Embellishing handbags to fit your personal style transforms a simple bag into a wearable art. This purse all started with a button. My brother-in-law bought me a beautiful new jacket as a present, and attached along with it, a stunning multifaceted button.
I retain a collection of buttons and beads from numerous sources hidden away in my sewing supplies. They only see the light of day when I open the box to add a new button or a new bead. I could not, however, add this cherished button to the forgotten button stash.
Pulling out a luxurious silk/cashmere yarn, I designed this shoulder bag to showcase the buttons beauty. With its simple rectangular construction and cable/bobble lines, it will easily highlight your treasure as well. Beaded handles add depth, and they are as easy to create as the bag itself. Its beauty can only be enhanced by your imagination!
SIZE
One Size
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Width: 6.5 inches
Length: 6.5 inches
MATERIALS
Laines Du Laines Cashsilk [50% merino, 25% silk, 25 % cashmere]; 67yd per 25g skein]; color: Partita; 2 skeins
1 set US 8/5mm straight needles
1 set US 8/5mm double point needles
Cable needle
1 – ¾-inch button
Beads with large center hole (Fashion Glass #3123005 used in photo)
Tapestry Needle
.25 yrds fabric for lining
Sewing needle
Thread to match yarn and lining
GAUGE
24 sts/18 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch
PATTERN NOTES
C10F: sl 5 sts onto the cn and hold in front of work, k5 and, k5 from cn.
Bobble Increase: K into front, then back, then front, then back, then front again of next st: 1 st increased to 5 sts.
Bobble Decrease: P5tog. 5 sts decreased to 1 st.
PATTERN
Bag:
CO 29 sts.
Rows 1-6: K
Row 7: K2, p10, k5 , p10, k2
Row 8: K2, k10, p5, k10, k2
Row 9: K2, p10, k3, YO, k2, p10, k2 (30 stitches)
Beginning on row 3 of following pattern, work 8 pattern repeats.
Pattern:
Row 1: K2, p10, K6, p10, K2
Row 2: P2, K10, p6, K10, p2
Row 3: K2, p10, K6, p10, K2
Row 4: P2, K2, Bbl Inc, K7, p6, K10, p2
Row 5: K2, C10F, K6, K14, p2
Row 6: P2, K2, Bbl Dec, K7, p6, K10, p2
Row 7: K2, p10, K6, p10, K2
Row 8: P2, K10, p6, K10, p2
Row 9: K2, p10, K6, p10, K2
Row 10: P2, K10, p6, K2, Bbl Inc, K7, p2
Row 11: K2, p14, K6, C10F, K2
Row 12: P2, K10, p6, K2, Bbl Dec, K7, P10
Knit 8 rows. BO and weave in ends.
I-cord Handle
CO 4 stitches using double pointed needles. Knit across. Instead of turning, slip the stitches back to the beginning of the needle and knit the row again. As you pull the i-cord straight, the gap on the back will tighten up and close.
Continue in this manner until it is 6 inches. Cut yarn leaving 8-inch tail, and thread the yarn through the stitches and pull firmly.
Cut one 24-inch length of yarn. Thread through the middle of the i-cord. Now you will have an i-cord with two strands of yarn on the ends. Tie a knot to secure the tails to the i-cord.
The beads are packaged on a plastic wire to ensure easy transfer to your project. Simply, tie the bead wire to the yarn, and slide beads from the wire to the yarn handle.
FINISHING
Fold 5 inches of bottom up and seam sides.
Attach the i-cord handle by spreading out the two strands and threading them through the top of the purse and tying a knot. Repeat on other side.
For the lining, cut a 6-inches by 12 inches rectangle from lining fabric. Fold fabric in half lengthwise, and sew 6 inches of each long edge of rectangle, beginning at fold.
Fold over 0.5 inch of the top edges of lining and press. To hide the ends of the handle, slip fabric pocket with wrong sides facing out inside the purse, covering the strap knots and sew around the top. Attach button to front of purse.
Copyright 2009. Dawn L.E. Riden. hese patterns are for personal and non-profit use only. You may not sell items made from these patterns. You may make them for yourself, as gifts, or for donation to charity sales or auctions. And these patterns love being used for knitalongs or other organized knitting events that are free of charge.
Merchants may not download or print these patterns for sale, free distribution, or class use without prior written permission from the author. If you received one of these patterns directly from a yarn store, or are taking a paid class using one of these patterns , please verify that the store has written permission from the author.
Printing or downloading a pattern constitutes agreement with these terms.
