All Purpose Bag "Maggie"
Here is a general recipe for making a bag like the paper baskets we did as children, assembling and gluing decorated paper strips and then folding them. Schematics show proportions of 1:3, which wil give a round and wide bag. For a longer tote change proportions to 1:4, which means cast on a multiple of 4 sts for the length of the strip (and the number of stitches to be bound off and then again cast on for the next stripe). OR, simpler: Replace 3/third - roundish shape by 4/fourth - tote shape or by 5/fifth - for a long and narrow sheath General instructions: 1. Cast on a multiple of 3 (4, 5) stitches according to the wanted shape, beginning with a right side row. 2. Knit to a measure of one third (fourth,fifth) of CO length, ending with a wrong side row. 3. Bind off one third (fourth, fifth) of stitches. One strip done. Three to come. 4. Start next strip using the live stitches left on the needle, continuing the pattern with a right side row. 5. At the end of the live stitches ( $\stackrel{.}{=}$ end of strip), continue by casting on the same number of stitches you bound off previously, continuing any given pattern. 6. Repeat from step 2, until four strips are finished, stop at step 3. 7. Knit to end of live stitches, reverse knitting. 8. With a spare needle, pick up matching number of stitches from first strip as indicated by scribbled line. 9. Use three-needle bind-off for seam, ending at the top of bag, turn outside in again. 10. With circular needle or dpns pick up stitches along the edge and work brim in rounds, bind off. Weave in ends, close bottom gap/seam. 11. You may consider the way you want to use the bag.If there should be straps, handles, bars,..., cast on extra stitches at the peaks for loops or bands. Imagine the countless options: long shoulder straps, silken tassels, wooden handles, stringing cord through buttonhole-like loops. Hopefully helpful schematics for Maggie Bag:
Material and numbers for Maggie Bag shown in pictures: Yarns used: Aran weight hand spun wool, natural dark grey \~ 100g Cobweb laceweight silk, all shades of green Needle size: US 7, EUR 4,5 mm Gauge/tension: 4 sts per inch Cast on (step 1): 51 sts. Pattern (step 2): work to a total of 24 pattern rows as given, blue frame is repeated six times per row, working no extra selvedge stitches Bind off (step 3): 17 sts. Cast on for next strip(step 5): 17 sts. Step 10: Picked up stitches along the upper edge were amended by 10 extra sts. cast on at each of four peaks: 5 rows knit in the round, decreasing by one at every valley in every round.
Pattern:
Legend:
Slip one stitch as if to knit, Slip another
Pattern by MAZ $\circledcirc$ (Margarete Dolff), March 2009-03-08.
