Pelican Bag in Rowan Creative Linen - Downloadable PDF

Pelican Bag in Rowan Creative Linen – Pattern Summary

The Pelican Bag is a stylish, structured knitted bag designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. This pattern, available as a downloadable PDF, produces a finished bag complete with a shaped front flap, making it both a practical accessory and a satisfying knitting project. Rated as advanced beginner difficulty, it is an excellent next step for knitters who have mastered basic techniques and are ready to work with simple stitch patterns and basic shaping.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a knitted bag featuring a distinctive shaped front flap that tapers to a neat point. The bag is worked as a single knitted piece, which is then used as a template to cut a coordinating lining fabric, giving the finished bag a clean, professional interior. The structured silhouette and colour-work detailing make this a versatile everyday accessory.

Design Details and Shaping

The bag is worked in an all-over stitch pattern that repeats across both the body and the front flap. The body is knitted until the work measures approximately 26 cm, at which point markers are placed at each end of the row to denote the beginning of the front flap shaping. The flap is then shaped by decreasing one stitch at each end on the next row and every following alternate row until only 9 stitches remain, followed by decreases on the next 3 consecutive rows, reducing the stitch count to just 3 stitches. The flap is finished with a final K3tog (knit three together) using yarn B (Natural 621), and the yarn is fastened off to create a neat pointed tip.

Techniques Used

• Stitch pattern work: The bag is constructed using a repeating stitch pattern worked consistently across the body and flap, requiring the knitter to keep the pattern correct throughout all shaping rows.
• Decreasing and shaping: Regular decreases are worked at each end of alternate rows and then on consecutive rows to create the tapered front flap — a useful technique for knitters developing their shaping skills.
• Row markers: Stitch markers are placed at the end of a right-side row to clearly denote the transition between the bag body and the front flap shaping section.
• Lining construction: The knitted piece is used as a physical template to cut a fabric lining, with a 1.5 cm seam allowance added around all edges — combining knitting with basic sewing skills.
• Edging: A front flap edging is worked using double-pointed needles, adding a neat, finished border to the shaped flap.
• Making up and pressing: The finished pieces are pressed according to the yarn's care instructions before assembly, ensuring a polished result.

Stitches Used

• All-over stitch pattern repeated across the main body of the bag (a structured repeat of 6 rows)
• K3tog (knit three together) — used to finish the front flap point neatly
• Standard knit and purl stitches forming the basis of the stitch pattern
• Decrease stitches worked at each end of shaping rows to form the tapered flap

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Creative Linen, a DK weight yarn sold in 100 g balls. Three colours are used in the design:

• Yarn A – Teal 625: 1 ball
• Yarn B – Natural 621: 1 ball
• Yarn C – Foggy 624: 1 ball

Rowan Creative Linen is a popular choice for bags and accessories due to its natural linen content, which gives the fabric a pleasingly firm, structured drape — ideal for a bag that needs to hold its shape in everyday use.

Needles and Tension