Knitting for women Knitting Bags, accessories Clutch bag "Magic the Circus"

Clutch bag "Magic the Circus"

Clutch bag



THIS COLOURFUL clutch bag by Nicki Merrall is knitted in a variegated yarn, using seamless techniques. The front flap is made first, one hexagon at a time, with more hexagons joined on by picking up stitches. Once the front flap is complete, stitches are picked up round three sides of the flap to make a mitred facing. Stitches are then cast on and picked up along the remaining flap edge before the bag is knitted in the round, from the top down. The lower edges are joined using a three-needle cast-off. The bag is then completed by inserting a lining fabric and thick interfacing.

SIZE: 33cm (13in) wide by 191/2cm (71/2in) deep

YARN: Noro Silk Garden Sock (4ply weight; 40% lambswool, 25% silk, 25% nylon, 10% kid mohair; 300m/328yds per 100g ball)

Shadow (S308); 2 x 100g balls

NEEDLES & ACCESSORIES

1 pair 2.75mm (UK 12/US 2) double-pointed needles

1 pair 2.75mm (UK 12/US 2) circular needles, 60cm long

Lining fabric

Heavyweight interfacing

Sewing thread

TENSION

34 sts and 36 rounds to 10cm over chevrons on 2.75mm needles

SPECIAL ABBREVIATIONS

s2kpo: Insert right needle into next 2 sts on left needle as if to K2tog and slip onto right needle; K next st on left needle; with left needle pass slipped sts over K st.

PREPARATION

Knit one hexagon to find out how much yarn is required, and add a bit extra. Wind 26 small balls of yarn from your skein. Using the flap diagram overleaf as a guide, arrange the yarn so that the colours are evenly distributed. You are ready to knit the flap!

HEXAGON 1

With 2.75mm double-pointed needles make 54 sts using the knitted (lace) cast-on. Divide sts between 3 needles (18 sts per needle).

Join to work in the round, taking care not to twist sts.

Round 1: K to last st on last needle, Sl 1 to first needle of next round.

Round 2: *s2kpo; K6, s2kpo, K6, Sl 1 to next needle; rep from * once, s2kpo; K6, s2kpo, K to end.

42 sts (14 sts per needle).

Round 3: As Round 1.

Round 4: *s2kpo; K4, s2kpo, K4, SI 1 to next needle; rep from * once, s2kpo; K4, s2kpo, Kto end. 30 sts (10 sts per needle).

Round 5: As round 1.

Round 6: *s2kpo; K2, s2kpo, K2, Sl 1 to next needle; rep from * once, s2kpo; K2, s2kpo, K to end.

18 sts (6 sts per needle).

Round 7: As Round 1.

Round 8: *s2kpo twice, Sl 1 to next needle; rep from * once, s2kpo; twice.

6 sts (2 sts per needle).

Rounds 9 to 12: Knit.

Break yarn and pass through stitches to secure.

HEXAGON 2

Hexagon 2 is joined to Hexagon 1 by picking up and knitting stitches from two corners and one side.

With 2.75mm double-pointed needles make 9 sts using the knitted cast-on. Pick up and knit 10 sts, (l corner st, then 8 sts along one side, then 1 corner st).

Cast on 35 sts. 54 sts total.

Divide sts between 3 needles (18 sts per needle).

Join to work in the round, taking care not to twist sts.

Continue as for Hexagon 1.

HALF HEXAGON 3

Half Hexagon 3 is joined to Hexagon 1 by picking up and knitting stitches from two corners and one side.

With 2.75mm double-pointed needles pick up and knit 10 sts (1 corner st, 8 sts along one edge, 1 corner st), make 18 sts using the knitted cast-on method. 28 sts.

Row 1(WS): Purl.

Row 2: SSK, *K6, s2kpo; rep from * once, K6,K2tog. 22sts.

Row 3: As Rowl.

Row 4: SSK, *K4, s2kpo; rep from * once, K4, K2tog. 16 sts.

Row 5: As Rowl.

Row 6: SSK, *K2, s2kpo; rep from * once, K2, K2tog. 10 sts.

Row7: As Rowl.

Row 8: SSK, *s2kpo; rep from * once, K2tog. 4 sts.

Break yarn and pass through sts to secure.

HEXAGON 4

Hexagon 4 is joined to three previous hexagons by picking up and knitting stitches from four corners and three sides. With 2.75mm double-pointed needles make 9 sts using the knitted cast-on. Pick up and knit 28 sts from three sides of previous hexagons (1 st from each corner, 8 sts from each side), then cast on 17 sts using theknitted cast-on. 54sts.

Divide sts between 3 needles (18 sts per needle) andjointoworkintheround, taking care not to twist sts.

Continue as for Hexagon 1.

Break yarn and pass through sts to secure.

HALF HEXAGON 5

Half Hexagon 5 is joined to two previous hexagons by picking up and knitting stitches from 3 corners and two sides. With 2.75mm double-pointed needles make 9 sts using the knitted cast-on, then pick up and knit 19 sts from two sides of previous hexagons (1 st from each corner, 8 sts from each side). 28 sts.

Continue as for Half Hexagon 3.

Break yarn and pass through sts to secure.

HEXAGON 6

Hexagon 6 is joined to two previous hexagons by picking up and knitting stitches from 3 Corners and two sides. With 2.75mm double-pointed needles make 18 sts using the knitted cast-on, pick up and knit 19 sts from two sides of hexagons (1 st from each corner st, 8 sts from each side), then cast-on 17 sts. 54 sts. Divide sts between 3 needles (18 sts per needle).

Join to work in the round, taking care not to twist sts.

Continue as for Hexagon 1.

Break yarn and pass through sts to secure.

FLAP

See flap diagram above.

Knit the hexagons in rows from right to left, bottom to top. New hexagons are joined to previously made hexagons by picking up stitches (one for each corner and 8 for each side) - sides where stitches are picked up are orange.

First row of hexagons: Knit Hexagon 1, then Hexagon 2 five times.

Second row of hexagons: Knit Hexagon 3, then Hexagon 4 five times, then Hexagon 5 once.

Third row of hexagons: Knit Hexagon 6, then Hexagon 4 five times.

Fourth row of hexagons: Same as second row.

FLAP FACING

Starting at top left-hand side, pick up and knit 54 sts (1 st from each corner, 8 sts from each side) along the right side, then 108 sts along the lower edge and 53 sts along right side. 215 sts.

Row 1: Purl.

Row2: K52, s2kpo; K6; *s2kpo; K7, M1R, K1, M1L, K7; rep from * five times; s2kpo; K6; s2kpo; K52.209sts.

Row 3: Purl.

Row4: K51, s2kpo; K4; *s2kpo; K7, M1R, K1, M1L, K7; rep from * five times; s2kpo; K4; s2kpo; K51.203 sts.

Cast-off purlwise.

BAG FACING

With 2.75mm circular needles cast on 109 sts using the cable cast-on.

Row 1: Purl.

Row 2: SSK, *K7, M1R, K1, M1L, K7, s2kpo; rep from * four times; K7, M1R, K1, M1L, K7, K2tog.

Row 3: Purl.

Row 4: As Row 2.

Do not break the yarn.

Once the bag facing has been knitted, stitches are picked up from the free edge of the flap, then the bag is knitted in the round.

Continuing with 2.75mm circular needles, pick up and knit 107 sts from the bag flap (1 st from each corner, 8 sts from each side) and join to work in the round. 216 sts.

Round 1: *K1, P8; rep from * to end of round.

Round2: K1, M1L, *K7; s2kpo; K7, M1R, K1, M1R; rep from * to last 17 sts; K7, s2kpo; K7, M1R. 216 sts.

Round 3: Knit.

Round 4: As Round 2.

Round 5: Knit.

Round 6: As Round 2.

Repeat rounds 1-6 until bag measures 17cm (approx. 11 repeats), then work Round 1 once more.

Turn bag inside out, and join front and back lower edges using a three-needle cast-off. Cast off first corner st on its own, then remaining sts in corresponding pairs, finishing with one corner st.

Sew in yarn ends.

Rinse in wool wash, squeeze and leave to dry. Steam block so that the flap and bag facings are folded over.

LINING

Measure across the bag - this will be the width of the lining.

Cut a rectangle of thick interfacing 60cm deep and as wide as your bag.

Fold the interfacing 20cm up from one narrow edge.

Insert folded edge into bag, so shorter piece is at the front. Mark the points of the zigzag on the interfacing for the bag front.

Remove the interfacing and draw an even zigzag line using the marks as a guide. Cut the zigzag edge. Insert interfacing into the bag and check the fit, adjusting if necessary.

Mark the points of the zigzag on the interfacing for the flap edge in the same way. Remove the interfacing and draw an even zigzag line using the marks as a guide. Cut the zigzag edge. Insert interfacing into the bag and check the fit, adjusting if necessary.

Use the interfacing as a template for the lining, adding seam allowances of 1.5cm on all edges.

Centre interfacing on wrong side of lining and pin WS together. Fold lining over zigzag edge of bag front, making mitres where necessary. Top stitch close to edge. Fold interfacing and lining along fold between bag front and back, so that right sides of lining are together. Stitch side seams (no need to stitch through interfacing).

Fold lining over sides and zigzag edge of bag flap, making mitres where necessary.

Top stitch close to edge.

Insert lining into bag.

Using sewing thread, stitch bag and flap facings to lining.