Patchwork Tote Bag Knitting Pattern

Difficulty

Beginner
Yarn Type

Aran / Worsted
Designer

Lucinda Ganderton
Needle Size

US 6 / 4.0mm
Needle Type

Straight, Circular
Techniques

Basketweave, Fair Isle, Garter

What you need to know

This quick and easy tote bag from Lucinda Ganderton is a dream knit for beginners.

When Harry Styles wore his patchwork cardigan in 2020, the internet went wild! This clever tote bag pattern takes its inspiration from that very cardi with different sampler swatches and a neat column of buttons. The front is made up of small squares showcasing a variety of stitches, while the back is made up of larger basketweave panels. Give your accessory a professional finish with a fabric lining and smart leather handles.

What do I need?

Yarn: Rico Creative Cotton Aran, shades 77 Fox, 23 Fir Green, 76 Tangerine, 74 Orange, 44 Light Pistachio, 69 Emerald, one 50g ball of each
Needles: 4mm, straight and circular
Buttons: 2cm, four
Bag handles: leather
Sewing needle and thread
Fabric: furnishing-weight, 65cm x 35cm
for lining; 4cm circles, four
Tapestry needle

Sizing

30cm x 32cm

Top knit tips

When you’re working with small squares, it saves time to knit them in continuous rows and then sew the strips together.

For the two-colour square, you can use the stranding technique, also known as Fair Isle. This involves carrying the yarn you’re not using along the wrong side of the fabric. Keep your tension nice and even to avoid creating a pucker in your work. Also, try to maintain the position of your strands on the wrong side – that means which yarn you hold above the other. This affects which colour appears more dominant, so you don’t want to chop and change.

Meet the designer

Lucinda Ganderton is a designer and writer with extensive experience in needlework and other traditional crafts. If you enjoyed making her patchwork tote, we think you'll love following our patchwork blanket knit-along next. You can see more projects from Lucinda here.

How to access this pattern

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