Small Bags/Purses

Recently I have been making small bags/ purses just large enough for a cell phone, keys, and maybe lipstick/ chap stick with a pocket for credit card/ money.  The finished bags measure approx 6 in wide/ 8 in tall.  Some with removal straps and some w/ adjustable straps.  

This one is going to be a birthday present for a young preteen niece.

This one I mailed to a friend.

These two were made for a niece and her daughter (my grand-niece). 

This one hasn't been designated for anyone as of yet.

Shoreline Bag

This is the first project I have crocheted in a long while.  I saw this kit by Wool and the Gang for this bag (Shoreline Bag) knit with yarn made of recycled plastic bottles mixed with cotton.  I purchased the kit and made the bag to give to a sister who loves going to the beach.  Her birthday is later this month.  The bag measures approx 20 in wide x 15 in high x 6 in deep. 

Gym Bag

I recently made this gym bag. The green lining is an old army duffel bag that once belonged to my dad (he died when I was 8 yrs old).  I altered the pattern I used to make my yoga mat bag.  This bag is shorter (finished length approx 18 in, 8 in wide, 8 in high).  This one has two center zippered pockets and two mesh pockets on the inside.  I also added a strapped key hook.  My only regret is not making the straps a little longer.

 Mesh pocket with the key hook before I turned the bag right side out.

I used a label from a nephew's old jeans (it says made in America) to cover a badly frayed area of the lining fabric.

Brown Marketplace Bag

This is the second market bag I've knitted using the pattern Grrlfriend Market Bag by Laura Spradlin.  This time I use better yarn ==Good Earth (a cotton linen blend) from fibra natura.  

Marketplace Bag

I found the pattern (Grrlfriend Market Bag by Laura Spradlin)for this bag on Ravelry.  I used some cotton yarn I had recycled from an old sweater years ago.  It works okay for this bag but I think a different yarn would be more durable.  Still the bag is functional and I now know for sure that I like the pattern.  Will try this pattern again with other yarns.

Bag for Use with a Walker

I made this bag for my friend (for >40 yrs now).  She has multiple sclerosis and uses a walker.  The pattern is Simplicity 2300, bag A. I modified the pattern just a bit so there is no seams on the side and the zipper pocket in the front has a bias finish along the top edge which was sewn down rather than another seam there. 

I also added a button closure and a key keeper (hook on a strap so the keys don't get lost in the bottom). I also added a button closure and a key keeper (hook on a strap so the keys don't get lost in the bottom).  The shoulder strap (not well seen in the photo) is adjustable.

I think it really needs to be a smaller by about 25% as I am concerned that if it is actually full it will be too heavy and make it too difficult for my friend to lift the walker when needed or make the walker unstable.  She hasn't had the bag long so no reported problems (so hopefully my worries are unfounded).

Crossbody Bag

I took apart an old bag to use as a pattern for this crossbody bag.  I changed the inner pockets and sections to try to improve on it's function.  There is an adjustable strap.  The opening has a two way zipper

I "harvested" the rubber headphone slot from the old bag and sewed it in place.  Inside there is a zippered pocket for money, passport, lip stick, etc.  There are three slotted pockets for ID and credit or debit cards.

There is a larger back section that would hold a small tablet or iPad.  The section also has a pocket that comfortably holds a phone.

 Off to the side is a pen pocket.

 This is what the back looks like.

The bag is going to a teenage niece.

Bag for My Yoga Mat

Our local Lululemon hosts free yoga classes on Sunday morning.  I have been going to them since the beginning of this year (learning about them around Christmas).  I had been using a cheap (thin) mat I bought at Wal-Mart.  A couple of the girls who work there gave me one of theirs (new, 5 mm thick).  It is wonderful.  As it is heavier and nicer than my old one I felt I needed a bag to protect and carry it (although a carrying strap might have worked and I may yet make one).  I found a pattern at Annie's Bags (here's the link: http://www.byannie.com/yoga-bag).  Here's how it turned out.

 This side has three pockets, two with zippers.  The other side only has the middle pocket without a zipper.

 Both ends have non-zippered pockets.

As support for the store I have since purchased the same mat (different color) for one of my sisters.

Cross Shoulder Purse

I made this cross shoulder purse after making this travel bag.  I used the same fabrics as I had so much left over.  I entered it into the 2018 Road to California Bag Challenge.  I don't expect to win but you never know.  I drafted the pattern for this purse using an old leather purse.  There are three outer pockets and three inside pockets.  The purse has a zipper closure.  The strap length can be adjusted for shoulder length or cross body.   This side has two slip pockets.

 I consider this the back.  There is one slip pocket on this side.

 The inside has three pockets, two open and one zips closed.

There is also a hook for keys on the end of the strap.  I have always loved this feature in my old purse so added it here.

T

Travel Bag

I was inspired to make this bag when I stumbled across the 2018 Road to California Bag Challenge.  I'm not sure the bag is special enough to win the contest so I'm still deciding if I will enter it.  Still I am happy with the bag.  It is something I will use.  I used the Ultimate Travel Bag pattern from Annie.com.  There is a pocket on each side of the bag.  The back has a slip pocket as well as a strap at the top to which allows the bag to be secured to the handles of rolling luggage. There is a padded adjustable and detachable carrying strap as well as side handles

 The front has two pockets, one a slip pocket and another with a zipper.

Inside there are mesh pockets on the front and back.  The bottom has a plexiglass bottom stabilizer under the fabric lining.  I sewed buttons on the outside bottom as suggested to reduce wear over time. 

Knitted Beach Bag

I knit this beach bag using Jute macrame rope, 3-ply, from Hobby Lobby.  Next time I think I will try 2-ply which should be less stiff and easier to use.  Still it turned out rather well. The pattern is Sea Breeze Bag.  The first photo is taken with my running shoes in the bag to an effort to "stretch" the bag out.

 This photo was taken shortly after finishing the bag.

Farmer's Market Bag

I ran across a couple of skeins of cotton yarn in my stash and though they might make a nice market bag.  The pattern  (Farmers Market Bag by Kathryn Ashley-Wright) looked like a good one to use.  My bag measures 13 in tall by 15 in wide  though I have no doubt it will "stretch" and be deeper when used over time.   The true color of the blue is darker than shows here.

Here you can see the stitch detail .

Felted Shoulder Bag

This is my first attempt at felting something I knit.  The pattern is The "Don't Worry" Felted Shoulder Bag by Catherine Hughes.  The yarn is a blend of  Bernat Pebblespun (deep teal color) from my estate sale stash and Rowan Kidsilk Haze (black).  I forgot to measure the bag after I finished knitting and before felting it.  After felting it measured about 10 in X 12 in.

To make the strap more stable I pulled a strip of woven strapping through and machine stitched it in place where it attached to the bag.  I made one end "free" with a key

The bag is lined.  The magnetic closure is one I "harvested" from an old purse.

Small Messenger Bag

This is the latest bag I’ve made, a small messenger bag measuring 7.5 in wide X 9 in tall.  I machine quilted two layers of the gold batik.  This one has the optional chevron strip pieced pocket.

This photo shows the Chevron fabric better.  I used some denim as well as cottons.

Here you can see the zippers and the swivel snap for holding keys or small flash light.

 

Here is the back.

Small Voyager Handbag

I recently made this small handbag for a friend.  It is made using the Ghee’s Voyager Handbag pattern.  I used the small size, but made it an inch wider.  Open, as in this photo, it measures 7 in X 11 in.

Closed, as in this photo, it measures 7 in X 6.5 in.
Here’s the back.  It has a clip for keys.

Another Voyager Bag

A few weeks ago I posted about a voyager bag I made using black linen.  It was made using  the Voyager Bag (#761) pattern from Ghee’s.  Yesterday I pulled out some Alexander Henry fabric featuring horses (a light weight denim) that I’ve had for over 15 years.  I was going to make a jacket, but, well, it never happened.

This one, like the black linen one, is lined and measures 8 in X 9 in when folded over.  There are a total of 4 zippered compartments and two other pockets. 

Here is the inside.
Here is the back.

I plan on giving it to a friend for his wife who loves horses.

Black Linen Voyager Bag

Last fall I bought a new bag pattern from Ghee’s, the Voyager Bag (#761).  I made the medium using some black linen in my stash.  As it was a light-weight linen, I underlined it to make it more durable.  I, also, fully lined the bag sections so there are no raw seams anywhere.

The finished bag, folded over, measures 8 in X 9 in.  There are a total of 8 compartments/pockets.  I had a beautiful piece of 3 in wide trim that I wrapped around 1.5 in cotton strapping to make the bag’s strap. 

Here is the back.  Note the pocket which could hold tickets when traveling.

Here is the inside.

Here you can see the antique buttons I used for the closure.  I found these years ago at an estate sale.

Knitted Miragamo Bag

Updated 3/2017-- all links (except to my own posts) removed as many are no longer active and it was easier than checking each one.

I finished this knitted Miragamo bag.  I found the pattern for the Miragamo Bag by Georgie Kajer on Ravelry.  I went to my local specialty yarn store to find the hemp yarn as suggested, but they didn’t carry it.  I ended up buying and using Louet Euroflax Chunky Wt. in brown. 

The bag measures 14.5 in wide, 12.5 in high, and 4 in deep.  The handles are Grayson E leather handles.

The bag is fully lined with pockets (6 in wide X 5.25 deep).
The pattern directions called for using plastic canvas to make supporting structure for the bag.  I used Pellon Peltex 70 instead.  I covered each Peltex piece with brown fabric so the white wouldn’t be an issue showing through the linen knit pattern.  Here you can see the band strip.
Here is a photo of the fabric-covered Peltex sewn together to form a “box” which then was sewn into the bag.  This “box” lays between the knitted linen and the lining.  It is indeed the skeleton of the bag.

I wanted extra pockets in the bag.  You know we have cell phone, camera, etc that you don’t want to end up lost in the bottom.
This photo shows the three parts – knitted bag, skeleton, and lining.

Rusty approves!