Naturale Shopping Bag

Be practical, earth-friendly and stylish as you tote around your belongings in this knit shopping bag. Have fun creating your own and passing them out to all your friends.

Size:
Approx. 16” high X 12” diameter.

Materials:

• 2 skeins Fantasy Naturale cotton
• For the base: straight needles - size US 10½
• For the body of bag: 24” circular needle - size US 15
• 1 stitch marker.

Gauge:
Approx. 2 sts = 1” over openweave pattern. Gauge is not important. Loose open weave is desired.

Pattern:

Base:
With smaller (straight) needles loosely cast on 25 sts. Work in garter stitch until square (about 42 rows). Square will measure about 7”X 7”. Bind off loosely, but do not cut yarn. Change to larger (circular) needle. Pick up and knit 100 sts evenly around the base (25 sts on each side).

Sides of Bag:
Place a marker on the needle to designate the beginning of the round.
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: *(K2, YO, K2tog) repeat from * around.
Round 3: Knit.
Round 4: *( YO, K2tog, K2) repeat from * around.
Repeat the last 4 rounds until total length is about 15”, ending with round 1 or 3.

Work top as follows:
Round 1: Purl.
Round 2: Knit.
Round 3: Purl.

Make handles:
Round 4: Knit 30, bind off 15, knit 35, bind off 15, knit 5.
Round 5: Purl 30, cast on 20 over the 15 bound off sts, purl 35, cast on 20 over the 15 bound off sts, purl 5. (110 sts.)
Round 6: Knit.
Round 7: Purl.
Round 8: Bind off all stitches loosely.
Weave in all ends.