Baby Cable Striped Purse

Baby Cable Striped confection

Baby Cable Striped Purse

It’s Chunky (knits up fast!) and novel (you will be ogled as you walk by!) this bag will be your new fave!  The baby cable has a big impact in bulky yarn.  Knitting on circulars makes following the stripe and baby cable pattern a cinch!

Skill Level: Intermediate

• Abbreviations:

Bo: bind off

Co: cast on

K: knit

P: purl

Pm: place marker

P2tog: purl 2 stitches together

Materials Needed:

• 1 skein each Lion Brand Hometown USA in Honolulu Pink and Los Angeles Tan
• Size US 13/24” circular needles
• Markers
• Row counter
• Tapestry needle

Pattern Notes:

It’s ALWAYS a good idea to read through the entire pattern before you start.

• The striped pattern is a four-row repeat beginning from the bottom of the bag in pink. Remember to wrap the color the new color you are about to use around the yarn of the last stitch of the previous color round to prevent holes.
• The Baby Cable is also a four-row repeat, with the twist occurring in the knit stitches on the fourth row of each complete stripe.
• Baby Cable: on the fourth round of the repeat: knit two together BUT DO NOT PULL OFF THE LEFT NEEDLE. Re-insert the right needle BETWEEN the two stitches still on the left needle, and knit the first stitch again.  Now pull all stitches off the left needle. You’ve made the twist!

Instructions:

• With pink, cast on 32, pm (to differentiate front from back), cast on 32 more, pm of a different color (beginning of round).
• Round 1: join in the round, *p3, k2, p4, k2, p4, k2, p4, k2, p3, slip marker and repeat from *.
• Rounds 2 & 3: repeat row 1.
• Round 4: *p3, baby cable (see pattern notes), p4, baby cable, p4, baby cable, p4, baby cable, p3, slip marker, repeat from *. Wrap new color around yarn of last stitch of round 4 to prevent a hole!
• Rounds 5-8 (Tan): change color. Repeat rounds 1-4
• Rounds 9-12 (Pink): change color, Repeat rounds 1-4 but on round 10 reduce 1 stitch on each side as follows: p2tog, continue in established pattern to marker, slip marker, p2tog, continue in pattern to end.
• Rounds 13-16 (Tan): Repeat rounds 1-4.
• Rounds 17-20 (Pink): Repeat rounds 9-12, with round 18 being the reduction round.
• Rounds 21-24 (Tan): Repeat rounds 1-4.
• Rounds 25-28 (Pink): Repeat rounds 1-4, but on round 26: knit in pattern until 2 stitches before marker, p2tog, slip marker, continue in pattern until 2 before beginning-of-round marker, p2tog.
• Rounds 29-32 (Tan): Make the “holes” for the handles: Repeat rounds 1-4, but on round 32: *P1, baby cable, p4, baby cable, p1, bo 8, p1, baby cable, p4, baby cable, p1, slip marker, repeat from *.
• Round 33 (Pink): *p1, k2, p4, k2, p1, co 8, p1, k2, p4, k2, p1, slip marker, repeat from *.
• Round 34: repeat round 26.
• Rounds 35-36: continue in pattern, row 36 being the baby cable twist.
• Round 37: Bind off in pattern.

Finishing:

• Turn bag inside out.
• Be certain you’ve got good knots wherever you’ve joined new colors between stripes. Weave in ends, remembering to keep them shallow because you don’t want them peeking through to the right side.
• Line up baby cables along bottom edge, pin in place and then sew bottom.
• Sew in a novelty lining, if you think you need one to prevent the bag from stretching out when you load it with your necessities.
• Make a huge flower to embellish. (See “Huge Flower” pattern in drop-down menu!)