I've wanted to knit and felt a handbag for a while so I finally made time to do it.
Knitted in super chunky 100% wool and felted at 90 degrees in a front loader with a pair of jeans. This pattern is easily adaptable so feel free to change your colours of yarn, strap length or embellishments.
Materials
x2 50g balls of purple 100% super chunky yarn
x7 50g balls of green 100% super chunky yarn
size 9mm needles and 24" cable
wool roving for flowers
beads
needles for sewing etc
Pre felt size 18" tall by 16" long and 6" deep stap 80"
After felt 11" tall 12" long and 3" deep strap 42"
When knitting to felt always make your item taller than wider as felting shrinks more top to bottom than side to side.
Bag Pattern
Cast on 12 stitches in purple and knit for 8 inches in straight stitch then purl on the right side to make a ridge. Knit in st st for a further 2" in purple and then change to green on the purl side. Knit st st another 16" in green and cast off.
Pick up 12 stitches from your cast on in purple and repeat for other side panel.
Pick up 36 stitches along the bottom 16" evenly on wrong side and purl first row then st st. Continue in purple in st st until 2" high and then change to green. Continue in st st until 18" high and cast off. Repeat for other side of bag.
Sew sides of bag to the main panels with mattress stitch.
Strap
I must confess I didn't measure this before felting but I know it seemed huge! I think it was about 80".
Cast on 12 stitches and knit across.
Next row knit 3 purl 6 knit 3, repeat these 2 rows for about 6".
Then on wrong side knit 3 purl 3 knit 3 as this will give you a nice thick strap. Continue until 68" and go back to knit 3 purl 6 knit 3 for 6" as in the begininng and cast off. Approx 80" strap.
I sewed my wrong side of straps together also making sure I stitched down the middle to make it flat.
Sew straps to side panels of bag and tidy up all ends.
Knitting finished! You are now wondering like me why you have knitted this bag that reaches to the floor and seems to be only suitable for a giant! Don't panic, the magic is yet to come!
I felted in my front loader machine on a quick 90 degree wash with a small amount of detergent and a pair of old jeans for agitation. In hindsight maybe a 60 would have made a bigger bag...it's up to you on that point. With front loaders there is no option to check on the felting so it's in the lap of the gods once you shut the door.
Shape if necessary although it should be quite thick and holding it's shape. Hang out to dry.
Now you can think about how you would like to decorate your bag. I used wet felted flowers that I made. But if you haven't time there are some great sellers on Etsy selling them ready made.
Or you could knit some flowers and felt them and attach, just use beads or whatever takes your fancy, the only limit is your imagination.
I made a lining for mine from in batik violet and green fabric and fitted a zip, but you could use a magnetic snap closure or any other inventive fastening you desire.
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