Directions for Knitting a Beginners Market Bag
Market bags are a chic way to carry groceries home from the store or produce from the farmer's market. They're also good for the environment, since in using them you keep plastic bags out of the landfill. This knit market bag is easy to stash in your purse or glove box when empty. This is an easy project for a beginning knitter. Use a sturdy cotton yarn that's washable. The bag will stretch when used, so don't be alarmed; it's supposed to do that.
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Things You'll Need
- 24-inch circular needles, size 9
- 12 ounces cotton yarn
- Scissors
- Darning needle
Instructions
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1
Cast on 44 stitches, using two strands of yarn. Doubling the yarn makes the bag extra sturdy.
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2
Knit all stitches across the row. Turn and knit back across the row. Repeat this, turning the work at the end of each row, for 32 rows. This forms the bottom of your bag. At the end of the last row, don't turn your work. Cut one of the strands of yarn and continue knitting with the other strand.
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3
Pick up 16 stitches along the right side of your work, 44 stitches across the bottom, and 16 stitches along the other side. Place a marker and join your work, then begin knitting in the round. Knit four rows.
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4
Yarn over, knit two together. To yarn over (YO), bring the yarn to the front of the work as if to purl, but knit the next stitch--or in this case, knit the next two stitches together. YO, knit two together for the rest of the row.
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Knit the next row.
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Slip the next two stitches onto the right-hand needle as if to purl, then knit them together. This is called a slip-slip-knit, abbreviated SSK. For the rest of the row--YO, SSK.
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Knit the row. Repeat this pattern of four rows until the work measures 15 inches from the base. End with a knit row.
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8
Knit 44 stitches, bind off 16 stitches, knit 44 stitches and slip these stitches onto a stitch holder. Bind off 16 stitches.
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9
Work back and forth on 44 stitches to form one half of the bag's handle. Knit two together, knit across. Repeat this row until you only have six stitches remaining. Bind off all stitches.
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10
Slip the remaining 44 stitches off the holder. Knot the yarn to the first stitch and knit across. Turn the work and knit two together, then knit across. Repeat this until you only have six stitches left. Bind off.
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11
Sew the ends of the handle together.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit knitting image by Joanna Redesiuk from Fotolia.com
