Spots Bags

Spots Bags by Sian Brown

Project Overview

The Spots Bags is a downloadable knitting pattern designed by independent designer Sian Brown. This project creates a practical drawstring bag featuring a colorful spotted design, perfect for everyday use or as a handmade gift. The pattern includes instructions for constructing the bag body with decorative intarsia colorwork, functional eyelets for the drawstring, and coordinating handles and tie closure.

What is Being Made

This pattern produces a finished drawstring bag measuring 23 cm wide by 24 cm deep, with 45 cm long handles. The bag features a two-piece construction with a decorative spotted pattern on the front and back panels, eyelets for threading a drawstring closure, and a plaited tie made from yarn lengths. The design is both functional and decorative, suitable for storing small items or as a decorative accessory.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Intarsia colorwork: The pattern uses intarsia technique to create the spotted design, requiring knitters to read chart rows right to left on right-side rows and left to right on wrong-side rows
• Eyelet creation: Strategic cast-off and cast-on stitches form eyelets that allow the drawstring to pass through
• Garter stitch: Used for the handle strips and finishing rows, creating a textured, reversible fabric
• Stocking stitch: The primary stitch for the bag body, creating a smooth, classic knitted fabric
• Plaiting: Yarn lengths are plaited together to create a decorative drawstring tie

Stitches and Stitch Details

• Stocking stitch: Worked over the main bag panels for a smooth finish; tension is 18 stitches and 24 rows over 10 cm x 10 cm
• Garter stitch: Used for handles (worked continuously until 45 cm length is achieved) and for 2 finishing rows in the contrasting color
• Eyelet row: Created by casting off one stitch and purling across, then casting on in the return row to form regular openings
• Cast on and cast off: Standard techniques used throughout for edge finishing

Materials and Yarn Specifications

This pattern uses Debbie Bliss Eco Aran yarn in three colors:

• Colour 1 (Light Blue, shade 616): 2 x 50 gm balls (primary color for bag body)
• Colour 2 (Lime, shade 619): 1 x ball (for handles and garter stitch detail)
• Colour 3 (White, shade 608): 1 x ball (for intarsia spotted pattern)

The yarn weight is aran, a medium-weight yarn suitable for creating fabric with good drape and structure. Knitting needles required are 4.5 mm size.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty. Knitters should be comfortable with basic techniques including stocking stitch, garter stitch, and casting on and off. The intarsia colorwork technique requires attention to reading charts and managing multiple yarn colors simultaneously, making this pattern suitable for knitters with some experience beyond absolute beginner level.

Pattern Construction

The bag is constructed in multiple components. Two identical main pieces form the front and back panels, each created by casting on 43 stitches and working intarsia colorwork from a provided chart for 49 rows. After the intarsia section, an eyelet row is worked to create openings for the drawstring, followed by 6 rows of stocking stitch in the primary color. The pieces finish with 2 rows of garter stitch in the contrasting lime color before casting off. Two handle strips are knitted separately in garter stitch using the lime color, and a plaited tie is created by twisting together yarn lengths in all three colors.