next ch-2 corner sp (corner 3), then ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1. Work a corner cluster into the last ch-2 corner sp (corner 4), then ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in last ch-1 sp, ch 1. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. Fasten off colour C. (48 dc, 4 ch-2 corner sp, 12 ch-1 side sp)

Round 4 (colour A, navy): Join colour A with a sl st to any ch-2 corner sp. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 2 dc into the same corner sp, ch 2, work 3 dc into the same corner sp (corner 1). Ch 1, (work 3 dc into next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 3 times across the side. Work a corner cluster into the next ch-2 corner sp (corner 2), then ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 3 times. Work a corner cluster into the next ch-2 corner sp (corner 3), then ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 3 times. Work a corner cluster into the last ch-2 corner sp (corner 4), then ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) 3 times across the final side. Join with a sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. Fasten off colour A, leaving a long tail for joining. (60 dc, 4 ch-2 corner sp, 16 ch-1 side sp)

Blocking the squares: wet each square in cool water for several minutes, squeeze out the water without wringing, pin it to exactly 3.5 x 3.5 inches on a blocking mat with pins at each corner and the midpoints of each side, and let it dry completely before unpinning.

Joining & Assembly

All joins use colour A and the Flat Slip-Stitch Join. Front panel: arrange 8 squares in a 4-wide by 2-tall grid, join the squares of each row along their shared vertical edges, then join the two rows along their shared horizontal edge. The front panel measures 14 inches wide by 7 inches tall. Repeat exactly for the back panel with 8 squares.

Left side panel: arrange 2 squares in a 1-wide by 2-tall column and join along their shared horizontal edge (3.5 inches wide by 7 inches tall). Repeat for the right side panel.

Base panel: join 4 squares in a horizontal row, then join 1 square to each short end. The base measures 14 inches wide by 3.5 inches deep.

Assembling the body: (1) join the base panel to the front panel along their 14 inch edges; (2) join the base panel to the back panel on the opposite edge; (3) join the left side panel to both the front and back panels along the left edges, working from bottom to top; (4) join the right side panel the same way; (5) close all four bottom corners where the panels meet. Turn the bag right side out and push out the corners for a clean boxy shape.

Top border Round 1: Join colour A with a sl st to any stitch at the top opening. Ch 1 (does not count as a stitch), work 1 sc into each dc stitch and 1 sc into each ch-1 sp around the entire top opening, working 2 sc into each corner ch-2 sp. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (Approximately 158 sc)

Top border Round 2: Ch 1, work 1 sc into each sc around. Join with a sl st to first sc. (158 sc)

Top border Round 3: Ch 1, work 1 sc into each sc around. Join with a sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (158 sc)

Finishing & Assembly

Tassel: using colour A and a 4 inch piece of cardboard, wrap yarn around the cardboard 40 to 50 times. Cut a 10 inch length of yarn and tie it tightly around all the loops at one end, cut the loops at the opposite end, then wrap another piece of yarn around the tassel about 0.5 inch below the top to form the head and trim the ends evenly. Attach the tassel to the bag with the lobster claw clasp and jump ring.

Lining: cut the lining fabric to match the interior dimensions of the bag, adding 0.5 inch seam allowances. Sew the lining pieces together, press the seams, and slip-stitch the lining to the inside of the bag by hand along the top border.

Handles: attach the faux-leather handles using the D-rings and rivets, positioning them about 3 inches from each outer edge on both the front and back panels. The rivets should pass through both the crocheted fabric and the lining for reinforcement.

Tips

Make one complete test square and block it before committing to all 30. If it runs large, drop to a 3.75mm (US F-5) hook; if small, go up to a 4.5mm (US 7).

Take your time with joining; rushed seams show. Count your clusters as you go: each side of a finished square should have 3 clusters plus the corner half-clusters.

Block aggressively. Cotton especially looks twice as professional after a proper wet block.

Choose smooth, plied yarn so the granny clusters pop; fuzzy or textured yarns blur the stitch definition this bag depends on.