🩷Bobble Stitch Mini Tote Bag - Step-by-Step Tutorial

🌸 Introduction

Hello, lovely crafters! ✨
Today, I’m so excited to share a step-by-step Bobble (DC4TOG) stitch mini tote bag crochet tutorial with you. In this project, we’ll be creating a cute, puffy, textured bobble-stitch bag that’s both fun and satisfying to make!

Here, you’ll find the free Heart and Flower graphs along with the general instructions you need to crochet bobble pixel grids.
Using this tutorial, you’ll be able to follow and recreate any graph pattern with the DC4TOG bobble stitch.

A DC4TOG bobble stitch is a fun, raised stitch that adds lovely texture to your pixel crochet designs. It looks a bit complex at first, but it’s actually very simple once you understand the steps!

✨ What it means:

DC4TOG = Double Crochet 4 Together
You are basically working 4 half-finished double crochets into the same stitch, then closing them all at once.
This creates a cute bobble that pops out on one side.

YT Short:

🧵 Materials Needed

Here are all the materials you’ll need 🌸

Yarn: Acrylic weight 4 Yarn in white & pink (or any colors that you prefer) (approx. 170 gms of each color)
Crochet Hook: 5 mm
Scissors
Stitch Markers (optional)
Darning needle

📚 Abbreviations Used (US term)

ch – chain
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
st – stitch
slst – slip stitch
DC4TOG – double crochet four together (this is the bobble stitch)

GAUGE: 6 bobbles in a row x 6 bobbles in a column = 3 inches x 3 inches (15.24 cm x 15.24 cm)

SIZE: the bobble grid square measures approx. 9 inches x 9 inches (22.86 cm x 22.86 cm) with the sc border

📝 Instructions

🧶 Step-by-Step DC4TOG (Super Simple)

Yarn over, insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop.
- Now you have 3 loops on your hook.
- Yarn over, pull through 2 loops.
✔️ First half-finished dc done.
Repeat the same double crochet half-finished step 3 more times
- Each time you will add one more loop to your hook.
- After doing this 4 times, you will have 5 loops on your hook.
Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops
✔️ This closes the stitch and creates the bobble.
Push the bobble to the front (right side) with your finger.

Pixel Charts:

I created the flower and heart pixel charts using Stitch Fiddle. You can easily design your own custom pixel grids on Stitch Fiddle as well. Both charts used in this project are 15 × 15 squares.

How to Read the Graph

You will read the pixel graph from bottom to top and from right to left.

Because each bobble is created over two crochet rows, every single row in the graph will be worked twice:

1. First crochet row (setup row)

Work this row in single crochet (sc) only.
Read the graph row from right to left.

2. Second crochet row (bobble row)

This is the row where the texture appears.
Work alternating sc and dc4tog bobble stitches, always starting and ending with a sc.
Read the same graph row again, but this time from left to right.

How Each Pixel/Square Works

Each square in the graph represents one bobble in your crochet piece.

However, one bobble is made over two rows, using a total of 4 stitches:

Row 1 (setup row):
Work 1 sc in each of the next 2 stitches.
Row 2 (bobble row):
Work 1 dc4tog bobble stitch in the next stitch, then 1 sc in the following stitch.

Diagram:

How to Change Colors

Always change colors in the last stitch of the current color section.
Work the stitch normally until the final yarn-over. When you have 2 loops left on your hook, drop the old color, pick up the new color, and finish the stitch with the new yarn. This ensures a clean and smooth color transition.

How Many Chains Do You Need to Start?

Our graphs each have 15 squares.

Since every pixel (square) uses 2 stitches, you will start with double the number of squares, plus 2 extra chains:

1 chain for turning, and
1 extra chain because we need one additional sc at the end of each row.

So the formula is:
(Number of squares × 2) + 2

For our 15 × 15 graph:
15 × 2 + 2 = 32 chains to start.

👉 The first and last stitch of every row will always be a single crochet (sc). This makes it easier to add a border later.

🌟The Pattern Starts Here:

Row 1

Since the first row in the chart consists entirely of white squares, there are no color changes at the beginning.

Start with a foundation chain of 32 chains in your background color (white in my example).
Turn your work (skip 1 ch) and crochet a full row of single crochet.
You should end with 31 sc stitches.

Row 2

Begin with ch 1, then work 1 sc.
Next, make 1 DC4TOG bobble stitch.
Continue alternating sc and bobble stitches using your background color (white).
You will finish the row with 1 sc, then ch 1 and turn your work.

The next row includes color changes, so keep your second color (pink) ready.

Row 3

Work a full single crochet row, making 2 sc stitches for each square in the graph.
Follow the chart carefully and switch colors wherever the graph changes color.
At the end, ch 1 and turn.

Row 4

Follow the color changes as shown in the graph (the same row you followed for Row 3).

Work 1 sc in the first stitch
1 DC4TOG bobble in the next stitch
1 sc in the next stitch

Repeat this pattern through the entire color section.
At the last sc of the section, change colors if needed, then continue the same pattern in the new color.

Finish the row with 1 sc in the last stitch, then ch 1 and turn.

Row 5

Work this row exactly like Row 3 - a full sc row with 2 sc per square, switching colors wherever the graph indicates.

Row 6

Work this row exactly like Row 4 - alternating sc and DC4TOG bobbles, following the color changes in the graph.

Continue the Pattern

Keep alternating between:

One sc row (like Row 3)
One bobble row (like Row 4)

Follow the graph row-by-row, switching colors exactly where the chart shows.

After Completing the Pixel Grid

Once you finish the last row of the graph, crochet a single crochet border around all four sides of your square.
This border makes it much easier to join your panels together with slip stitches when assembling the tote bag.

Weave in all loose yarn ends with a darning needle to keep the wrong side looking neat and tidy.

Joining the Pieces

To join the two panels, I used pink yarn and created zig-zag slip stitches, following this tutorial video I found on Pinterest.
Join three sides of the bag, making sure the heart and flower panels are facing the correct direction before you start stitching.

You can absolutely join the pieces with regular slip stitches-I just prefer the decorative look of the zig-zag join.

Handle

Make a chain as long as you want your handle to be (I made 72 chains).
After that, ch 2, turn, and work two rows of half double crochet (hdc).

Handle Frill Border (Pink)

To add the frilly edge:

Work 1 sc,
Then ch 3,
Skip 1 stitch,
Work 1 sc in the next stitch.

Repeat this pattern all the way around the handle to create the ruffled border.

Finally, attach the handle to the bag using slip stitches.

You can also add a fabric lining and a zipper to make your bag stronger, more durable, and more secure.

⭐Final Words

Well done! You’ve made such a cute bag! 🌸
Take a moment to admire your work and appreciate all the time and effort you put into it. You deserve it!

If you share your finished bag on Instagram, don’t forget to tag me! I would love to see your creations!

This pattern is my original work. You’re welcome to sell the finished product, but reposting, copying, or distributing the pattern itself is not allowed

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