Knitted Beautiful Bag

Oh, I absolutely adore knitted beautiful bags! They are not just stylish accessories but also perfect for carrying your essentials in a unique and eye-catching way. The intricate patterns and soft textures make them stand out in a crowd and add a cozy charm to any outfit. Plus, they are often handmade with love and attention to detail, giving them a special touch that mass-produced bags can’t quite match. Knitted beautiful bags are a wonderful way to show off your personal style and support skilled artisans at the same time. Carry one of these lovelies, and you’re sure to turn heads and receive compliments wherever you go!

SIZE

One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Height: 13 inches

Width: 13.5 inches

Depth: 4 inches

MATERIALS

Handspun sport-weight 3-ply linen yarn from Euroflax long line flax - 1 strick/7 oz, wpi 14-15; approx. 264yd/241m (5.3 ounces/150 grams)

See Pattern Notes re. yarn substitution.

Recommended needle size:

1 US #5/3.75mm 24-inch circular needle

1 US #6/4.0mm 24-inch circular needle

1 set US #6/4.0 mm double-point needles

[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]

Stitch Markers

Tapestry Needle

Approx. 1.5 yards lining fabric (Note: See Pattern Notes before buying fabric)

1.5 yards mid-weight fusible interfacing

1 piece Timtex stabilizer or plastic canvas for bottom, approx. 12 x 4 inches

Bag handles (I used Grayson E leather handles, large rolled 25 inches, sold in a set of two)

Sewing thread in colors to match both lining and bag

Heavy-duty quilting or buttonhole thread – used to attach handle

Sewing machine

Straight pins

GAUGE

17 sts/24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st using US #6/4.0mm needles, lightly blocked

Note: Correct gauge is not critical for this project, but your final measurements and yardage requirements may vary if your gauge is different.

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

You can easily substitute a commercial sport or DK weight linen, hemp, or cotton yarn. Good substitutes include Euroflax Sport Weight, Hemp for Knitting Allhemp6, Berroco’s NaturLin, or Knit Picks CotLin. Remember that yardage requirements (and gauge) may vary with another yarn.

The size of the finished bag will also vary according to how severely you choose to block the lace. I preferred a lightly blocked, rustic look. It’s best to finish the knitting and blocking before buying the lining fabric.

While it’s possible to sew the lining by hand, doing so by machine will greatly increase the strength of the bag.

Bead Stitch (Worked in the round over a multiple of 7 sts):

Round 1: [K1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1] to end.

Round 2: [K2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk] to end.

Round 3: [K1, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k1] to end.

Round 4: [K2, yo, k3tog, yo, k2] to end.

Repeat these 4 rounds for Bead Stitch.

Adapted for knitting in the round from Barbara Walker’s first A Treasury of Knitting Patterns

Three-Needle Bind Off

Hold both pieces of knitting with wrong sides together.

Insert needle into first st on front needle and first st on back needle, and knit them together. *Repeat this for the next st on the front and back needles. Draw the first st worked over the second st.*

Repeat from * to * until all sts have been bound off. Break yarn and draw through remaining st.

DIRECTIONS

Using smaller circular needle, CO 112 sts. Place marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

K 7 rounds.

P 1 round. This round forms a turning ridge for the facing.

Using larger circular needle, k 5 rounds.

Work in Bead Stitch until work measures 13 inches from turning ridge or desired length, ending with Round 4 of pattern.

Next Round: K14, place marker, k42, place marker, k14, place marker, k42.

P 1 round.

Shape Bag Bottom:

K 1 round.

Decrease Round: [Ssk, k to 2 sts before marker, k2tog] 4 times.

Repeat these 2 rows 5 times more. 64 sts; 2 sts remain between each pair of markers.

Next Round: K2tog, remove marker, k to next marker, remove marker, k2tog, remove marker, k30. 62 sts.

Slip first 32 sts to smaller needle; 30 sts remain on larger needle. With RS facing, join bottom of bag using Three-Needle Bind Off, working 2 sts together at beginning and end of smaller needle. BO will form a ridge on RS of work.

FINISHING

Weave in all ends.

Hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry. When the fabric is nearly dry, iron bag from the WS, gently stretching lace pattern to desired openness. The more pressure you apply, the flatter and shinier your fabric will be.

If you prefer a more textured, rustic fabric, press lightly.

Lining:

Once the bag is blocked and dry, lay it flat and measure its height and width. Double the width of the bag to find its circumference.

Cut a piece of lining fabric with the following measurements:

Width:

Bag circumference + 1 inch

Height:

[2 x Bag height] + 3 inches

Cut a piece of fusible interfacing that is 1 inch smaller than the lining in both height and width. Apply interfacing to WS of lining, centering it so that the 0.5-inch seam allowances are not interfaced.

Fold lining in half widthwise with WSs together as shown in diagram. Press the fold; this fold will become the upper edge of the lining once it is inserted.

Unfold lining. If you wish to sew pockets and add them to the inside of the lining, do so now. Fold in half lengthwise with RSs together and sew along side edge of lining, forming a tube with the same circumference as the bag. Press seam open.

Fold half of the tube outwards along the pressed fold line, so that WS of fabric is completely hidden. Sew a seam close to fold line.

Lay lining flat and sew across lower (cut) edges, through all 4 thicknesses. Press seam open. Form gusset by opening bag lining flat, with bottom seam at center of bag bottom. Sew straight across “triangles” at corners, approx. 2.5 inches in from ends. Secure triangles on outside of bottom with a few stitches.

Base:

Cut Timtex or plastic canvas to measurements of bottom gusset, and cut two pieces of lining fabric that are 1 inch longer and wider than the plastic canvas pieces. With RSs together, sew pieces of fabric together along three edges, forming a pocket for the canvas. Turn pocket right side out and press seams. Insert plastic canvas and sew pocket closed by hand.

Place lining inside knitted bag and pin into place. Fold knitted facing to inside along turning ridge and stitch to lining through all layers by hand (use thread to match the knitted bag, not the lining). Sew through all layers around bottom of bag along purl round at beginning of gusset and across ridge of BO. This will ensure that the lining and knitted bag hold their shape. Insert base into bag and tack down by hand.

Sew handles to bag through all thicknesses using heavy-duty thread.