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Read on to learn how to add a non-crochet bag bottom to your crochet market bag for the 2025 Marvellous Market Bag Crochet Along!
For the market bag crochet along this year I have been asked a few times for tips on how to add a non-crochet bottom to a crochet market bag.
So below I have included some information on how to add the bag bottom and while these tips are particular to the bags in this crochet along, the same principles may be applied to other projects you may be working on.
A couple of things to note:
My market bags in the 2025 Marvellous Market Bag Crochet Along are worked from the bottom up. This means that when adding a non-crochet bottom, you will begin with the non-crochet bottom and work your way up.
In particular, for the patterns in the crochet along, once your bag bottom is prepped, you will pick up the pattern at round 6 of the bag bottom.
But the first thing you will need to do is prepare your bag bottom.
There are a lot of different materials available for your non-crochet bag bottoms. I chose a basic faux leather, oval shaped bottom that I found on Amazon. It measures approximately 11.5 inches across. My bag bottom also has prepunched holes.
You will want to select a bag bottom that is similar in length and width to the crochet bag you are making. You may also choose between a prepunched bottom or a solid bottom where you will be required to create the holes yourself.
If your bag bottom does not have prepunched holes:
If your bag bottom does not have prepunched holes, it’s easy! You will simply punch as many holes or work as many stitches as needed to pick up for the bag bottom. In the case of the 2025 Marvellous Market Bags, you will need 114 sts.
If your non-crochet bottom has prepunched holes:
In my case, my non-crochet bag bottom has a total of 66 prepunched holes. I mentioned above that I am going to need a total of 114 stitches to pick up on my bag bottom, so I am going to need to do a little math to figure out how many extra stitches I will need to add.
There are a couple of ways to do this. I could simply work the stitches adding extra stitches in the prepunched holes randomly around the bag bottom, counting until I have enough. Or I can figure out how many I need prior to working the bottom and space them evenly.
Now it’s time to do some math!
If your bag bottom has not been prepunched, you can simply work the desired number of holes for the desired number of stitches. For example, as mentioned, the Leyburn Market Bag requires 114 stitches for that first round where you will pick up in the pattern, so you will need 114 holes.
If your bag bottom is prepunched as mine is, you will need to calculate how many extra stitches you will need.
Total Number of sts needed – Total Number of Pre-punched Holes = Number of Sts needed to add to prepunched bottom (114 sts – 66 prepunched holes = 48 sts needed)
Total Number of Prepunched holes – Total Number of Sts Needed to Add = total number of holes with single stitches (66 prepunched holes – 48 sts needed = 18 holes will only require me to work one single crochet in them. All the rest will have 2 single crochet stitches worked in them).
This number I divided in half (9 orepunched holes) and placed them along the sides of my bag bottom (9 holes with single stitches on each side), or you may wish to spread them evenly around the bottom. I was sure to work two stitches in each hole on the ends, as it would give a little bit more of an even coverage around the corners.
Now that you know how many stitches you need (114) and how you will spread these stitches around the bag bottom, you’re ready to crochet a foundation round.
How to crochet a foundation round:
With the bottom of the bag bottom facing, insert your hook and pull a loop through any hole of your bag base, leaving a little bit of a long tail.
Chain 1.
Now working in the same hole as joining, work a single crochet stitch.
Work the desired number of sc sts in each hole around. In working the bag bottom for the Leyburn Market bag, I worked 2 sc in all but 18 of the holes around the bottom. In each of the 18 remaining holes I only worked 1 sc and spaced these single stitches evenly around the bag bottom (9 on each side).
When you have worked sc sts all the way around your bag bottom and you have confirmed that you have the correct number of stitches, join with a sl st in the first st.
Continue working the bag bottom and sides:
Chain 1.
Then continue working in the same direction and pick up the pattern beginning at round 6 of your bag bottom.
So for the next 3 rounds, you will work a single crochet in each stitch around and join with a slip stitch in the top of your first stitch.
You will then continue the pattern as worked until you come to the handles.
For further demonstration, check out this free video tutorial!
When you come to the bag handles:
As your stitches may not line up in the same place when working a bag with a non-crochet bottom, you may need to adjust the placement of the bag handles.
To do this, I laid the bag flat and on the two sides of the bag, I marked the edge stitches. On either side of the stitch markers count 13 sts and this will give you the place where your handles will join.
Work your bag handles and complete your market bag. Enjoy!
