Baker's Dozen Handbag
by Cate Carter-Evans
Baker's twine meets a sweet-and-simple handbag design that's the perfect size for an extended coffee break: Tuck in a small project bag or a paperback plus your other essentials, head to your local bakery, and enjoy a sweet treat! Worked flat in a simple eyelet pattern and stitched along the sides with mattress stitch, sturdy Market Cotton knits up into a delightful everyday bag.
About this Pattern
Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate. Skills Needed: Basic knitting skills, plus increases (kfb, yo), decreases (ssk, k2tog). Finished Size: 13 inches / 33 cm at widest point, 8 inches / 21 cm tall (not including handles).
Yarn:
Infinite Twist Market Cotton, 200 yards. Samples shown in Lavender / white, and Red / white. Needles: U.S. size 7/4.5 mm Gauge: 17 sts and 24 rows over 4 inches / 10 cm.
Notions:
Bamboo handles - outer dimensions: 7 inches / 18 cm wide, 5 inches / 13 cm tall Decorativetassels Stitch markers Yarnneedle
Abbreviations
K: Knit K2tog: Knit 2 sts together - 1 st decreased Kfb: Knit into the front of the stitch, and then the back of the st. — increases 1 st P: Purl P2tog: Purl 2 sts together. — 1 st decreased Ssk: Slip 1 st knit-wise, slip 1 more st, knit the slipped sts through the front from the right-hand needle. — 1 st decreased St St: Stockinette (stocking) stitch - Working flat, knit RS rows, purl wS rows
Handle Tab
Cast on 34 stitches, leaving a 20 inch / 50 cm for sewing the handle. Work in stockinette stitch (working flat, knit RS rows, purl wS rows) with selvedge stitches as follows: Row 1: sl 1 knitwise, k 33. 34 sts. Row 2: sl 1 purlwise, p 33. Row 3 - 14: work as rows 1 and 2. Row 15: kfb, knit until 1 st remains, kfb. 36 sts. Row 16: k2, purl until 2 sts remain, k2. 36 sts. The knit stitches which start and end this row (which are purls on the facing side) indicate the stitch line for the handle tab.
Body of Bag
Pattern note: body row numbers restart from 1. Row 1: Kfb, k 36, kfb. 38 sts. Row 2: P38. Row 3: Kfb, k 38, kfb. 40 sts. Row 4: P40. Row 5: Kfb, k2, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 3 times, k2tog, yo, ssk, k2, kfb. 38 sts. Row 6: P5, [kfb, p8] 3 times, kfb, p5. 42 sts. Row 7: Kfb, k40, kfb. 44 sts. Row 8: P44. Row 9: Kfb, k42, kfb. 46 sts. Row 10: P46. Row 11: Kfb, k44, kfb. 48 sts. Row 12: P48. Row 13: kfb, k1, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 4 times, k2tog, yo, ssk, k1, kfb. 45 sts. Row 14: P4, [kfb, p8] 4 times, kfb, p4. 50 sts Row 15 - 20: Work in stockinette. Row 21: Kfb, k7, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 4 times, k1, kfb. 48 sts. Row 22: P10, [kfb, p8] 4 times, p2. 52 sts. Row 23 - 28: Work in stockinette. Row 29: Kfb, k3, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 4 times, k2tog, yo, ssk, k3, kfb. 49 sts. Row 30: P6, [kfb, p8] 4 times, kfb, p6. 54 sts. Row 31 - 36: Work in stockinette. Row 37: K10, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 4 times, k4. 50 sts. Row 38: P11, [kfb, p8] 4 times, p3. 54 sts. Row 39: K54. Row 40: P54. Row 41: K2tog, k50, ssk. 52 sts. Row 42: P52. Row 43: K2tog, k48, ssk. 50 sts. Row 44: P50. Row 45: K2tog, k46, ssk. 48 sts. Row 46: P48. Halfway done! This row will be the bottom of your bag. Row 47: K48. Row 48: P48. Row 49: Kfb, k46, kfb. 50sts. Row 50: P50. Row 51: Kfb, k48, kfb. 52 sts. Row 52: P52. Row 53: Kfb, k 50, kfb. 54 sts. Row 54: P54. Row 55: K10, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 4 times, k4. 50 sts. Row 56: P11, [kfb, p8] 4 times, p3. 54 sts. Row 57 - 62: work in stockinette. Row 63: K2tog, k3, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 4 times, k2tog, yo, ssk, k3, ssk. 47 sts. Row 64: P5, [kfb, p8] 4 times, kfb, p5. 52 sts. Row 65 - 70: work in stockinette. Row 71: K2tog, k7, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 4 times, k1, ssk. 46 sts. Row 72: P9, [kfb, p8] 4 times, p1. 50 sts. Row 73 - 78: Work in stockinette. Row 79: K2tog, kl, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 4 times, k2tog, yo, ssk, k1, ssk. 43 sts. Row 80: P3, [kfb, p8] 4 times, kfb, p3. 48 sts. Row 81: K48. Row 82: P48. Row 83: K2tog, k44, ssk. 46 sts. Row 84: P46. Row 85: K2tog, k42, ssk. 44 sts. Row 86: P44. Row 87: k2tog, k3, [k2tog, yo, ssk, k6] 3 times, k2tog, yo, ssk, k3, ssk. 42 sts. Row 88: P5, [kfb, p8] 3 times, kfb, p5. 42 sts. Row 89: K2tog, k38, ssk. 40 sts. Row 90: P40. Row 91: K2tog, k36, ssk. 38sts. Row 92: P 38. Row 93: K2tog, k34, ssk. 36sts.
Handle Tab
Row 1: k2, purl until 2 sts remain, k2. The knit stitches which start and end this row (which are purls on the facing side) indicate the stitch line for the handle tab. Row 2: k2tog, k32, ssk. 34 sts. Row 3: sl 1 purlwise, p 33. 34 sts. Row 4: sl 1 knitwise, k 33. Rows 5 - 16: work as rows 3 & 4. Bind off all stitches, leaving a 20 inch / 50 cm tail for sewing the handle.
Making up
Weave in any loose ends (other than the lengths purposely left for sewing the handles) with a yarn needle, and wet block your work. when dry, gently press into shape with a steam iron on the wool setting. Fold the handle tabs over the flat side of the handles. Using the purl bumps on the handle tabs as a guide for placement of the cast-on and cast-off edges of the handle tabs, stitch the handle tabs in place, stitching along one row of purls on the inside of the bag. Sew up the sides of the bag using the mattress stitch, weave in remaining ends. Give your finished bag a final press with the iron to smooth out the seams, and enjoy!
