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Crossed Loop Market Bag Pattern

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Category:

Knitting

Type:

Accessory

Item:

Bag

Skill Level:

Intermediate

Basic Skills Necessary:

knit
reading instructions

Pattern Description:

Make this colorful string bag for your next eco-friendly shopping trip. It scrunches to almost nothing until needed; then expands to accommodate lots of fiber stash purchases or whatever. It's a great bag to take to the beach or pool, too!

The knitting goes quickly because the main pattern stitch is an elongated twisted stitch that is at least double the height of a normal stitch. You'll also be guided step-by-step with skill-building instructions for making a self-joining tubular casing for the drawstring I-cord handles.

Gauge:

Overall size is pretty hard to specify, as by nature of the crossed loop stitch, the bag can collapse down to almost nothing but also widen extraordinarily!

I haven't specified a gauge for that reason, and it really doesn't matter for this article anyway. This is just a fun project, so dive right in.

Sizing / Finished Measurements:

2 sizes Little Shopper 20" opening and Big Shopper 30" opening.

Materials:

For the yardage calculation, I have allowed for a 20" length, but it's easy to shorten or lengthen your bag as you like.
String or firm cotton yarn such as size 5 or 10 crochet thread, 5/2 pearl cotton, lightweight carpet warp, etc. or equivalent in a firmly twisted 2- or 3- ply handspun
For body of bag: 250(375) yards, approximately 2(31⁄2) oz / 60(90) g a multicolor yarn is striking and fun to work with, but of course a solid color can also be used
For I-cord handles: 50 yards can be the same yarn or a coordinating solid color
US 3 or 4 / 3.25 or 3.5 mm needles suggested
16" (16" to 24") length circular needle
Pair of double-point needles

You Will Also Need:

Optional: I-cord knitting machine