A Crochet Oval Bottom Tote is built from a firm elliptical base that rises into a wide, airy body, giving it that structured yet relaxed silhouette you reach for on a Saturday morning without thinking twice. This pattern opens the door to a whole wardrobe of handmade bags, from a compact everyday carrier to a generous beach tote or a polished farmers market companion.
The Oval Bottom Tote
This bag carries itself with a quiet kind of confidence. The oval base gives it something rectangular totes lack, a natural, rounded weight that sits flat and full, like it was made to be loaded with peaches, paperbacks, or a rolled linen cardigan. The body fans upward in a lace-like grid that is airy yet structured, the kind of fabric that catches light without losing its shape. It is for the maker who wants something beautiful enough to carry to a dinner and practical enough to take to the grocery store.
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In cream or natural ecru, this tote feels like a slow Sunday. In sage, dusty rose, or warm sand, it becomes a seasonal piece you will rotate through for years. It pairs effortlessly with linen trousers, sundresses, denim, and everything in between, the definition of an understated everyday essential.
Materials and Tools
For a Crochet Oval Bottom Tote with this kind of drape and durability, you will want to work with a cotton or cotton-blend yarn in a worsted weight. Cotton gives the bag its body, helps the stitches read clearly, and softens beautifully with use and washing. A 4mm crochet hook is the sweet spot for this project, giving you a fabric that is dense enough to hold its shape at the base while remaining open and breathable through the body. Keep a stitch marker close at hand to track your oval base increases as you build the foundation rounds.
Stitch by Stitch
The Crochet Oval Bottom Tote uses a handful of foundational stitches that beginners will recognise and intermediate makers will find satisfying to repeat.
BULLET:SC (Single Crochet) The workhorse of the base, SC builds the firm oval foundation that keeps the bag standing upright and structured.
BULLET:DC (Double Crochet) Used throughout the body panels, DC creates the open, rhythmic grid that gives the tote its breathable, lace-adjacent texture.
BULLET:CH (Chain) Chain stitches form the spaces between DC clusters, creating the signature airy pattern visible across the bag’s front and back.
BULLET:SL ST (Slip Stitch) Used at the end of rounds and to join sections, the slip stitch keeps your transitions invisible and your edges neat.
Working rounds of DC and CH in a steady, predictable sequence settles into a meditative rhythm quickly, the kind where your hands know what to do and your mind gets a little quiet.
Construction
The bag begins at the base, worked in the round from a foundation chain to form the characteristic oval shape, with SC increases at each short end to create that rounded, stable bottom. Once the base reaches the right dimensions, the sides build upward in joined rounds of DC and chain spaces, growing the body of the bag with almost no seaming at all. The handles are worked separately and attached at the top edge, giving you control over their length and thickness. If you want a roomier tote, simply add extra rounds to the body before beginning the handles.
Wearing Your Oval Bottom Tote
Tuck a straw hat, a library book, and a small pouch inside and carry this tote to a weekend market for that effortless slow-living aesthetic. It works just as naturally slung over the shoulder on a beach day with a towel and sunscreen tucked inside, or paired with a blazer and tapered trousers for a creative workday look. Every time you finish and reach for it, you will feel that particular satisfaction of carrying something you made with your own hands.
Washing and Storing Your Crochet Oval Bottom Tote
Because this tote is worked in cotton, it responds well to a gentle machine wash on a cool cycle or a careful hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent. Reshape the bag while it is still damp, paying attention to the oval base so it dries flat and retains its structure. Avoid wringing or twisting the fabric, which can distort the open DC pattern in the body. Store it loosely folded or hung when not in use so the handles keep their length and the base does not crease permanently.
Every Crochet Oval Bottom Tote you finish is a small, handmade act of care, for the craft, for slow fashion, and for yourself. The full video tutorial walks you through every step so you can make this one your own. If you make yours, share it on Pinterest and tag your version so other makers can find their way to this pattern too.
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Tutorial and photos of this oval bottom tote by: ViVi Berry Crochet.