A tote bag is a great project for an intermediate knitter, one who is able to create sewed edges well. Besides attaching the handles and sewing the edges, this project involves the use of basic knitting stitches, and due to the use of super bulky weight yarn, it can be knitted in a quick amount of time.
The front and back of the bag are made using reverse stockinette stitch, which is basically just using the "wrong side" of the stockinette stitch as the "right side." It is more popular to use regular stockinette stitch, but by reversing this trend, this tote bag is more visually interesting to look at and has a different, unique texture. The handles for the bag are made using garter stitch.
The yarn used for this project is Lion Brand Wool - Ease Thick and Quick, which is a blend of wool and acrylic. Because of the blend of yarn, the project will be machine washable and able to go in the dryer as well, but it is recommended that you hand wash and lay flat to dry. The yarn is soft and is available in a variety of colors. The pictured bag was made with Taupe.
Materials
- Size 11 knitting needles
- 1 skein super bulky weight yarn
- Yarn needle
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- RS - right side
- WS - wrong side
Instructions for Knitting the Tote Bag
- Cast on 36 stitches.
- Row 1: Purl (RS)
- Row 2: Knit (WS)
- Repeat rows 1 and 3 until the piece measures 12.5 inches from the beginning, ending with a RS row.
- Cast off.
- This is the front of the bag.
- Repeat these steps once more for the back of the bag.
Instructions for Handles
- Cast on 5 stitches.
- Knit all rows until the handle measures 24 inches.
- Cast off.
- Repeat for second handle.
Finishing
- Sew the bottom and two side seams of the bag, making sure the RS are facing.
- Sew handles two inches from the side seams on the front and the back of the bag.
- Sew in loose ends using the yarn needle.
- Turn right-side-out.
The finished bag is the perfect size for carrying magazines or other day to day items. It fits on the shoulders nicely due to the strap lengths, which are not too long or too short. It is a comfortable bag to carry due to the material of which it is made. For alternatives to this pattern, consider making the bag striped using two or three different colors of super bulky weight yarn.
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Jeris Swanhorst - After earning a Bachelor's degree in English, Literature from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2005, Jeris Swanhorst went on to earn ...
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