Hobo Bag
A Simple Knits design
This slouchy bag is knit in one piece from beginning to end using short rows for shaping. Cast on at the strap and work your way around to form the body of the bag. You'll need about 350 yards of worsted weight yarn and a pair of size 7 (4.5 mm) needles. The bag pictured above is the large size and was knit with I Love This Yarn in the Hot Stripes colorway. This multi color yarn lets you see how the bag grows. Instructions for a smaller version are included. Knit it with any worsted weight yarn. Felt it if you make it with wool or a feltable fiber. Add the optional tab and button closure and line the bag, if desired. A tutorial for preventing holes in short rows is included.
① 2010 Vicki Mikulak
All rights reserved.
For personal, non-commercial use only. Questions? simple.knits@ yahoo.com Revised 11/24/2014
Materials:
350 yards of worsted weight yarn Size 7 (4.5 mm) 24" circular knitting needle Yarn needle 1" metal ring or keyring 1button fabric for lining and pocket (optional) Gauge: 4 sts & 9 rows = 1" Size: Large: 17" wide x 10" deep (not including strap) Key: cO - cast on BO -bind off pfbf- purl in front, back, and front of stitch (2 st increase) kfb - knit in front and back of stitch (1 st increase) k2tog - knit 2 sts together (1 st decrease) pfb - purl in front and back of stitch (1 st increase) p2tog - purl 2 sts together (1 st decrease) ssk - slip, slip, knit (1 st decrease) psp - purl 1 st, return it to the left needle and pass the next st over it; move st back to the right needle (1 st decrease) close gap - on slipped stitch, lift the stitch hugging it onto left needle and knit (or purl) it together with the original stitch to close short row gap (pictures and a tutorial are on the last page) NOTE: Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise and take yarn to the back after slipping it for a neat chain stitch along the edge.
Instructions:
CO 6 sts leaving a 6-8" tail for sewing the strap. Row 1 (Strap): k6. Repeat Row 1 until strap is about 2" long.
Increase Section:
Row 2: K2, kfb, k3. (7 sts) Row 3: K3, pfbf, K3. (9 sts) Row 4: K3, kfb, k1, kfb, k3. (11 sts) Row 5: K3, pfb, purl to last 4 sts, pfb, k3. (13 sts) Row 6: K3, kfb, k to last 4 sts, kfb, k3 (15 sts) Rows 7-36: Repeat Rows 5 & 6 (15x). (75 sts) (For a smaller bag increase to 61 sts.) Row 37: K3, purl across to last 3 sts, K3.
Short Row Section:
Row 38: K72 (leaving 3 sts unworked at end of row). Row 39: Turn, slip 1st st (snug it up); p68 (leaving 3 sts unworked at end of row). Row 40: Turn, slip 1st st; k66 sts (5 sts unworked). Row 41: Turn, slip 1"t st; p64 sts (5 sts unworked). Rows 42-69: Repeat Rows 40 & 41 (14x) leaving 2 more stitches unworked each time through until you have 9 sts still in service on the last purl row (slip 1st st, p8). Tip! See the gap by the last slipped st? You'll stop knitting on the next short row 2 stitches before that gap. Row 70: Turn, slip 1st st, k7, close gap, repeat (k1, close gap) to the last 3 sts, k3. (All sts on this end back in service). Row 71: K3, purl to 1 st before gap, close gap and repeat (p1, close gap) to the last 3 sts, k3. (75 sts) Row 72: Knit (75 sts). Row 73: K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3. Rows 74-179: Repeat Rows 38-73 twice and Rows 38-71once.
Decrease Section:
Row 180: K3, k2tog, knit to last 5 sts, ssk, k3. (73 sts) Row 181: K3, psp, purl to last 5 sts, p2tog, k3. (71 sts) Rows 182-212: Repeat Rows 180 & 181 (15x) and Row 180 once. (9 sts) Row 213: K4, k2tog, k3. (8 sts) Row 214: K3, k2t0g, k3. (7 sts) Row 215: K2, k2t0g, k3. (6 sts)
Strap:
Knit even for 16" (or as short/long as you like). BO all sts. Cut yarn leaving a long tail Fold the strap end over the ring and sew securely. Do this with the other end of the strap making sure you don't twist it.
Tab closure (optional):
Pick up 7 sts in the middle of the top back edge. Rows 1-8: Knit 8 rows. Row 9: K1, kfb across to last st. k1. Row 10: K 1 row. Row 11 (buttonhole row): K4, k2tog, yo 2x ssk, k4. Row 12: K6, p1, k5. Row 13: K2, ssk, k4, k2tog, k2. Row 14: K1 row. Row 15: K2, ssk, k2, k2tog, k2. (8 sts) Row 16: Ssk twice, k2tog twice. BO all sts. Pull up on loop of last stitch until loop is about 3" long. Cut loop at top; pull to remove loose yarn. Sew button on front of bag under buttonhole. Weave in all yarn tails.
Lining the bag: (optional):
Lay bag flat on a piece of newspaper. Trace around bag body, adding a seam allowance. Using this pattern, cut 2 pieces from fabric. If you'd like a pocket, cut out a pocket piece. Fold the top edge of pocket piece down and sew along the edge. Fold and press the other three edges to the back of the pocket piece. Pin in place on the right side of the bag lining. Stitch pocket in place. Then place the two lining pieces right sides together and sew a seam along the curved edge. Fold top edges under and sew along them. Place the lining inside the bag. Pin in place. With a needle and thread hand stitch the lining into place just under the top edge of the bag.
How to close the gap and prevent holes from the short rows:
You'll notice that the stitches cluster in pairs as you knit the short rows. The first stitch of each pair is knit (or purled). The second one will be used to close the gap on Rows 40 & 41. #1 The second stitch of a pair is in green. Do you see the yellow stitch below it hugging the green stitch? This is the stitch you need to lift onto your knitting needle. #2 Take your right needle tip and lift the yellow stitch onto your left knitting needle next to the original stitch. ← #3 The original (green) stitch and the lifted (yellow) stitch are now on the left needle. K2tog these two stitches to close the gap. (On a purl row, you'll p2tog these two stitches.)
