Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Knit a Market Bag for Summer

by

I love the idea of knit market bags and string bags (and crocheted bags, for that matter) but I’m not sure I had ever really knit one before. I have knit tote bags and purses, but never a lacy bag to hold my produce.

That ends now with the introduction of my East Ave. Market Bag knitting pattern.

It’s named for one of the streets that borders the square where the farmer’s market takes place in my town (I also used to work on that street, but at the newspaper, not the farmers market).

This easy to knit bag is worked from the bottom up, using cotton yarn, starting at the center of the base. You start with double pointed needles and increase regularly until you move to a circular needle.

Once the base is worked you change to a larger circular needle (which is good for the lace knitting as it tends to open up the eyelets a bit more) and work a simple four round repeat to your desired length for your bag.

Mine is 8 inches/20cm tall, and the base is about the same width across.

When I say this lace is easy, I mean it: two rows are just knit and the other rows alternate yarn overs and decreases (either knit 2 together or slip slip knit). This could easily be a first lace project if you’re wanting to learn the basics.

The strap is I-cord, and it’s woven into the top round of eyelets to make a drawstring. You can make your cord as long as you want depending if you want to hold the bag in your hand or sling it over your shoulder.

This bag and strap will stretch quite a bit when you put stuff in your bag, so it holds more than it might look like. I’m excited to try it out at the farmers market soon!

You can find this free pattern over at Our Daily Craft.

Bags to Knit for Your Travels

Free Knitting Patterns for String Bags

Free Knitting Pattern – Cabled Bag

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Coffee Cozy Knitting Patterns

During the summer (which is what it is where I am writing from) I like to share patterns for things that you can knit and use even when it’s warm out. And sometimes they are things you can use when it’s cold, too, like this collection of coffee cup cozies. Because hot coffee is a must almost any time of year. 

This simple pattern form Darling Jadore is a great one for beginners and could be a good first knitting in the round project. It uses worsted weight yarn and includes video tutorials if you need extra help. 

If you want a perfectly plain cozy that you can jazz up with your own designs, check out the Base Doodle Cup Cozy from Jamie Lomax. This free pattern on Ravelry comes in two sizes (short and long) and is meant to be used with her doodle charts to make it your own. You could also keep it plain, add stripes or design your own motifs to stitch on it. 

Most coffee cozy patterns that I see are just sleeves meant to go over travel mugs, but what if your mug has a handle? This pattern from Stacey’s Knit Wits has an I-cord loop and button so you can use it on a mug with a handle or a travel cup. It uses DK weight yarn.

Coffee cozies are a fun way to play with stitch patterns and learn new techniques. If you’ve never knit cables before, this cozy from Purple Wool Co. would be a great first cable project, as it features simple braided cables all the way around. It uses worsted weight yarn and is worked in the round. 

Try double knitting to make an extra-insulating coffee cozy with this pattern from Tracy Leming. It includes little color changes so you can get the concept of how double knitting works on a small scale. It also can include a little pocket for a tea bag if you want. This one uses worsted weight yarn and is a free pattern on Ravelry.

Or try stranded knitting with the Love in the Air cozy from Danielle Thuen. It features hearts of different sizes and is worked in sock yarn. You’ll need to make sure those floats are nice and loose so it will stretch to hug your cup. You can find this pattern on Ravelry. 

They’re also a fun way to add a bit of flair to an otherwise plain cup. KnitnKaboodle Designs has this lovely leaf-shaped cozy pattern, which you could use for hot or cold beverages by changing up the fiber you choose (that’s pretty much always true). It is made in pieces that are stitched together and can be worked in a single color or choose different colors for each leaf.