Barbara Coddington Little Red Hen Studio www.littleredhen.com.au I love teeny handbags but since having kids haven't been able to get away with carrying anything smaller than a backpacker's delight. (Need room for toys and hats and packets of emergency biscuits!) This little lace bag, a bit of wishful thinking on my part, is for times when all you need are keys, a credit card and a wee mobile phone...but you could probably fit a little box of sultanas, in case you or someone you know gets a little peckish.
Necessities
Pattern info
Bag back/front (make 2)
YarnBouton d'Or Flash $88\%$ viscose $12\%$ polyamid, $125\ m/137$ yds, 50 g).Colour: Girasol/227. Needles etc. One pair $3.5\ \mathrm{\mm}$ (US4) needles, plus one spare dpn in $3.5\,\textrm{m m}$ or similar size, ribbon for drawstring, two beads for wrist strap/drawstring, needle for sewing up. Tension 26 sts and 32 rows to 10 cm (4") in st st. Tension isn't crucial to this project as long as the fabric is fairly firm, so you could easily use any yarn that will show the stitch definition. Finishedmeasurements $11.5\,\mathsf{c m}$ widex $12\;\mathrm{cm}$ high $(4^{1}/2^{"}$ by $4\%^{\prime\prime}$ )at centrefront Note If you do use the yarn used originally. be aware that it tends to grow and stretch when washed, so spot-clean only.
Lace pattern (multiple of 9 sts $+8$ Row 1 (RS): K 1, \*k2tog three times, (k 1, m1) three times, m1. Repeat from \* to last 7 sts, k2tog three times, k 1. Row 2 (WS): Knit. Row 3 (RS): Knit. Row 4 (WS): Purl. (See below for charted pattern.) NOTE In the first pattern repeat, use a YO for the m1 increase to create a row of eyelets at the top of the bag for a ribbon or drawstring strap. In subsequent pattern repeats, use a lifted stitch for the m1 to give a firmer fabric-helps keep little bits and pieces like keys from poking through. M1 (lifted) Insert tip of right needle from back under the strand between the last stitch on the right needle and the next stitch to be knitted on the left needle. Insert tip of the left needle through the front of strand just lifted on the right needle from left to right; knit the lifted stitch to make one. Cast on 35 sts. Knit four rows st st, ending on WS. Begin lace pattern, remembering to use a YO in the frst pattern repeat and lifted stitches in the rest of the bag piece (see note). Knit a total of 13 pattern repeats, ending on a purl row. (There should be one garter stitch ridge for each pattern repeat.) Don't cast off. Instead, break thread, leaving a tail of about $^\textrm{\scriptsize1m}$ for sewing up. Leave sts for one side on a spare needle (a double-pointed needle is handy for this).
Three-needle cast off/finishing
Bring the two pieces together, right sides facing, with one needle the front' needle, and the other the back' needle. Cast off all stitches using three-needle cast off Now, holding the bag with wrong sides together, use mattress stitch to join the sides. Cut twoequallengths ofthe drawstring ribbon, each about half a metre. Thread them through the eyelet holes in opposite directions, thread the ends through the beads and tie off.
