Knitted Clutch Bag

Knitted Clutch Bag by Sam Pratt

What is Being Made

This is a knitted clutch bag designed by Sam Pratt, featuring a finished size of 24cm x 12.5cm. The clutch is a practical accessory piece that combines functional design with decorative cable patterning, making it suitable for holding small personal items. The pattern is presented as a downloadable PDF format, allowing crafters to work through the design at their own pace.

Techniques Used

The primary technique employed in this knitted clutch bag is cable knitting, which creates raised, twisted texture across the fabric. Cable work requires the use of a cable needle to manipulate stitches and create the characteristic braided appearance. The pattern includes both front and back cable techniques to achieve dimensional effects throughout the design. The construction method allows for flexibility in finishing: crafters can add a lining using canvas or thick cotton to provide shape and structural support to the finished bag, or alternatively, they can choose to work with a stiffer yarn weight to achieve body without additional lining.

Stitches Used

The clutch bag pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with cable stitch variations:

• Knit (K) – the basic knit stitch forming the foundation of the fabric
• Purl (P) – the reverse of the knit stitch, used to create texture and pattern definition
• K2tog (Knit 2 together) – a decrease stitch that reduces stitch count and shapes the garment
• C3F (Cable 3 Front) – a cable technique where two stitches are slipped onto a cable needle and held to the front, the next stitch is knitted, then the two stitches from the cable needle are knitted, creating a cable that twists to the front
• C3B (Cable 3 Back) – the reverse cable technique where one stitch is slipped onto a cable needle and held to the back, two stitches are knitted, then the stitch from the cable needle is knitted, creating a cable that twists to the back

Materials and Gauge

The pattern is written for 50g of Paintbox cotton DK yarn in Stormy Grey, a lightweight yarn that creates a refined, drapeable fabric. The recommended needles are 4mm, with a matching 4mm cable needle required for executing the cable stitches. A tapestry needle is needed for weaving in ends and finishing seams. The working gauge is 21 stitches over 28 rows per 10cm x 10cm square, which is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Additional materials include canvas or thick cotton fabric for lining, along with matching thread for securing the lining to the knitted exterior. An optional button can be added as a decorative or functional closure element. The pattern notes that while DK cotton is specified, crafters may substitute with cotton aran yarn using the same 4mm needles to create a stiffer fabric that provides additional structure without requiring a separate lining.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is classified as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to work with cable techniques. The cable stitch work requires attention to stitch manipulation and cable needle management, but the relatively small finished size and straightforward construction make it an accessible project for developing cable knitting skills.