Abi Bag

This is my first attempt at creating my own pattern. I had some ribbon yarn called Gedifra Selena. This is a tartan ribbon with frayed edges, that kits up to a lovely thick hairy mat. I first visualised it as a flower pot shaped bag then thought it would be more practical with an oval bottom. In the end I decided to knit it top down with decreases at each end to give the shape you see in the photo. I closed the bottom with a 3 needle cast off.

I had the body complete for a while before deciding on the handles... I had been thinking of bamboo rings, or preferably U shaped handles but I couldn't find the right thing. In the end I tried a 5 stitch i-cord and in a flash of inspiration fed a circular needle through the cord. I was all set to sacrifice a couple of needles for the handles when I picked up some pvc tubing on ebay. The tubing is perfect, it gives the handle a pleasing shape - and stops the handle stretching! I'm no good with zips so I closed the bag with an i-cord loop and a toggle.

Yarn Gedifra Selena ribbon yarn 2 x 50g balls

Needles 6mm double pointed needles or a 6mm circular needle

Notions 1metre of pvc tubing, a wooden toggle, fabric for lining.

Tension - 20 stitches and 26 rows to 4 inches

method -
Bag Body
Cast on 90sts, join in round.
Place markers at the start and middle of the round.
Row 1 Knit
Row 2 Purl
Row 3 Knit
Row 4 Purl
Row 5 Decrease as follows: k5 k2tog k to 7 stitches before mid-point marker k2tog k10 k2tog k to 7 stitches before end marker, k2tog k5
Row 6 Purl
Row 7 Knit
Roe 8 Purl
Row 9 Decrease as before: k5 k2tog k to 7 stitches before mid-point marker k2tog k10 k2tog k to 7 stitches before end marker, k2tog k5
Continue in garter stitch, decreasing on every 4th row until 70 stitches remain.
Shape bottom k2tog k2tog k to 4 stitches before mid-point marker k2tog k2tog k2tog k2tog k to 4 stitches before end k2tog k2tog
Next row Purl
Close bottom of bag using 3 needle bind off. LINK

Handles:
Casting on 5 stitches, make 2 i-cords each 18 inches long.
Feed pvc tubing through the i-cords to give the handles firmness and strength.
Stitch handles to rim of bag


Closure:
Casting on 3 stitches, make an i-cord 6 inches long.
Create a loop and stitch to the middle of the back of the bag. Sew a toggle to the front of the bag.

Line bag if required.