Vintage evening bag
Make a sophisticated statement with this subtle ra a-look clutch bag
Cast on this quick and easy knit now and make yourself a stylish clutch bag for casual nights out. Caroline’s design features soft spring-like colours from the Rico Creative Cotton Aran range, but the yarn comes in plenty of colours so you could just as easily match it to a particular outfit, or go super bright in zingy orange and pink!
BAG (MAKE 2)
Cast on 62 sts using 4mm needles, Yarn A and a long-tail cast on.
FEATHER AND FAN LACE EDGING
Row 1 Knit. Row 2 Purl. Row 3 K1, *(k2tog) twice, (yo, K1) 4 times, (k2tog) twice; rep from * to last st, K1. Row 4 Knit. Rep Rows 1 to 4 once more. Next row K to end.
WOVEN STITCH
Rows 1 and 3 ( WS) P to end. Row 2 K1, *sl1 wyif, K1; rep from * to last st, K1. Row 4 K1, *K1, sl1 wyif; rep from * to last st, K1. Rep Rows 1 to 4 once more.
Change to Yarn B Continue to work in Woven Stitch (but always K the edge stitch) and AT THE SAME TIME shape bag as folls: Dec row Sl1, P1, psso, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [2 sts dec’d] Work 9 rows in patt. Rep these 10 rows once more. [58 sts]
Work Dec row. [2 sts dec’d] Work 7 rows in patt.
Rep these 8 rows once more. [54 sts] Work Dec row. [2 sts dec’d] Work 5 rows in patt. Rep these 6 rows 2 more times. [48 sts]
Work Dec row. [46 sts] Work 3 rows in patt. Work Dec row. [44 sts] Cast off.
ZIP PULL
Cast on 3 sts using 3 mm needles, Yarn A and the long-tail cast on. Row 1 (Kfb) twice, K1. [5 sts] Row 2 Purl. Row 3 (K1, yo) 4 times, K1. [9 sts] Rows 4 & 5 Knit. Row 6 Purl. Row 7 SSK, (yo, K1) 5 times, yo, k2tog. [13 sts] Rows 8 & 9 Knit. Row 10 Purl. Row 11 SSK, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [11 sts] Rows 12 and 13 Knit. Cast off.
MAKING UP
Steam both knitted pieces. With RS together backstitch them together, beginning and ending at the base of the lace edging.
Using the bag as a template, cut 2 pieces of lining fabric, 1cm bigger all round, up to the lace section again but adding a 1.5cm seam allowance along the top.
Using the bag as a template, cut 2 pieces of heavy interfacing and baste or iron it to the reverse of the knitted bag, up to but not covering the backstitched seam and turn through.
Fold under a 1.5cm seam allowance along the top edge of the lining (machine stitch to get a crisp edge) and backstitch to the underside of the zip 0.5cm from the zip itself. Leave the ends of the zip free. Repeat for the second piece.
With RS together sew lining into a bag shape, 1.5cm from edge. Put lining bag inside knitted bag and hand- stitch in place, catching the stitches into the last ridge of knitting before the lace section and into the back of the stitches attaching the lining to the zip. Attach zip pull.
LOOK OUT FOR NEXT ISSUE’S BUNNY BAG FROM ANN FRANKLIN. ISSUE 170 IS ON SALE THURSDAY 22 FEBRUARY.