Details

Yarn: Bouton d’Or Flash (88% viscose/12% polyamid, 125 m/137 yds, 50 g). Colour: Girasol/227.

Needles and notions:
One pair 3.5 mm straight needles, plus one spare needle in 3.5 mm or similar size;
Ribbon for drawstring. Pictured: Bucilla 100% silk, approx 1 m, colour: pale terra cotta/541.
Two beads for wrist strap/drawstring
Blunt needle for sewing up

Tension:
26 sts and 32 rows to 10 cm (4 inches) in st st. Note: this is the tension for the yarn unwashed. This yarn tends to grow and stretch when washed, so the finished bag should be spot cleaned only. Tension isn't crucial to this project, so you could easily use any yarn that will show the stitch definition. A smaller needle size than the yarn calls for may help keep the fabric firm.

Finished dimensions:
11.5 cm wide x 12 cm high (at centre front

Pattern: moss stitch:
Ripple lace, a chevron variation
Multiple of 9 sts + 8
Row 1 (RS): K 1, *[k2tog] three times, m1 [k 1, m1] three times. Repeat from * to last 7 sts, k2tog three times, k 1.
Row 2 (WS): Knit across.
Row 3 (RS): Knit across.
Row 4 (WS): Purl across.
These four rows make up the bag's lace pattern. (See below for charted pattern.)

PATTERN NOTE
In the first pattern repeat, use a YO for the increase to create a row of eyelets at the top of the bag for a decorative ribbon or drawstring handle. In all subsequent pattern repeats, use a lifted stitch for the m1. Lifted stitches give a firmer fabric which helps keep little bits and pieces like keys from poking through the bag.

Little lace bag

Download PDF (68 kb)

Barbara Coddington

I love teeny handbags but since having kids haven't been able to get away with carrying anything smaller than a backpacker's delight. (Need room for toys and hats and packets of emergency biscuits!) This little lace bag, a bit of wishful thinking on my part, is for times when all you need are keys, a credit card and a wee mobile phone...but you could probably fit a little box of sultanas, in case you or someone you know gets a little peckish.

Wintergarden handbag

A firm tension gives the bag some body

Back/front (make 2)

Cast on 35 sts. Knit four rows st st, ending on WS. Begin pattern, remembering to use a YO in the first repeat and lifted stitches in the other pattern repeats. Knit a total of 13 pattern repeats, ending on a purl row. (There should be one garter stitch ridge for each pattern repeat.) Don't cast off. Instead, break thread, leaving a tail of about 1 m for sewing up. Leave sts for one side on a spare needle (a double-pointed needle is handy for this).

Three-needle cast off/finishing

Bring the two pieces together, right sides facing, with one needle the 'front' needle, and the other the 'back' needle. Cast off all stitches using three-needle cast off. Now, holding the bag with wrong sides together, use mattress stitch to join the sides.

Cut two equal lengths of the drawstring ribbon, each about half a metre. Thread them through the eyelet holes in opposite directions, thread the ends through the beads and tie off. Cut two equal lengths of the drawstring ribbon, each about half a metre. Thread them through the eyelet holes in opposite directions, thread the ends through the beads and tie off.