This little piggy… Recycled Silk Yarn Tote Bag

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy went to the beach, this little piggy wanted to look fabulous, this little piggy wanted to be socially conscious, and this little piggy went to Darn Good Yarn to her yarn!

 

Thanks to the help of my homegirl over at Rambling Designs (http://ramblingdesign.wordpress.com/)  (seriously, bookmark her blog.. Bridgett is amazing!) we now have a great tote bag that so many of your were asking for!

This bag is knitted on two straight needles all at once, without any seams.

 

 

 

Yarn: Recycled Resolutions, 2 balls (check out the collection here: http://store.darngoodyarn.com/products?search=recycled+resolution+sari+silk+yarn&search-submit=

Needles: Size US 17 (12.5 mm) crochet hook size US J10 (6mm),

Notions: Yarn needle, beginning of round marker (a safety pin will do just fine), beads or sea shells (optional) sewing thread to sew on beads or shells.

 

Abbreviations:

 

CO= cast on

k= knit stitch/es

p= purl stitch/es

sl= slip stitch/es

sl1p slip one purlwise

sl1k= slip one knitwise

wyif= with yarn in front of work

tbl= through back loop

st= stitch/es

lh= left hand

rh= right hand

 

 

Instructions:

 

Co 37 stitches

R1, 2: sl1k, k36

R3, set up row: sl1k, k2, k next stitch, but do not drop off lh needle, bring yarn to front and sl loop of stitch just worked to rh needle as if to p , rep  across to last 3 st, k3 (65 stitches)

R4: sl1k, k3, sl1pwyif, *k1, sl1wyif, rep from * across to last 3 st, k3

Rep row 4 a total of 26 times. Make sure you ALWAYS ONLY knit the stitches you slipped in the previous row, or the bag will not open!

 

Next:

sl first 4 st onto rh needle, place next st on holder, *sl 1 on rh needle, place next st on holder, rep from * across to last 3 st, sl3 stitches on rh needle

Next row: k1, *k1, sl first st over second, rep from * across to last 3 st, k3

Next row: k3, place all st from the st holder onto needle, bind off as previously explained until all stitches are worked off, do not cut thread, do not pull yarn though.

Place the last loop onto crochet hook, place beginning of round marker and work 100 sc evenly around top of bag.

Work a total of 3 rounds of sc.

Do not cut thread.

Bag strap:

R1: 2 sc in next 2 sc, turn, ch1

R2: 5 sc  in next 5 sc (these are worked right across the “short” side of the bag, where you used to turn when you were knitting) turn, ch1

rep row 1 until handle measures approx. or reaches desired length. Cut and pull yarn through last loop on hook use long tail to sew strap to opposite side of bag where you started.

 

You can choose to line the bag if you like, I chose to keep it unlined, so the sand can fall right back out of it and I won’t drag it home.

This bag is also great for going to the park with the little ones and taking their toys along, OR to use when grocery shopping. One bag- multitude of uses!