Wheatear Stitch Crochet Bag – Free Video Tutorial, Part 1: The Base

This wheatear stitch crochet bag is a round drawstring bag in soft, chunky texture: plump little “wheat ears” stacked row on row in variegated blue, green and lilac cotton, finished with a white drawstring and a pearl chain strap. It is built on a ready-made bag base piece, which gives the bottom a firm, flat shape, and you crochet straight into the holes around its edge.

This video is part one of the bag: it covers the base and the first rounds that start the sides. It ends just as the wheat ear stitch pattern is about to begin. Watch the video, then use the written steps below. They are the video’s own subtitles, word for word, so you can follow along at your own pace.

What You’ll Need

Yarn: the video uses 4-strand combed cotton yarn for the main part, crocheted with two strands held together.

Hook: a 3.0mm crochet hook (US D-3) for the main body.

Bag base: a separate base piece for the bottom of the bag. The one in the video is 11cm by 14cm with 36 holes in total.

You’ll also need: a stitch marker, a yarn needle and scissors.

Shop the supplies: combed cotton yarn · 3.0mm crochet hook · bag base with holes · stitch markers · yarn needles

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Watch the Video Tutorial

Step-by-Step: The Video Subtitles

These are the video’s subtitles, copied word for word. The video has no chapters, so they are split into seven parts, each with the time it starts in the video.

Part 1 (0:00)

Recording a tutorial for crocheting our wheat ear flower bag.
Crochet tutorial.
We use 4-strand combed cotton yarn for the main part.
Crochet using two strands of yarn held together.
For the main body, we use a 3.0mm crochet hook (US D-3).
For this bag,
the bottom has a separate base piece.
This gives the center better support.
The specifications for the bag base
are 11cm by 14cm.
The base piece has 36 holes in total.

Part 2 (0:28)

Now we’ll start crocheting from the very beginning.
Leave a yarn tail
about 3 meters long at the start.
After pulling out a 3-meter tail,
make a slip knot in the center.
Tighten.
Hold the yarn with your left hand.
Wrap the yarn over your left index finger and pinky.
Hold the crossed point with
your thumb and middle finger.
Take out the bag base piece.
The base has 36 holes in total.
You can start in any hole you like.
I’ll start
at
the rivet hole in the upper right corner.
Begin crocheting from there.
Insert the hook, yarn over, and pull up a loop.
This is the raised side.
Work on the raised side facing up.
The flat side is the inside of the bag.
This is the inside of the bag base.
This is the bottom.
Yarn over, draw through with the hook.
This is a slip stitch.
This does not count as a stitch.
Don’t crochet over the starting yarn tail.
Work a single crochet into the same hole.
Insert, yarn over, and pull up a loop.
Pull up the loop a little longer.
The height should match the hook tip.
About the height of the bag base edge.
That’s fine.
Yarn over, draw through for the first single crochet.
Place a stitch marker in the first stitch.
Put the marker through both top loops.
Next, insert the hook again in the same hole.
Through both top loops.
Continue.
Insert and work another single crochet in the same hole.
Now you have two single crochets.
That’s two single crochets.
Now into the next hole.
Insert, pull up a loop.
Lengthen the loop slightly.
You should have two loops on the hook, yarn over.
Pull through both for a single crochet.
Work another single crochet into the same hole.
Yarn over, draw through for another single crochet.

Starting the first round in the holes of the bag base piece

Part 3 (2:28)

Leave the starting tail on the right side for now.
We’ll weave it in later.
After going all the way around,
the center hole will still be empty.
We’ll use the starting tail to fill it at the end.
It’s fine.
So, for now,
work two single crochets into each hole.
There will be 72 single crochets in this round.
36 holes, two single crochets in each = 72.
That’s a multiple of three.
This is perfect for the wheat ear pattern.
The stitch count is just right.
Work two single crochets in every hole.
Complete the whole round in the same way.
In the last hole, also work two single crochets.
When you finish, go back to the marker.
Remove the stitch marker.
Where the marker was,
Slip stitch to join to the first single crochet.
This is a slip stitch join.
Insert hook, yarn over, pull through both loops.
This is called a slip stitch.
It joins the round and does not count as a stitch.
Now the small “V” on the edge—
Pull it tight up and down.
Pull tight, then chain one.
Chain one, set aside for now.
Leave this yarn tail for now.

Working two single crochets into each hole of the bag base

Part 4 (4:12)

Next, use the 3-meter tail
to fill the center hole.
Check the first yarn tail.
Insert it into the center hole.
Now, in the next hole,
insert the hook.
Work in the next hole.
Hold the yarn with your left hand.
Wrap the 3-meter tail over your left pinky and index finger.
Control the tension with your left hand.
Now the yarn tail.
Skip a hole, go to the next one.
Insert and pull up a loop at the next stitch.
Then insert in the next stitch.
Yarn over and draw up a loop.
Pull the hook back a bit.
Bring the first loop
through the back loop.
This is a slip stitch.
Make the loop slightly longer.
Insert into the next hole and pull up a loop.
Pull the hook back a bit.
Bring the loop through.
Continue to the next stitch, and repeat.
Good. Bring the loop forward and through the back loop.
Repeat all the way around.
This closes the center hole.
That’s it.
Keep each loop the same length for even results.
This gives a neat appearance.
The stitches will look tidy and professional.

Using the starting yarn tail to close the center hole of the base

Part 5 (5:45)

After reaching the last hole,
make the last stitch.
Finish this stitch first.
Now make an invisible close.
Cut the yarn tail
leaving about 10cm.
Then, thread the yarn tail
through a yarn needle.
Adjust the loop a bit
so the closing stitches match the others.
Make sure they’re the same size.
Grab a yarn needle.
Thread the yarn tail through the needle.
Find the first stitch.
This is the first stitch.
Go from right to left through the first two stitches.
Do this through each stitch twice.
Adjust the loop
so it matches the others.
The size, tension, and direction should be similar.
Now go to the last stitch in the round.
From the last stitch,
go to the first stitch.
That’s the last stitch.
From the last stitch,
loop through
just the inner loop.
Pick up only the inside strand (working with two yarns).
Adjust both yarns as needed.
Thread both ends through.
Pull through.
Tighten the loop a little bit.
Now the centers are even.
Now, from the center hole
poke the needle to the back.
Pass the yarn tail to the inside.
This is how you make it invisible.
After joining,
next
hide the yarn tail inside the work.
Go through some stitches with the yarn needle.
Tie a knot inside.
Tidy up.
Use the yarn needle to
bury the yarn tail into your crochet work.
After weaving in a few stitches, trim the yarn tail.
Now the base of the bag is complete.

Part 6 (8:10)

Next,
continue crocheting upward.
At the rivet area,
the raised side should
face toward you.
We’ve already made a chain.
This round
has 72 single crochets.
Every stitch has two loops:
The one farther from you is the “back loop.”
The one closer to you is the “front loop.”
Each stitch is made of a back and front loop.
Back and front loops.
Again, the farther one is the back loop, the closer one is the front loop.
Now crochet another round of single crochets
working in the back loops only.
The slip stitch
was done in this stitch, not counted.
The first stitch
is at the join.
Work into the first back loop.
Crochet a single crochet into the back loop.
Good.
Mark the first single crochet with a stitch marker.
Continue as before in every stitch.
Insert into each back loop and make single crochet.
Keep working single crochet into each back loop.
Insert, yarn over, make a single crochet.
Repeat for every stitch of the round.
No increases, no decreases.
One single crochet per stitch.
At the end, you’ll have 72 single crochets.
There should be 72 stitches total.
Count your stitches to check.
Remove the stitch marker.
Slip stitch at the marker position to join.
Slip stitch to join the round.
Insert hook, pull yarn through both loops.
Slip stitch, pull tight.
Chain one to stand up for the next round.

Part 7 (10:11)

Now work the next round of single crochets.
Crochet a full round.
For this round,
insert hook under both loops for each stitch.
Work one single crochet per stitch through both loops.
Mark the first stitch.
Pick up both front and back loops on every stitch.
Work through both loops.
A full round of single crochet, no increases or decreases.
One single crochet in each stitch.
You should have 72 stitches at the end.
Total stitch count is still 72.
When finished, count your stitches.
If correct,
find the first stitch,
and slip stitch to join the round.
Now the section is done.
The rows will begin to look 3D.
The fabric will curl upward into the bag shape.
At the seam,
it forms a perfect edge.
With this,
the base section is finished.
Next, we’ll start working on the wheat ear stitch pattern.

Single crochet in the back loops with a stitch marker in the first stitch

Wheatear Stitch Bag Tips

Leave the long tail. The video leaves a 3-meter tail at the start because it is used later to fill the center hole of the base, so do not cut it short.
Raised side up. Work with the raised side of the base facing up; the flat side is the inside of the bag.
Count to 72. Two single crochets in each of the 36 holes gives 72, a multiple of three, which is what the wheat ear pattern needs. Count at the end of each round, as the video does.
Even loops. Keeping each loop the same length is what makes the closed center look neat.