The crochet pattern for the Rainbow Runner Tote Bag was the Spring 2015 Moogly Mini Crochet-Along! The pattern is now available in full below. I hope you enjoy this fun free crochet tote bag pattern!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links.
Prefer an ad-free PDF? You've got options!
Prefer the free blog version? Keep scrolling!
Rainbow Runner Tote Bag
Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue and Favorites
330 yds Red Heart Creme de la Creme (100% Cotton; Worsted/10 ply; 125 yards/114 meters; 2.47 ounces) - 1 skein of each of the following:
Color A - Royal Blue
Color B - White
Color C - Brite Green
Color D - Golden Yellow
Color E - Brite Orange
Color F - Rally Red
Stitch markers
Gauge: 13 sts x 8 rows = 4" in dc
Finished Size: 12.5" wide x 16" tall, laid flat, not including handles
Click HERE for a video tutorial for this stitch pattern Note that this is worked in rounds, without turning, but the actual stitches are the same.
SPECIAL STITCHES
- Cluster – dc2tog in the same stitch – (yo, insert hook in indicated stitch, pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops) twice, yo and pull through all 3 loops.
- V st – (dc, ch 1, dc) in the same stitch
- Small V st – 2 dc in the same stitch
NOTE: Round 1 makes an oval, which starts the base of the bag. You'll crochet along the chain, then wrap around an crochet along the underside of that same chain, meeting back where you started, to work in the round.
RAINBOW RUNNER TOTE INSTRUCTIONS
Round 1: With Color A, ch 32, skip the 2 chs closest to the hook (does not count as a st), dc in each ch until 1 st remains, 8 dc in the last ch (wrapping around to bottom of starting chains), dc in bottom of next 28 chs, so that 1 ch remains, 7 dc in the last ch (wrapping around to meet 1st dc of round); join to 1st dc of round with sl st to create oval. (72 sts)
Round 2: Ch 2 (does not count as a st), dc in the first 30 sts, 2 dc in each of the next 6 sts, dc in the next 30 sts, 2 dc in each of the last 6 sts; join to 1st dc of round. (84 sts)
Round 3: Ch 2, dc in the first 30 sts, (2 dc in the next st, dc in the next st) 6 times, dc in the next 30 sts, (2 dc in the next st, dc in the next st) 6 times; join to 1st dc of round. (96 sts)
Rounds 4 - 5: Ch 2, dc in each st around; join to 1st dc of round. (96 sts)
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in 1st st, *ch 3, cluster in same st as previous st, ch 3, skip 5 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * to end, finishing with sl st in 1st sc; remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 7: With Color B, join to 1st st of previous round, ch 4, dc in same st (1st V st made), ch 1, skip ch-3 loop, sc in cluster, ch 1, skip ch-3 loop, *V st in sc st, ch 1, sc in top of next cluster, ch 1; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch of ch-4, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 8: Insert hook in the active loop of Color A (remove stitch marker), ch 3, sc in ch-1 sp of 1st V st of previous round, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3, *sc in ch-1 sp of next V st, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 1st sc of round, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 9: Insert hook in the active loop of Color B (remove stitch marker), ch 1, sl st in 1st st of previous round, ch 4, dc in same st as sl st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1, *V st in next sc st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch of ch-4, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 10: Insert hook in the active loop of Color A (remove stitch marker), ch 3, sc in ch-1 sp of 1st V st of previous round, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3, *sc in ch-1 sp of next V st, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 1st sc of round, break yarn and finish off.
Round 11: Insert hook in the active loop of Color B (remove stitch marker), ch 1, sl st in 1st st of previous round, ch 4, dc in same st as sl st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1, *V st in next sc st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch of ch-4, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 12: With Color C, join to ch-1 sp of 1st V st of previous round, ch 1, sc in same ch, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3, *sc in ch-1 sp of next V st, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp, ch 3; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 1st sc of round, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 13: Insert hook in the active loop of Color B (remove stitch marker), ch 1, sl st in 1st st of previous round, ch 4, dc in same st as sl st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1, *V st in next sc st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch of ch-4, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 14: Insert hook in the active loop of Color C (remove stitch marker), ch 3, sc in ch-1 sp of 1st V st of previous round, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3, *sc in ch-1 sp of next V st, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 1st sc of round, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 15: Insert hook in the active loop of Color B (remove stitch marker), ch 1, sl st in 1st st of previous round, ch 4, dc in same st as sl st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1, *V st in next sc st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch of ch-4, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Round 16: Insert hook in the active loop of Color C (remove stitch marker), ch 3, sc in ch-1 sp of 1st V st of previous round, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3, *sc in ch-1 sp of next V st, ch 3, cluster in same ch sp as previous st, ch 3; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 1st sc of round, break yarn and finish off.
Round 17: Insert hook in the active loop of Color B (remove stitch marker), ch 1, sl st in 1st st of previous round, ch 4, dc in same st as sl st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1, *V st in next sc st, ch 1, sc in next cluster, ch 1; repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch of ch-4, remove hook from working loop (place marker in loop).
Rounds 18 - 23: Repeat Rounds 12 - 17 replacing Color C with Color D.
Rounds 24 – 29: Repeat Rounds 12 – 17 replacing Color C with Color E.
Rounds 30 - 34: Repeat Rounds 12 - 16 replacing Color C with Color F, break Color B.
Round 35: Continuing with Color F, ch 1, sc in same st as join, ch 2, sc in top of next cluster, ch 2, *sc in next sc, ch 2, sc in top of next cluster, ch 2; repeat from * around, join with a sl st in first sc.
Round 36: Ch 1, sc in each st and 2 sc in each ch sp around; join with a sl st. (96 sts) Counting from first st of round, place stitch markers at stitches #12, 38, 60, and 86. Lay bag flat and make sure they line up and are where you want your handles to be - adjust if needed.
Round 37: Ch 1, sc in each st up to 1st st marker, sc in marked st, ch 65 or to desired handle length, sc in st with 2nd st marker, sc in each st to 3rd st marker, sc in marked st, ch 65 (or as desired), sc in st with 4th st marker, sc in remaining sts to end; join with a sl st.
Round 38 - 39: Ch 1, sc in each st and ch around; join with a sl st.
Round 40: Ch 1, *sc in next st, ch 1, skip 1 st; repeat from * around; join with a sl st, break yarn.
Round 41: With Color B, join to any ch-1 sp from Round 40, ch 1, sc in same ch-1 sp, ch 1, skip next st, *sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, skip next st; repeat from * around, join with a sl st, break yarn. Weave in all ends.
Tada! One beautiful crochet tote bag! I hope you've enjoyed this mini crochet-along on Moogly! It's been a lot of fun coming up with these, and I hope to have another one to keep your hook moving this summer!
The Fine Print
Written pattern copyright Tamara Kelly 2015. Please do not reprint or repost this pattern, but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others. If you wish to make items for sale from this pattern, please visit the About page for details. Thank you to Red Heart Yarn for providing the yarn for this pattern – America’s Most Recommended Yarn Brand!
