Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knit the Perfect String Bag for Summer

by

mesh bag knitting patternI should have shared this one before Earth Day, but we should really be mindful of the planet all the time so it’s still appropriate.

Plastic bags are terrible for the environment, as we all know, and it’s just nicer and more fun to use a reusable bag when you do your shopping.

Bonus points for shopping at the farmers’ market.

Double bonus for carrying a handmade bag, like the Everlasting Bagstopper by Amy Singer.

This pattern was published in Knitty quite a long time ago (2007, to be precise) but it’s a great, easy to knit string bag perfect for holding produce or whatever else you need to carry with you.

It would probably also be great on the beach (knitting or using) if your summer plans take you that way. That stretchy mesh stitch will ensure it holds whatever needs holding.

[Photo: Amy Singer via Knitty.] Looking for more patterns? Check these market bag patterns out on Etsy.

Have you read?

Classic Dishcloth Knitting Patterns

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use. 

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make. 

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!). 

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn. 

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart. 

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern. 

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.