Easy Stripes

Easy stripes because the yarn did the work.  It's too hot to knit with wool,  I wanted to knit a bag with  this cotton.  Does the pattern look familiar?  Lately I have been obsessed  with the chevron stitch.   This is the lace version,  instead of a make 1, the increase is done with a yarn over. Knit in the round.

 Zig-Zag Cotton Bag

Size: about 10" x 12" measured flat
Gauge: 4 stitches to 1" Not critical, but for this yarn each stripe is 3 rows
Materials:
2 balls Lilly Sugar 'n Cream Stripes - Natural Stripes
7 (4.5mm) needles & 8 (5mm) needles to work in the round (I used 16" circular)
stitch markers, waste yarn

Bag:
With size 7 needles, provisionally cast on 38 stitches using waste yarn.  Change to main yarn and working back and forth knit 2 rows. Next row slip first stitch with yarn in front, knit to end of row. Repeat this row 20 times.  Change to size 8 needles for working in the round.  Pick up 10 stitches through both loops on the first short side, 37 stitches from the cast on, (make sure you pick up all the loops), 11 stitches through both loops on the last side. 96 stitches. Place marker and knit 2 rounds.  This will be difficult, but will get easier after a few rounds.
Start chevron pattern: Place markers every 12 stitches & don't forget the last YO!
Round 1:  *K1, YO, K4, S2KP, K4, YO* repeat to end of round
Round 2:  K
Knit these 2 rounds 18 times, for a total of 36 rows.
Next round. K5, SK2P, K4
 With size 7 needle knit 6 rounds garter stitch (Knit 1 round, Purl 1 round)  Bind off.
Handle: With size 7 needle, pick up 10 stitches centered at the short side, k 2 rows, decrease to 8 stitches and k 100 rows, increase 2 stitches, k 2 rows.   Pick up 10 loops in the center of the remaining short side and knit a 3-needle bind off.  (Or just sew it together)
Note: You may have to cut out some yarn when joining the 2nd ball to make the stripes work.
Abbreviations: K-Knit, YO- Yarn over, SK2P-Slip 2 together as to knit, knit the next stitch, pass the slipped stitches over
This is a free pattern for personal use only

 © 2012 OC Knitter