Witty Knitter Evening Bag

here's the picture!



The bag is made out of scraps of roughly the same weight, or about 50 metres of any one colour. It is knitted on needles approximately two sizes smaller than you would normally use for that weight of yarn – the fabric needs to be very firm, even tight. The hole at the top looks very small and will keep most things in when the button is closed, but it stretches to take in your whole hand when the buttons are open.

Different yarn weights will make up into different sizes: I made it out of chunky weight yarns on 4.5mm needles and it made up to about 15cm wide at the bottom and 19cm wide at the top. It is about 15cm high.

You can put in any stripes you like, but it’s best to consistently change yarn at the beginning of either a decrease row or a plain knit row. I prefer the look if it’s done on the decrease row.

Skp means slip 1 stitch, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over.

Making the bag:

Using a provisional cast on, cast on 60 stitches. Knit 6 rows. Then begin the shaping as follows:
K18, skp, knit until 21 sts remain, skp, knit to end.
Next row: knit
Next row: K17, skp, Knit until 20 sts remain, skp, knit to end.
Next row knit.
Next row: Next row: K16, skp, Knit until 19 sts remain, skp, knit to end.
Next row knit.

Continue in this way until all the middle stitches have been decreased away.
Next row: K to middle two stiches, knit 2 tog, knit to end.
Next row: cast off.

Return to the cast on stitches and work the other side to match, making sure that the decrease rows are worked on the same side of the fabric as on the first side. If necessary work another row of garter stitch before beginning the shaping to ensure this.

Run in any loose ends.

Crochet top: working on each side from the outside towards the middle, double crochet the two open edges together, leaving the middle 1 cm (1/2 inch) open and continuing the crochet on one open edge to the cast off edge. On the other edge, neaten with crochet, finishing with a loop at the middle of 5 chains. Return to the other side and repeat, making sure that the button ends up on the other side of the opening.

Strap: Using two double pointed needles, work an i-cord strap as follows:
Cast on 3 stiches, pick up and knit one stitch into a top corner of the bag, *Push stitches back to the other end of the needles, knit 4. Repeat from *, pulling yarn tight at the beginning of each row until the handles is as long as you want. Finish last row Knit 3, slip one, pick up and knit a stitch in the other top corner, pass slip stitch over, push yarn to the other end of the needle and cast off.


This pattern is copyright to Mary-Helen Ward, 2005. You are welcome to make copies for yourself, but please don't make copies for other people or make this bag for sale.