Knitty: Fall 2007

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by Cheryl Niamath

with a bit of piquancy around the edges

This is an excellent everyday purse with two pockets (one under the flap, and one that nicely divides the interior), with enough room for your wallet and lipstick, maybe some keys and your i-pod and a note pad to write down good ideas when they come to you.

It’s made in four pieces from sturdy mercerized cotton. The front flap and strap edges are finished with a knitted-on i-cord that provides stability and gives a nice neat look.

You can treat yourself with exotic fabric for the lining and give yourself a lift every time you look inside.

model: Cheryl Niamath photos: Wendy Niamath + Paul Lesack
Shot on location at and around Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver, Canada.

SIZE

One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Height: 9 inches
Width: 6.75 inches
Depth at base: 3.5 inches
Strap length: 60 inches

MATERIALS

Elann Sonata (100% Mercerized Cotton, 115yd/106m per 50g ball]

[MC] #5310 Deep Olive; 4 balls

[CC] #3611 Ruby; 1 ball

1 piece fabric for lining, 30 inches long and 8.5 inches wide.
Suggestions for fabric: satin brocade, denim, printed cotton, or something else that’s smooth and substantial. You don’t need a sewing machine; the lining is one piece, sewn in by hand.

1 pair 3mm straight needles

1 12-inch 3mm circular needle (a set of double-point needles may be used instead)

2 3mm double-point needles (used for I-Cord)

Safety pins

Tapestry needle

Sewing needle

Straight pins

Sewing thread to match lining

1 button, 0.75 inch diameter

2 snaps, 0.25 inch diameter (optional)

GAUGE

27 sts/40 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st
Note: Accurate row gauge is important in this pattern.

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

Instructions for the Cable Cast On can be found here.

Instructions for I-Cord Bind Off can be found here.

Seed Stitch (Worked over an odd number of sts):
Row 1: [K1, p1] to last st, k1.
Repeat this row for Seed Stitch.

Seed Stripe Pattern
Work 5 rows in Seed Stitch, beginning with a WS row.
Work 5 rows in stockinette st, beginning with a RS row.
Repeat these 10 rows for Seed Stripe Pattern.

I-cord Edging:
Each Row: K3, work in pattern to last 3 sts, bring yarn between needles to front of work, slip last 3 sts to right needle.
Work each row in this way to form I-Cord Edging.

I-Cord
Pattern Row: Instead of turning work around to work back on the WS, slide all sts to other end of needle, switch needle back to your left hand, bring yarn around back of work, and start knitting the sts again. I-Cord is worked with the RS facing at all times.
Repeat this row to form I-cord. After a few rows, work will begin to form a tube.

2x2 Rib (Worked over a multiple of 4 sts):
Row 1: [K2, p2] to end.
Repeat this row for 2x2 Rib.

1x1 Rib (Worked over an even number of sts):
Row 1: [K1, p1] to end.
Repeat this row for 1x1 Rib.

Wyif: With yarn held to front of work

M1L (Make 1 Left): Insert the left needle, from front to back, under the horizontal strand which lies between the stitch just knit, and the next stitch. Knit this stitch through its back loop.

M1R (Make 1 Right): Insert the left needle, from back to front, under the horizontal strand which lies between the stitch just knit, and the next stitch. Knit this stitch through its front loop.

M1P (Make 1 Purl): Insert the left needle, from front to back, under the horizontal strand of yarn which runs between the last stitch on the right needle, and the first stitch on the left needle. Purl into the back of this loop.

PATTERN

PURSE BODY
Front of Purse:
Using MC and straight needles, CO 43 sts.

Work 5 rows in Seed Stitch.
Work in stockinette st until work measures 8.25 inches, ending with a RS row.

Bottom and Back of Purse:
Work 119 rows in Seed Stripe Pattern (11 full repeats and first 9 rows of a twelfth repeat). Work measures approx. 20.5 inches. Use safety pins or waste yarn to mark each end of last row worked.

FLAP
Next Row [RS]: CO 3 sts using Cable Cast On, k to end.

Next Row [WS]: CO 3 sts using Cable Cast On, k3, work in Seed Stitch to last 3 sts, bring yarn between needles to front of work, slip last 3 sts to right needle.

Continue in Seed Stripe Pattern, working I-Cord Edging as set, until work measures approx. 7.5 inches from marked row, ending with 4 rows Seed Stitch. You will end with a RS row.

Next Row [WS]: K3tog, work in Seed Stitch to last 3 sts, bring yarn between needles to front of work, slip last 3 sts to right needle.
Mark center of row using a safety pin.

Next Row [RS]: K3 for I-Cord edging as established, but instead of continuing row, work I-Cord Bind Off to center of row. Work 3 inches in I-Cord (unattached) to form button loop. Give loop a half-twist and resume working I-Cord Bind Off until all sts have been bound off.
Break yarn, draw through remaining 3 sts, and sew end neatly into I-Cord.

STRAP
Note: The first and last 3 stitches of every row of the strap are worked in I-cord Edging.

Using MC and straight needles, CO 26 sts.

Work 5 rows in Seed Stitch, working first and last 3 sts of each row in I-cord Edging.

Next Row [WS]: K3, [k2, p2] 5 times, sl last 3 sts wyif. This row establishes 2x2 Rib for strap.

Work 17 more rows in 2x2 Rib as set.

In the decrease sequence which follows, the 2x2 Rib pattern will gradually be decreased to a 1x1 Rib pattern.

Decrease Row 1 [RS]: K3, k2tog, [p2, k2] 4 times, p2tog tbl, sl last 3 sts wyif.
Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Decrease Row 2 [RS]: K4, p2tog, [k2, p2] 3 times, ssk, p1, sl last 3 sts wyif.
Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Decrease Row 3 [RS]: K4, p1, k2tog, [p2, k2] twice, p2tog tbl, k1, p1, sl last 3 sts wyif.

Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Decrease Row 4 [RS]: K4, p1, k1, p2tog, k2, p2, ssk, p1, k1, p1, sl last 3 sts wyif.

Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Decrease Row 5 [RS]: K3, [k1, p1] twice, k2tog, p2tog tbl, [k1, p1] twice, sl last 3 sts wyif. 16 sts.

Continue in 1x1 Rib, maintaining I-Cord Edging as set, until work measures 50.5 inches or 9.5 inches less than desired length, ending with a WS row.

In the sequence of increases which follows, the 1x1 Rib pattern will be gradually increased back to 2x2 Rib.

Increase Row 1 [RS]: K3, M1R, [k1, p1] 5 times, M1P, sl last 3 sts wyif.
Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Increase Row 2 [RS]: K5, M1P, [p1, k1] 4 times, M1L, p2, sl last 3 sts wyif.
Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Increase Row 3 [RS]: K5, p2, M1R, [k1, p1] 3 times, M1P, k2, p2, sl last 3 sts wyif.
Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Increase Row 4 [RS]: K5, p2, k2, M1P, [p1, k1] twice, M1L, p2, k2, p2, sl last 3 sts wyif.
Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Increase Row 5 [RS]: K3, [k2, p2] twice, M1R, k1, p1, M1P, [k2, p2] twice, sl last 3 sts wyif. 26 sts.
Work 17 rows in rib as set.

Work 5 rows in Seed Stitch, maintaining I-Cord Edging.
BO all sts.

INNER POCKET
Using CC and circular needle, CO 93 sts. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work in stockinette st until work measures 7 inches.

BO all sts using I-Cord Bind Off.

OUTER POCKET
Note: The outer pocket has a slanted upper edge, which is formed using short rows to allow for the I-Cord Bind Off. There is no need to wrap stitches when turning these short rows.

Using MC and straight needles, CO 23 sts.
Work in Seed Stitch until work measures 2 inches.

Shape Upper Edge:
Row 1 [RS]: Work 21 sts in pattern, turn work. (Do not finish working this row.)

Row 2 and all even-numbered Rows [WS]: Work in pattern to end of row.

Row 3 [RS]: Work 19 sts in pattern, turn work.

Row 5 [RS]: Work 17 rows in pattern, turn work.

Continue in this way, working each RS row 2 sts shorter than the last, until:

Row 17[RS]: Work 5 rows in pattern, turn work.

Row 18: Work in pattern to end of row.

BO all sts using I-Cord Bind Off. When cutting yarn, leave a long tail for sewing pocket to bag.

FINISHING

Weave in ends.
Lightly steam block all pieces. Inner pocket may require wet blocking to make the upper edge lay flat.

Lay inner pocket flat and stitch together at CO edge to form a flat pocket.

Pin outer pocket to front section of purse, 1.5 inches from each side edge, with lower edge of outer pocket 6 inches from top edge of purse. Sew pocket to purse.

Fold edges of lining fabric 1 inch to wrong side, and press. (If you've never made a lining before, you might want to consult a sewing guide for detailed instructions--especially for how to make nice, neat corners). Pin lining to purse body with wrong sides together. Ensure that lining does not overlap edges of I-Cord flap edging. Carefully sew lining to purse around edges using thread and sewing needle.

Attach inner pocket to strap (see diagram below):
Fold CO end of strap in half lengthwise to find centre. Starting at sewn-together edge of pocket and CO edge of strap, sew one folded edge of pocket to centre of strap, lining up bottom of pocket with second row of seed stitch on strap. Sew remaining folded edge of pocket to BO end of strap in the same way.

Attach bottom of inner pocket to inside of purse (see diagram below):
Measure 10 inches from CO edge of purse body, and fold purse body crosswise with lining facing out. Pin lower edge of inner pocket to lining at fold. Using tapestry needle and MC, attach bottom of inner pocket to bottom centre of purse body, using a running stitch through the bottom of the pocket, through lining and knitted fabric, then back up. This will leave a line of small stitches showing along centre bottom.

Attach strap to purse body:
Pin edges of strap to edges of purse body. Sew across bottom of strap and up one side, catching the inside edge of the i-cord edge stitch. When you reach the top of the purse, break the yarn and stitch the other side together, starting from the bottom up.

Sew snaps to inside of inner pocket if desired.
Securely sew button to front of purse.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Cheryl Niamath comes from an artistic family, lives with her artistic husband, and works with a bunch of scientists.

She lives in Vancouver, BC, and likes to take only the essentials in her purse when she goes out. One of her first jobs was selling handbags at an accessories shop, and she really understands the importance of the inner pocket.

Her patterns "Fetching", "Dashing" and "Wisp" have appeared in previous issues of Knitty. Her new pattern will appear in "Expectant Little Knits: Chic Designs for Moms to be," coming soon from Lark Books.