Handspun Market Bag

You can use this market bag for tons of different uses around the home.  Knit a narrower one and store your plastic bags for re-using in your pantry or under your sink.  Hang it in your pantry for storing your onions, garlic, or potatoes in your pantry.  Use it next time you go to a sheep & wool festival to carry all your fibery purchases and show them off as you continue perusing the vendors.

If you're planning on using this market basket to carry heavy items, I recommend corespinning the yarn on a strong cotton crochet thread or linen weaving thread core.  Linen/poly blends are especially durable.  Any weaving warping thread is great for making stable, nearly unbreakable art yarns.  An "unbreakable" yarn will  make your market bag more durable for carrying heavy items like canned goods and fresh fruit.

I cast on 27 stitches on size 15 circular needles and started knitting in the round using a double elongated stitch.  I continued knitting until I reached a length of bag that made me happy.  My bag is about 32 inches tall. 

To make the base of the bag, I took the yarn and slipped it thru all 27 stitches and pulled it tight and tied it in a knot.  I didn't bind off any of the stitches, I simply threaded the end of yarn thru all the knitting loops and pulled tight.  I wove in the ends and made it look tidy.

I used a crochet hook and recycled sari silk to crochet a lining around the top of the bag.  I used a single crochet stitch all around the top.  I then crochet a strap (about 40 inches long) to hang the bag from.  You can adjust the strap to fit over your shoulder, or for hanging in your pantry or kitchen.  

The end result is a very secure (due to the linen core thread) and yet beautiful market bag that you can enjoy getting complemented on from the grocery store to the sheep and wool festival.