Crochet Pattern: Plastic Bag Holder for the Car

So, my family spends a lot of time in the car. We go on lots of road trips and travel to visit family. My dad lives about 14 hours away, my mother-in-law is 3.5 hours, and my mom is 2.5 hours away. And with a 10-year-old boy in the backseat, sometimes my car is just messy! I have no idea how we accumulate so much trash. I did buy a little trash can from IKEA a while back and it has really worked well, but then the car gets messy again when I inevitably forget to bring a couple more grocery bags out to put in the trash can. Lots of people have a way to organize their old plastic grocery bags in their kitchen, but I didn't see anything for the car, so I made myself something! Let's get started.

Materials:
5mm hook
worsted weight yarn (I used grey and an ombre teal)
yarn needle

Stitches:
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
dec = decrease
inc = increase
sk st = skip stitch

double crochet decrease = yarn over, insert hook into 1st stitch, yarn over, pull through, insert hook into 2nd stitch, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through 3 loops, yarn over, pull through last 2 loops

Pattern:
ch 24
Row 1: sl to first st without twisting, sc around (24)
Row 2: ch 2, (dc, dcinc) repeat around, sl st to close (36)
Row 3: ch 2, (dc x 2, dcinc) repeat around, sl st to close (48)
Row 4: ch 2, (dc x 3, dcinc) repeat around, sl st to close (60)
Row 5: ch 2, (2 dc in 1 st, sk st) repeat around, change to 2nd color to sl st to close (60)
Row 6: ch 2, (2 dc between paired posts, sk st) repeat around, change to primary color to sl st to close (60)
Row 7: ch 2, (2 dc between paired posts, sk st) repeat around, change to secondary color to sl st to close (60)
Row 8-Row 19: repeat rows 6 - 7
Row 20: ch 2, (dc x 3, dcdec) repeat around, sl st to close (48)
Row 21: ch 2, (dc x 2, dcdec) repeat around, sl st to close (36)
Row 22: ch 2, dc around, sl st to close (36)
Row 23: ch 4, (sk st, tc, ch 1) repeat around, sl st to close (36)
Row 24: ch 1, sc around, finish off and weave in ends (36)

Strap:
In main color, ch 60, weave chains through the tc row of the main item
Row 1: In secondary color, sl to first st without twisting, ch 1, sc around (60)
Row 2: In main color, sl st to close, ch 1, sc around, finish off and weave in ends (60)

Tip:
When crocheting the strap, you will need to continue turning the strap while it is in the loops. Alternatly, you could turn at the end of each row and then weave it through and sew the ends together.

Now, we have a pouch that can hold around 15 plastic grocery bags in the car, ready to be used for trash, or wet shoes, or anything really!