Mrs Claus Purse with Knit Cables
Make your own cable knit purse or project bag for the holidays! The Mrs. Claus Purse with knit cables is the perfect addition to any knitters outfit. Stuff it full of stocking stuffers to hand out to friends, your WIP knitting or crochet project, or use it as a purse, whatever your purpose you will love this holiday bag.
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This free knitting pattern was originally published in Love of Knitting, Holiday 2013. It uses several knitting techniques to create a wonderful looking knitted bag. I chose to use the provisional cast on to start the body of the purse and the 3 needle bind off to close the bottom / base of the bag. The most difficult part of the purse are the loops that are made to thread the ribbon through. Take your time and you can get them.
Mrs. Claus Purse with Knit Cables
MATERIALS
Yarn: Red Heart Chic Sheep by Marly Bird™ [Art. R170 100% Merino Wool available 3.5 oz (100 g),186 yd (170 m) balls], 6 balls (see note below)
Needles: 8 (5mm) 24″ circular, 10 (6mm) 24″ circular and 2 double pointed needles.
MEASUREMENTS
Gauge: 18 sts = 4″ in stockinette with smaller needles CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge
NOTIONS
Cable Needle, Stitch Marker (make your own), Tapestry needle to bury the ends (learn how here), 1″ decorative ribbon, set of wooden purse handles
NOTES
- Hold two strands of yarn together throughout to make the overall weight of the yarn bulky
- Maintain the pattern stitches in the body of the bag, keep track of each row you complete.
- Bottom of purse is made by decreasing stitches down at the corners to get to few stitches then are seamed together with a 3 needle bind off.
ABBREVIATIONS
- CN: cable needle
- LHN: left hand needle
- K: knit
- P: purl
- C6F: Place 3 sts on cn, hold to front. K3 from lhn, k3 from cn.
PATTERN STITCHES
Staggered 6st Cable (multiple of 14 sts and 6 rows)– S6C
Rows 1-2: *k6, p1 twice; repeat from * to end of row
Row 3: *C6F, p1, k6, p1; repeat from * to end of row
Rows 4-5: same as rows 2-3
Row 6: *k6, p1 C6F, p1; repeat from * to end of row
Moss Stitch (multiple of 4 sts and 4 rows)–
Rows 1-2: *k2, p2; repeat from * to end of row
Rows 3-4:* p2, k2; repeat from * to end of row
Modified Staggered 6st Cable for loops (multiple of 14 sts and 6 rows)–
Rows 1-5: *k1, p1, k2, p1, k1, p1, k6, p1; repeat from * to end of row
Row 6: k1, *p1, k2, p1, k1, p1, C6F, p1; repeat from * to end of row
Loop Cable (7 stitches and 10 rows)–
Rows 1: p1, k6, p1
Row 2: k1, p6, k1
Row 3: p1, C6F, p1
Rows 4-8: repeat rows 1 and 2 twice then row 1 once more
Row 9: p1, C6F, p1
Row 10: k1, p6, k1
SPECIAL STITCHES / TECHNIQUES
Provisional Cast On : https://youtu.be/jo99NawdTZU
MRS CLAUS PURSE
PATTERN
Body of the purse with knit cables
With size 8 needle, cast on 120 sts using a provisional cast on. Join to begin to work in the round, place a marker then work in Moss Stitch (see pattern stitches) for 1″ (2.54 cm).
Switch to size 10 needles and continue with increases as follows: *k1, M1, k2, M1, k1, p1; repeat from * to end of round– 168 sts.
Continue in Staggered 6st Cable pattern (see pattern stitches) until body of bag measures 7″ (17.78 cm) ending after a row 6.
It is time to set up the placement of the loops to thread the ribbon through for the cute bow on the front of the bag. Essentially, we need to create slits between cables and maintain the cable pattern.
Rows 1-10: Staggered 6st Cable, *Modified Staggered 6st Cable (see pattern stitches), 2 Staggered 6st Cable; repeat from * 3 times, Modified Staggered 6st Cable, Staggered 6st Cable.
There are four sections where the cable is missing and this 7 stitch pattern [p1, k1, p1, k2, p1, k1, p1] appears. Using a separate section of yarn and the size 10 DPNs, in the row below where the modified pattern begins, pull the tail of the yarn to the inside of the bag. Using this tail, pick up one stitch in each of the next 7 stitches. With the yarn still in front of the work, work the 10 rows of the Loop Cable pattern.
To join the loops with the body of the bag, work the normal Staggered 6st Cable pattern with the main yarn and the circular needle until you reach the first loop. In pattern, knit each stitch of the loop together with its corresponding stitch on the body of the bag. [This should be p2tog, k2tog 6 times, p2tog]. Do this for each loop as you come to it in this row, staying in pattern for the Staggered 6st Cable pattern.
Work the final row of the Staggered 6st Cable pattern then two more full repeats.
Switch to the size 8 needle and work four rows of the Moss Stitch pattern then purl two rows. Bind off in purl.
Base of the purse with knit cables
Using the size 8 needle, place all 120 stitches on the needle from the provisional cast on. Using the yarn tail from the original cast on as a guide, count over 2 stitches to the right and join yarn. Work the 5 rows of the bottom pattern as follows: [the center of the two decrease sections and the center of the 12th and 24th cable column should line up]
Row 1: purl
Row 2: ssk, k6, k2tog, k50, ssk, k6, k2tog, k50
Row 3: ssk, k4, k2tog, k50, ssk, k4, k2tog, k50
Row 4: ssk, k2, k2tog, k50, ssk, k2, k2tog, k50
Row 5: ssk, k2tog, k50, ssk, k2tog, k50
Finishing
Turn to the inside and bind off using the three needle bind off — 52 sts on each side
Weave in ends.
Weave in Ribbon for bow. Sew on the handles.
Cut yarn leaving a 6” tail to sew the top of hat.
Fasten off.
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