I've had a few requests for the bag pattern I posted pics of last week, so here it is! This is my first stab at a pattern, so if you have any questions just shoot me an email at amy@knitcollage.com and hopefully I'll be able to help.
Materials
3 Skeins of Aqua Frost or any color of Pixie Dust yarn
1 pair of size US 19 needles
½ yd of fabric for inside lining and button- fabric colors should work with whichever yarn colorway you chose.
Gauge: Approximately 1 stitch per 1".
Step 1: Knitting the bag
Front Bag Panel
#1. Cast on 17 stitches
#2. Work 14 rows in stocking stitch
#3. Row 15: Cast off all stitches- you finished the front panel!
Back Bag Panel
#4. Cast on 17 stitches
#5. Work 18 rows in stocking stitch
#6. Row 19: K2TOG, K13, K2TOG (you will have 15 stitches remaining)
#7. Row 20: Purl
#8. Row 21: K2TOG, K11, K2TOG (13 stitches remain)
#9. Row 22: P2TOG, P9, P2TOG (11 stitches remain)
#10. Row 23: K2TOG, K7, K2TOG (9 stitches remain)
#11. Row 24: P2TOG, P5, P2TOG (7 stitches remain)
#12. Row 25: K2TOG, K3, K2TOG (5 stitches remain)
#13. Row 26: P2TOG, P1, P2TOG (3 stitches remain)
#14. Row 27: Cast off 1 stitch, K1, cast off last stitch (1 stitch remains)
#15. Row 28: Cast off last stitch
Now join front and back bag panels using your fingers and a long strand of yarn to sew the sides of the bag together. The back panel should be longer to create an envelope-like flap that will extend over the bag opening to the front side of the bag.
Step 2: Making your bag lining, button and button loop
We definitely recommend adding a bag lining to this bag since the texture of the knit is super loose. You don’t want your possessions falling through!
For instructions on how to add a lining to knitted bag, please visit this following link: http://www.helloknitty.com/pdfs/Lining.pdf
Note: When attaching your lining, add in a yarn button loop. We used a 2 1/2” strand of yarn stitched into the top edge of the bag flap sandwiched between the sweater knit and the lining fabric to create a clean finish. See below photo of reference.
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For your button, feel free to use any button you like, stitching it to the bag at the exact point where your button loops fits over the button perfectly (for us this is 3 1/4“ up from the bottom bag edge, centered between the bag side seams). We created a button from our lining fabric. If you’d like to do this, simply cut out 2 pieces of fabric in a circle shape 2 ½” in diameter. We used neon green thread to stitch the 2 pieces of fabric together ¼” in from the outside circle edge. Leaving about ½” of the circle still open, stuff extra yarn inside the button to create the puffy shape shown here. Then stitch up the remaining ½”.
Step 3: Braiding your bag handle:
To make the straps, measure and cut 6 strips of yarn that are each 50” long. Leaving a 3” tail, tie all 6 strands into a knot. Then braid the yarn strands together (each strand will be 2 ends of yarn). The bag strap width is approximately 1"- 1 1/2". Tie a knot at the end leaving a 3” tail like you did when you started the braid, voila your strap is finished! Stitch to side seams of bag.
The braided strap.
Knotted start and end of braided strap detail
Step 4: Adding the fringe
Using your extra yarn, add fringe along the side seams and bottom edge of the bag. Our fringe is 11”-12” strips of yarn. When finished, the final fringe length measures between 6” and 6 ½”. For a reference on how to make fringe, see the below sketch:
Detail shot of our fringe.
Voila, you are finished!