Pollyanna Purse

Pollyanna Purse

I've been itching to do another bag ever since I finished the Funner Summer Beach Bag, in large part because I've been bursting with design ideas. And I'm pleased to report that the Pollyanna Purse represents many of them, including faux i-cord edgings in both the strap and the sides and a seamless design. Long story short, it's both sturdy and cute and a reasonably easy knit despite its kinda-fancy design features.

Yarn: Lily Sugar 'n Cream (100% Cotton; 120 yards [109 meters]/70.9 grams); #01215 Robin's Egg - 2 skeins (color A), and #01322 Lilac - 1 skein (color B)

A closer picture of the front middle of the purse.
That's a thing, right? The "front middle"?

Needles: One 24" or longer circular needle in size US 7, one set of straight needles, also in size US 7, and one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 7, as well as size US 9 or 10 needles for provisional cast on

Notions: Tapestry needle, 6 stitch markers

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size 7 needles

So let's get started! First, then, let's discuss the structure of this bag - you'll begin by knitting the bottom of the bag & strap (which are connected in a continuous loop). Once that's done, you'll pick up stitches along the edges to create the sides of the bag. So with that in mind, using your larger needle, a provisional cast on, and your color B yarn, cast on 23 stitches loosely. Transfer work to your size 7 straight needles, and then continue as follows:

Row 1 (right side): using color B, knit

Row 2: using color B, k1, slip 3 stitches with yarn in front (wyif), p15, slip 3 wyif, k1

Rows 3 - 6: using color B, knit rows 1 & 2 twice

Rows 7 - 14: using color A, knit rows 1 - 2 four times

Rows 15 & 16: using color B, knit rows 1 & 2

Knit rows 1 - 16 eight times and then knit rows 1 - 8 once more. At this point, we're going to move into the strap portion of the bag with some transition/decreasing rows. All of the strap will be worked in your color A yarn, so go ahead and clip the tail of your color B yarn. And then let's continue like so:

Transition Row 1 (right side): using your color A yarn, transfer first stitch to a piece of scrap yarn or a stitch holder for safekeeping; then, k3, ssk, k11, k2tog, k3, and transfer final stitch to a piece of scrap yarn for safekeeping as well (fyi, you'll use those stitches later to define the boundaries of the stitches you'll pick up along the bottom to make the sides)

Transition Row 2: using your color A yarn, slip 3 wyif, p13, slip 3 wyif

Knit transition rows 1 & 2, and then we'll move to a few decrease rows, in order to narrow the strap. So let's continue like so:

Decrease Row 1 (right side): using your color A yarn, k3, ssk, knit until you have 5 stitches left in row, k2tog, k3 (-2 stitches)

Decrease Row 2: slip 3 wyif, purl until you have 3 stitches left in row, slip 3 wyif

Knit decrease rows 1 & 2 until you have 11 stitches left on your needle and you've just finished decrease row 2. Then we'll work the strap without decreases, as follows:

Strap Row 1 (right side): knit

Strap Row 2: slip 3 wyif, p5, slip 3 wyif

Knit strap rows 1 & 2 until piece measures roughly 22" from your last color B stripe and you've just finished row 2 of your pattern. Transfer live stitches to a yarn scrap or a stitch holder for safekeeping, and transfer your provisional cast on back to your needles. Then we'll work a few transition rows, and some decreases, as follows, in order to mirror the decreases from the other side of the purse. Note that the first transition row is the only one for which you'll need your color B yarn, so you can clip the tail once you're done with it.

Transition Row 1 (wrong side): using color B, k1, slip 3 stitches with yarn in front (wyif), p15, slip 3 wyif, k1

Transition Row 2: using color A, knit

Transition Row 3: using color A, k1, slip 3 stitches with yarn in front (wyif), p15, slip 3 wyif, k1

Transition Row 4: using your color A yarn, transfer first stitch to a piece of scrap yarn or a stitch holder for safekeeping; then, k3, ssk, k11, k2tog, k3, and transfer final stitch to a piece of scrap yarn for safekeeping as well

Transition Row 5: using your color A yarn, slip 3 wyif, p13, slip 3 wyif

Knit transition rows 1 - 5 and then transfer your live stitches to a scrap of yarn or stitch holder for safekeeping. At this point, I would highly recommend blocking your work flat. No, the bag's not done or anything, and we've only worked the bottom of the bag and the handle (which we'll soon graft together). But this is your last opportunity to block it flat before we do that grafting, which will give you a chance to really tug those slipped stitch edgings so that they align with the knit stitches between them, to prevent buckling and curling. Then, once it's blocked, go ahead and use the Kitchener stitch to graft together your live stitches from the two ends of the strap (we're still reserving those 4 extra stitches, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about them). Then you'll have a circle, basically, with one wider, striped part (the bottom of the bag), and a narrower part (the handle). And now we'll start working the sides of the bag!

So, you remember those one-stitch garter edgings you were working on the edges of your slipped stitch i-cords? And your four reserved stitches (see! told you I'd remember)? Starting on whichever side of the bag you'd like and with the rightmost reserved stitch, transfer that stitch to your circular needle and, with your color A yarn, knit it. Then pick up one more stitch to the left of it, still in the color A transition-to-handle section. Then continue to pick up stitches across the whole bottom of the bag, picking up 6 along each stripe until you reach your final color B stripe. Pick up those final 6 in the color B stripe and then one in the small color A portion to the right of your second reserved stitch. Knit the reserved stitch. At this point, you should have picked up 104 stitches along the bottom of the bag, and knit your two reserved stitches for a total of 106 stitches. And now that we've picked up the stitches for the side of the bag, let's place some markers and then work 'em!

Marker Placement Row (wrong side): using color A, k1, slip 3 wyif, place marker, p23, place marker, slip 3 wyif, place marker, p46, place marker, slip 3 wyif, place marker, p23, place marker, slip 3 wyif, k1

Knit this marker placement row, and then continue as follows:

Row 1 (right side): using color A, k4, slip marker, ssk, knit until you reach next marker, slip marker, k3, slip marker, ssk, knit until you're two stitches before next marker, k2tog, slip marker, k3, slip marker, knit until you're two stitches before next marker, k2tog, slip marker, k4

Row 2: using color A, k1, slip 3 wyif, slip marker, purl until you reach next marker, slip marker, slip 3 wyif, slip marker, purl until you reach next marker, slip marker, slip 3 wyif, slip marker, purl until you reach next marker, slip marker, slip 3 wyif, k1 

Knit rows 1 & 2 until you have 18 stitches left on your needle and you've just finished row 2 of your pattern (you can go ahead and remove your stitch markers on that last row). Divide your 18 stitches evenly onto two dpns and graft them together using the Kitchener stitch. Repeat for other side of bag. Finally, using your color A yarn and your dpns, pick up 4 stitches in the middle of one of the bag sides (centered above your graft). Work for 10" in an icord, and then bind off loosely. Repeat on other side of bag. Tuck in ends and block.