Lady of Shalott Purse

Lady of Shalott Purse by Vanessa Ewing

Project Overview

The Lady of Shalott Purse is an intermediate-level knitted bag designed by Vanessa Ewing, inspired by the literary imagery of undulating water. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a finished purse measuring 6 ¼ inches tall (excluding handle) by 7 ¾ inches wide, featuring three tiers of lacy, ruffled details in powder blue that evoke the waves the Lady of Shalott traveled through on her boat.

Construction and Design

The purse is constructed using a layered technique that combines stockinet stitch sections with decorative wave pattern ruffles. The design requires knitting two identical pieces, each built in stages. The base of each piece is worked in stockinet stitch (alternating knit and purl rows), followed by a separate ruffle section that is then sandwiched on top of the base fabric. This construction method creates the signature three-tiered ruffle effect that gives the purse its distinctive aesthetic.

Knitting Stitches and Techniques

• Stockinet Stitch: The foundational stitch used for the purse base, created by alternating knit rows on the right side with purl rows on the wrong side
• Wave Pattern: A lacy stitch pattern that incorporates yarn overs (yo) and knit two together decreases (k2tog) to create openwork texture and ruffle shaping across 14 rows
• Yarn Over (yo): Used to create decorative eyelets and increase stitch count for the ruffle expansion
• Knit Two Together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used to shape the wave pattern and create the ruffle definition
• Purl Two Together (p2tog): Used in the final row to dramatically decrease stitches and gather the ruffles
• Cast On and Cast Off: Standard techniques for beginning and finishing the knitted pieces

Materials and Gauge

This project uses 4 balls of Berroco Suede yarn in a worsted weight, worked on size 7 knitting needles (two pairs required for simultaneous construction of base and ruffle sections). The gauge is 4.5 stitches per 1 inch when measured in stockinet stitch on size 7 needles. Additional materials include ½ yard of lining fabric and a 7 ¾ inch wide purse frame with chain attachment, which complete the finished bag.

Pattern Structure

The pattern provides directions to make two identical purse pieces. Each piece begins with casting on 48 stitches and working 1 ¾ inches in stockinet stitch. Simultaneously, a separate strand of yarn and second needle set are used to cast on 96 stitches and work the wave pattern once. The ruffle is then positioned on top of the stockinet base, creating the layered ruffle construction that defines this design.