21 rounds · filed under dense · 16 of them
Bags & Totes · added 30 Sep 2026
Bobble stitch crochet bag with beige trim
Bobble stitches raise dense knots across firm single crochet fabric, forming a structured teal tote with beige band and handle.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 3.5 mm
- Yarn
- Worsted
- Rounds
- 19
About this pattern
The body of this bag alternates rows of dense single crochet with rounds of bobble stitch, so your hand moves from a smooth, tightly packed surface to raised knots that break up every few stitches. The teal cotton, worked at a firm worsted gauge on a US E/4 hook, keeps the bobbles standing proud instead of flattening into the background. Between texture rounds, plain single crochet settles the fabric back down, giving the piece enough body to hold a load without sagging or going limp at the seams.
That flat rectangle base, worked back and forth for fifteen rows, turns a corner in Round 1 of the body, where single crochet is picked up around all four edges to close the shape into one continuous round. From there the walls rise as a connected tube, ready to carry a beige band, a padded handle, and a clasp tab at the front. Use it as an everyday tote, add the fabric lining described in the pattern, and let the base — not the band — carry the weight.
The swatch in numbers
- Rounds
- 19
- Parts
- 8
- Level
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 3.5 mm
- Yarn
- Worsted
The yarn and the hook
Main Yarn
- Worsted weight cotton in teal, approximately 240 yards or 220 meters. This forms the base and textured body.
Trim Yarn
- Worsted weight cotton in beige, approximately 95 yards or 87 meters. This creates the top band, handle, and front tab.
Hook
- US E/4 (3.5 mm), or whatever size you need to match gauge.
Hardware
- One small bag clasp or turn lock with an antique brass finish.
Tools
- Tapestry needle, stitch markers, pins, sewing needle, and optional fabric for lining.
Stitches, spelled out
Bobble (5 dc bobble) This stitch creates those beautiful raised bumps. Here is how to work it step by step. Yarn over, insert hook in the indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops. You now have two loops on your hook. Repeat this sequence four more times in the same stitch. You will have six loops on your hook. Yarn over and pull through all six loops at once. Push the bobble to the right side of your work.Squish; Surface slip stitch With yarn held on the wrong side, insert your hook from right side to wrong side, pull up a loop, insert hook in the next stitch, pull up a loop and draw it through the loop on your hook. Keep your tension relaxed.; Invisible join Cut your yarn and pull the tail through the last stitch. Thread your tapestry needle under both top loops of the first stitch, then back into the center of the final stitch. This creates a seamless finish.; ch chain; sc single crochet (insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops)Dense; hdc half double crochet (yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through all three loops)Dense; dc double crochet (yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops)Drape; sl st slip stitch; st(s) stitch(es); RS right side; WS wrong side; rep repeat; rnd round; yo yarn over; UK crocheters US sc equals UK dc. US dc equals UK tr..
Tension and hand-feel
After Round 13 of the body, lay the bag flat and measure up from the base edge — it should read about 6 inches or 15 cm tall before you begin the beige band.
Main Pattern
Main Pattern
Main Pattern
Main Pattern
Main Pattern
Main Pattern
Texture Checkpoint
Your front face should show about 8 bobble columns across each bobble round. The alternating rounds create a staggered look. The body should stand upright but remain slightly flexible.
Shape Checkpoint
Before adding the handle, your bag should measure approximately 11 inches or 28 cm wide, 6.75 inches or 17 cm high, and 3.5 inches or 9 cm deep after light blocking.
How the texture is built
- The base is built flat first — fifteen rows of single crochet across 48 stitches — then Round 1 of the body picks up 48 single crochet along each long edge and 15 along each short edge, folding that rectangle into a single continuous round of 126 stitches that becomes the working edge for the walls.
- The handle is also worked flat: four rows of half double crochet across 51 stitches, then folded lengthwise and whip-stitched along the open edge, so the padding comes from doubled fabric rather than stuffing.
- Round 1 of the body can be joined with a slip stitch or worked as a continuous spiral, which decides whether the bobble rounds that follow carry a visible seam line or run without a break around the bag.
Putting the pieces together
If you swap the yarn
| Worsted weight acrylic | Holds the same US E/4 hook and stitch counts but produces a lighter, springier fabric where the bobbles pop more sharply and the finished bag has less drape at the sides. |
|---|---|
| DK weight cotton | Thinner than the worsted cotton called for, so gauge tightens up on the same hook; drop to a smaller hook to match gauge and expect a smaller, denser bag unless stitch counts are increased. |
| Worsted weight cotton-linen blend | Keeps the hook size the same but yields a stiffer, more structured fabric that holds the bobble texture without softening much, so blocking becomes more important for the band to lie flat. |
Colorways
- Classic teal and beige Teal cotton fills the base rows and the bobble-textured body rounds; beige cotton takes over for the top band, the folded handle, and the front tab that holds the clasp.
- Tonal teal A darker teal covers the base and bobble body rounds, while a lighter teal replaces the beige on the band, handle, and tab, keeping the bobble texture as the only contrast instead of a color break.
Washing and blocking
Hand wash the finished bag in cool water, since the teal and beige cotton fabric holds its shape better without agitation or a machine cycle.
Air dry flat rather than tumble drying — cotton at this worsted weight can shrink slightly and blunt the bobble texture if hit with heat.
Store with tissue paper or a folded cloth inside to keep the base square and the bobble rounds from being pressed flat under other items.
When it does not look right
- Bobbles sink back into the fabric instead of standing out
- Pop each bobble through to the right side as soon as it is completed, and keep the following single crochet stitches firm so they do not pull the bump back in.
- The base curls upward at the edges
- The flat single crochet base was not blocked before the body rounds were added; block the base flat first, or add a firm lining insert for support.
Questions people ask
How tall should the bag be before the beige band starts?
The checkpoint falls after Round 13 of the body, where the bag should measure about 6 inches or 15 cm tall from the base edge. If it is off, adjust hook size rather than stitch count for the remaining rounds.
Can the bag be made taller than the pattern default?
Yes — add pairs of rounds before the beige band, working one bobble round and one single crochet round while continuing the alternating bobble placement. Each pair adds about 0.8 inches or 2 cm to the height.
Does the handle need a different hook than the body?
No, the handle's half double crochet rows use the same US E/4, 3.5 mm hook as the rest of the bag. If the beige band runs loose, drop to a smaller hook there only, not on the handle.
Is a fabric lining required?
It is optional but recommended, since the pattern includes cutting two 12 by 8 inch rectangles and a 12 by 4 inch base strip to sew a shallow box pouch. The lining also gives the clasp hardware something solid to grip on the inside.
New patterns, as they are filed
One short email when a batch lands, with the feel of each.