Beach Bag Knitting Patterns

What makes a good beach bag? It is a bag that’s big enough to hold everything you need? A replacement for your purse that can get sandy? Something with holes for carrying your shell collection? This roundup of beach bag knitting patterns has a little bit of all of that.

If size is important to you, check out the Portside Bag from Knit And Crochet Evr Aft. This big striped bag is worked in the round with faux seams added for extra stability. The pleated sides add storage space, and I-cord handles are easy to knit, too. It calls for DK weight yarn.

There’s also the Pensacola Tote from Apple and Acorn Co, a basic striped sack that looks like a shopping bag. This one also uses DK weight yarn and you can stash bust to make stripes or keep it solid.

The Boho Beach Bag from Pickles Knits Oslo is kind of a cross between a tote bag and a purse replacement. The designer calls it a “bohemian stitch pattern” that includes elongated stitches, making it quick to knit in cotton yarn. It comes in two size options.

Add a little bit of lace to make your beach bag more sand friendly with the Salt Life Beach Bag from Laura Aylor. this pattern, available on Ravelry, calls for DK weight yarn and has a diamond lace pattern on the side panels.

For even more lace, try the Shell We Beach Bag from Knitting Tipsy (also on Ravelry). This one has a garter stitch base and allover lace shell pattern on the body. It uses worsted weight yarn and has straps that are knit separately for extra stability.

And if you’re looking for allover lace, try the Lanta bag from Paulastrickt. The tote bag shape is great for the beach or elsewhere, and it’s worked from the bottom up in the round with double knit straps. The pattern says it’s advanced but if you have a little lace experience I think this one would be fine for you.

When my daughter was in early elementary school we were at Joann together (RIP) and she picked out some variegated pink and white blanket yarn for me to knit a blanket for her bed. Now probably 10 years later, it’s one of her favorite possessions. I note this because the blankets we give to little ones might seem simple on the surface, like something they need to keep warm, but they can turn into so much more.

Take the Pocketful of Love Blanket from Purl Soho. On the surface this is a pretty but also easy to knit blanket for a little one. It’s worked in garter stitch stripes using sport weight yarn (the sample is a superwash wool, but this would also be nice in cotton or a blend) and available in a crib or small throw size. Though of course because it’s garter stitch, it’s pretty easy to make it any size you want.

But what makes this blanket extra special is the little details. The slip stitch selvedges and I-cord bind off give it a crisp look that’s perfect with the garter stitch of the body.

And then there’s the pocket.

This is a big pocket. At 10 inches wide and 12.25 inches tall (that’s 25.4 by 31 cm) for the crib size and 12.75 by 14.25 inches (32.4 by 36 cm) for the throw, you can easily fit a favorite stuffed animal, toy or book into the pocket.

I love how even though it uses the same striped garter stitch pattern as the blanket, it’s stitched down so the stripes run the opposite way (horizontal when the blanket stripes are vertical), though of course you can match stripes if you’d rather.

I think this blanket has the potential to be greatly loved by the little one its given to, and by the knitter look for an easy, pretty baby blanket with a little extra useful twist.

Grab the free pattern from Purl Soho.

[Photo: Purl Soho]

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