This bag is just one long strip of stockinette stitch, folded and seamed. The yarn is so thick and furry that when knitted at this gauge, it doesn’t need a lining. Just add a cord for the handle, decorate it, and off you go!
ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE
It took 7 hours to knit the bag, plus 1 hour to sew and decorate it: 8 hours total.
ABOUT THIS YARN
Sirdar Wow! is a super-thick 100% polyester chenille yarn with 64 yds. (58 m) to a 100 g (approx. 3½ oz.) ball.
SIZE
Width: 10½ in. (27 cm); length: 12 in. (30.5 cm) excluding fringe
YOU WILL NEED
• 3 x 100 g balls (approx. 10½ oz.) of Sirdar Wow! in Jet Black, shade 753 (A)
• pair of size US 10 (6 mm) knitting needles
• 1 x 100 g ball (approx. 3½ oz.) of Sirdar Pure Cotton 4-ply in Black, shade 41(B)
• assorted ½ –2 in. (1.5–5 cm)-wide mother-of-pearl buttons
• 21-in. (54-cm) length of purchased fringe
• black sewing thread and sewing needle
• tapestry needle
GAUGE
11 sts and 14 rows to 4 in. (10 cm) over st-st on size US 10 (6 mm) needles. Change needle size, if necessary, to obtain this gauge.
ABBREVIATIONS
beg = beginning; k = knit; st(s) = stitch(es); st-st = stockinette st.
NOTE
• The gauge given here is tighter and the needle size is smaller than usual for Wow! to make a firm fabric for the bag.
BAG
Using A, cast on 30 sts.
Beg k row, st-st until bag measures 32½ in. (82 cm), ending with a k row. Bind off knitwise.
TO FINISH
Leaving 8½ in. (22 cm) free for flap, fold up lower 12 in. (30.5 cm) of bag and join side seams. Weave in the yarn ends.
Fold fringe in half, join ends, and sew along fold at lower edge of bag. Using 6 x 10-yds. (9-m) lengths of B doubled, make a twisted cord (see page 155) approximately 50 in. (127 cm) long with 5-in (13-cm) tassels of yarn after the knots at each end. Sew cord on bag for handle. Sew on buttons to decorate the bag flap, as shown at right.
TIPS
• Knot the end of the yarn before you start to knit to keep it from shedding.
• Always join in new yarn at the start of a row, never in the middle.
• To weave in yarn ends neatly, ease out the chenille fibers to leave a thin strand of thread, which will be easy to hide in the seam.
• Instead of using the chenille yarn, you may find it easier to sew the seams with sewing thread and a tapestry needle. Take 1 stitch in from each side to make a strong seam.
• If you don’t want to make a cord, you can buy one instead. In this case, you won’t need the 4-ply 100% cotton yarn.
• Instead of using mother-of-pearl buttons, you could decorate your bag with colored buttons, beads, or sequins.
Get that vintage look with this velvety bag decorated with mother-of-pearl buttons.
