BBB (bag)

B.B.B. (Bulky Bobbly Bag)

Big is beautiful. When it comes to yarn and knitting needles, big is very fast too. That’s a good thing when you want to knit a bag – and don’t need a time consuming project. So big yarn and big needles are used for this B.B.B. (Bulky Bobbly Bag). 
Of course there is more to this bag than just being quick. The bobbly texture makes it an interesting knit too. The bobbles are shaped using a special 4 stitch increase. Don’t worry, it’s very easy. Even when worked in very bulky yarn!

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
36 x 44 cm (sides and bottom 7 cm wide)
18 x 22 inc (sides and bottom 3,5 inch wide)
(for both Brown and Red bag)
 
MATERIALS
Brown bag:
Robin Super Chunky [100% acrylic, yd/90 m per 100g skein]; color: 1306; 3 skeins

1 set(s)US#10,5 or 11/7mm straight needles
 
Red bag:
Hema Venezia Worsted / 10 ply
60% Cotton, 40% Acrylic
 1 set of 5,5 mm straight needles.
 
Notions:  
-         Detachable bag strap (p.a. a strap from an old bag or an old belt)
-         Large O-rings or D-rings to connect bag strap
-         Tissue or large scarf for lining (at least 50 cm wide, 90 cm long) 
 

GAUGE

Brown: 9 sts/13 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinet stitch
Red: 9 sts/16 rows = 4" (10 cm) in stockinet stitch

 

PATTERN NOTES

This bag is knit flat, because of the bulky yarn and large needle size. (Most knitters don’t have circular needles that big and long). Start knitting at the bottom and proceed with the bag front and one side strip. After the front is finished, pick up stitches from the bottom and knit the other the side of the bag. 

 
Specific stitches
 
The stitch pattern is based on a repeat of 8 sts and 7 rows. (After the every increase/decrease row your stitch amount will alter. For sizing don’t count these extra sts).

 

Inc4: Purl 5 sts out of 1 like this: purl a stitch, but don’t slip it off the needle. Leave it on and make a yarn over.  Repeat st and yo once. Make a final st and slip the loop off.

Dec4: Decrease 1 stitch out of 5 like this: s2, k1, psso, k2tog, pkso.

Pkso: pass knitted stitch(es) over

Psso: pass slipped stitch(es) over

This is an easy pattern to knit, once you’ve got the hang of the inc’s and the dec’s.

But because the bobbles are placed randomly over the bag, you might lose track in the written instructions. Charting this pattern on the other hand would be very complex, as the chart would have show the total bag. Therefore I drew a simple schedule that shows you where to increase and where to decrease, once in every seven rounds. (If you want the chart anyway, you can use the chart for the Tortora hat in Knitty first fall 2011) 

For Red Bag: after third bobble rows, repeat bobble rows 1 and 2 one more time to achieve lenght of 45/45 cm.

 
PATTERN
Bottom
C.O. 33 sts (use provisional cast on if you like).
Row 1 – 13: knit
Row 14 (WS): inc. 7 sts at beginning of row for side strip, k40
 
Front and sides:
Row 1 (RS): k1, *p3, k1 [7 more times], p7
Row 2 and all WS rows: knit sts like they show. Knit increased sts, purl decreased sts.
 
Row 3 (RS): *k1, p3, inc4, p3 [3 more times], k1, p7
(Row 3B: k1, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, (2 more times), p3, inc5, p3, k1, k7.)
Row 5 and 7 (RS): *k1, p11 [3 more times], k1, k7
Row 9 (RS): k1, *p3, dec4, p3, inc4 [2 more times], p3, dec4, p3, k1, p7
Row 11 and 13 (RS): k1, p3, k1, *p11, k1 [2 more times], p3, k1, p7
 
Row 15 – 20 : work like 3B (!) – 8
Row 21 – 26 : work like 9 – 14
Row 27 – 32 : work like 3B (!)  – 8
 
(When using smaller yarn like the Hema Venezia, repeat row 9 - 14 and 3B - 8 once more for extra height. This is necessairy if you need more rows but not more sts to obtain gauge).
 
Row 33 (RS): k1, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p7
Row 35 and 37 (RS): k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p7
 
Row 39 (RS): k1, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, inc4, p3, k1, p7
Row 41 and 43 (RS): k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p11, k1, p7
 
Row 45 (RS): k1, p3, inc4, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, dec4, p3, k1, p7
Row 47 and 49 (RS) k1, p11, *k1, p3 [4 more times], k1, p7
Row 51 (RS): k1, p3, dec4, *p3, k1 [6 more times], k1, p7
 
Brim
Row 53, 55, 57, 59 (RS) : k33, p7
Row 54, 56, 58, 60 (WS): k7, p1, k32
 
Row 61 (RS): BO 33 sts. With remaining 7 stitches (side strip) knit 12 more rows in stockinet. BO all.
 
Second bag side
Pick up 33 sts from cast on edge (or unravel provisional cast on row and place sts on needle). Knit row 14 – 61 again (take care to cast on extra stitches for side strip on good side!). 
 
 
FINISHING
Weave in yarn ends. Connect sides and bottom together by crocheting on the outside, thus creating a neat, visible seam. (It should look like the knit stitch on the other side of side strip)
 
Slip D-rings over side strips. Fold strip double to the inside, and sew halfway onto brim. Edge will be hidden by lining. Connect strap to D-rings after you lined the bag.
 
When you use an old belt, connect the buckle to the brim, instead of the D-ring. Connect two D-rings on the other side of the brim slip the other end of the belt trough it. This way you can shorten or lengthen the belt/strap.