Welcome to my new blog and the first blogpost – one hopefully of many! Today I would like to introduce a pattern for a knitted grocery bag which you can use for your next visit to the supermarket to save using plastic bags.
I always carry several cotton or linen bags when I go the shops and they are, indeed, wonderful. They can carry so much weight and easily accommodate bottles, cans and pots of milk. But it is all the other items that end up being a problem. Large, awkwardly shaped items such as cereal boxes and packs of kitchen towels are difficult to fit into a linen bag – so that is where this bag comes in.
This is the BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag knitting pattern, first published in Knitty in Summer 2008 and then later updated to include four different sizes on my website here.
Thank you to everyone who has written to me about this pattern and I am so pleased to hear that the bags have proved so useful. I use them myself all the time and love the way they can accommodate all those big, bulky items at the shops!
I always carry several cotton or linen bags when I go the shops and they are, indeed, wonderful. They can carry so much weight and easily accommodate bottles, cans and pots of milk. But it is all the other items that end up being a problem. Large, awkwardly shaped items such as cereal boxes and packs of kitchen towels are difficult to fit into a linen bag – so that is where this bag comes in.
This is the BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag knitting pattern, first published in Knitty in Summer 2008 and then later updated to include four different sizes on my website here.
Thank you to everyone who has written to me about this pattern and I am so pleased to hear that the bags have proved so useful. I use them myself all the time and love the way they can accommodate all those big, bulky items at the shops!
The bags consist of an oval-shaped base worked in Seed Stitch and then stitches are picked up all around to work a colourful lower band. This band helps to prevent small items dropping out while you are carrying your shopping home.
Then there is a transition to a central mesh area which helps to keep the bags light and flexible. This area can be made longer or shorter as you require so you can make the bag just the length you prefer. The pattern here has four different bag sizes, but it is possible to make some height adjustments while you are working simply by changing the length of this mesh area.
Then there is a transition to a central mesh area which helps to keep the bags light and flexible. This area can be made longer or shorter as you require so you can make the bag just the length you prefer. The pattern here has four different bag sizes, but it is possible to make some height adjustments while you are working simply by changing the length of this mesh area.
The top band is then worked in Seed Stitch with a shaped handle and handle grip so they do not cut into your hands when you carry them. I like to work the handle grips first before I do any of the rest of the work on the bag so they can be brought in as soon as they are needed at the top edge, but you can work them at this point if you prefer.
There are many variations possible from the basic pattern depending on how many colours you wish to use and what yarns you have on hand. So I am going to post some blog entries over the next few days with variations that you might want to try. These include ideas for some autumnal-coloured bags and then others worked in pinks and blues. Please follow the links at the bottom of this post to read those.
You can also read about a Market Bag variation with long handles here.
You can also read about a Market Bag variation with long handles here.
For more information about the BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag pattern, please click here. The pattern is available for instant download from my website.
Also click here to see patterns for other knitted bags available in my pattern store. These include a set of five fabric-lined bags, the Southampton Collection and a rucksack, the Westernesse Bag.
Until next time – Happy Bag Knitting!
Moira
Also click here to see patterns for other knitted bags available in my pattern store. These include a set of five fabric-lined bags, the Southampton Collection and a rucksack, the Westernesse Bag.
Until next time – Happy Bag Knitting!
Moira
 | Next Up: BYOB – Fired Earth Colourway Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com |
Keywords: Patterns/Bags, Tutorials/Bags,
bag, bags, BYOB 2.0, shopping bag, green, blue, lime green, summer limes colourway, colorway,
bag, bags, BYOB 2.0, shopping bag, green, blue, lime green, summer limes colourway, colorway,
