Color Knit Bag

The Color Knit Bag is a great way to reflect the knitterly color lover in you. This easy knit bag is perfect for toting your latest project or as your everyday bag. Choose five colors that speak to you and knit away. Before you know it, you will have a beautiful handmade accessory. This knit bag also features wooden purse handles to add an extra special, interesting touch to the design. Refer to the detailed color chart below to complete this free knitting pattern with ease. You can't find such a unique piece at a department store, so grab your needles and get started today.

Easy

Knitting Needle Size8 or 5 mm

Yarn Weight(4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran (16-20 stitches to 4 inches)

Gauge19 sts = 4” (10 cm), 22 rows = 4” (10 cm) in fair isle pattern. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

Finished Size11¼” wide x 11¼” long (28.6 x 28.6 cm), excluding handles

Materials List

RED HEART® Soft®: 1 ball each of 9114 Honey A, 4422 Tangerine B, 9344 Chocolate C, 9522 Leaf D, 4608 Wine E, and 1882 Toast F
Susan Bates® Knitting Needles: 5 mm [US 8]
Wooden purse handles, yarn needle

Instructions

Notes:
1. Bag is worked in Stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row).
2. Bag is worked in one piece where cast on edge is the top of the Bag.
3. When working color design from chart and working with more than one color on a row, carry color not in use loosely across wrong side of work, picking up next color to be used under color just used to prevent holes.
4. When reading chart, read odd numbered rows (right side or knit rows), from right to left and even numbered rows (wrong side or purl rows) from left to right.

Bag

With A, cast on 109 sts.
Working in stockinette stitch (knit the odd numbered rows and purl the even numbered rows) following the Color Chart. Repeat Rows 1-36 of Color Chart until piece measures approximately 12½” (30.5 cm) from cast on edge, ending by working a purl or wrong side row.
Bind off all sts in knit, leaving a long end for sewing.

Handle Straps (make 2)

With B, cast on 7 sts.
Row 1 (Right side): Slip 1, knit across.
Row 2: Slip 1, purl across.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for pattern until piece measures 4½” (11.4 cm) from cast on edge. Bind off all sts in pattern, leaving a long end for sewing.

Finishing

Thread yarn needle with the long end. Using photo as a guide, fold Bag in half with right sides together. Matching stitches and rows, sew seam.
With Bag flat on a hard surface, measure for Handle Strap placement. Thread yarn needle with the long end. With wrong sides of both the Bag and Handle Strap facing you, sew each Handle strap to Row 2 of Bag. Thread Handle Straps through wooden purse handle, fold Handle Strap, with wrong sides together and matching cast on edge with bind off edge, sew securely. Repeat for opposite side of Bag.