Illusion Bag Pattern
I had 2 x 50gm balls of Sirdar Illusion hanging around . I really loved the yarn colours but having tried to use Illusion for a scarf, I found it way too scratchy to wear. So it sat in my yarn stash for a long time whilst I tried to figure out some way to use it.
In the past, I’ve crocheted market bags from cotton yarn and, one day, it occurred to me that perhaps I could use Illusion for such a bag. A quick test with a crochet hook revealed it’s not a good yarn for crocheting but it does knit up easily — and pretty quickly if you use a large needle. So my Illusion bag was born.
It’s not as strong as my other (cotton) shopping bags but it is a lot classier. And it can be scrunched up to fit inside a fairly small shoulder purse for those last-minute bulky but light purchases instead of using plastic carrier bags.
Saving the planet with a little style!
The Pattern
Width: 16 inches at widest point
Length: To suit
50 – 100gm Sirdar Illusion
5.5mm 16″ circulars
One additional 5.5mm straight needle
Cast on 92 stitches & join – being careful not to twist the work.
Knitting every row, work for 2 inches.
Handles
Next round: k15, bind off 16 stitches, k30, bind off 16 stitches, k 15.
Next round: k15, cast on 16 stitches, k30, cast 16 stitches, k 15.
Knitting every row, work until the bag measures the length that you want.
Bind off as follows:
3-Needle Bind Off
Turn the work “inside out” so that the right sides are facing each other.
Divide the stitches evenly with 46 stitches on each needle (pull the unused needle cord through to the left of the work).
Insert the tip of a third needle into the first stitch of the front needle, then into the first stitch of the back needle and knit the two stitches together.
*Insert the tip of a third needle into the next stitch of the front needle, then into the next stitch of the back needle and knit the two stitches together.
Pass the previous stitch over this stitch. Repeat from *
Weave in ends.
Leave a Reply