Sock candy bag

Sock Candy Bag by Adrienne Ku

Project Overview

The Sock Candy Bag is an intermediate-level knitting project designed to create a practical drawstring bag perfect for storing small items. This downloadable PDF pattern combines fundamental knitting techniques with a functional finishing method, making it an ideal project for knitters looking to expand their skills beyond basic garment construction.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a knitted bag featuring eyelets around the perimeter and a custom twisted cord drawstring closure system. The finished bag is designed to hold small items, with its name suggesting it could be used for storing candy or other small treasures. The bag structure incorporates strategic eyelet placement to accommodate dual drawstring cords that create an adjustable closure.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Sock Candy Bag employs several intermediate knitting techniques to achieve its functional design. The pattern utilizes eyelet construction, which creates small decorative and functional holes throughout the bag structure. These eyelets serve as anchor points for threading the drawstring cords, combining aesthetic appeal with practical function.

The pattern incorporates decrease stitches to shape the bag and create the eyelet details. Knitters will work with standard decreases that are essential for intermediate-level projects.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K) - The fundamental stitch forming the base fabric of the bag
• Slip, slip, knit (Ssk) - A left-leaning decrease stitch used for shaping and eyelet creation
• Knit 2 together (K2tog) - A right-leaning decrease stitch that works in conjunction with ssk to create balanced decreases and eyelet patterns

Twisted Cord Drawstring Construction

A distinctive feature of this pattern is the twisted cord drawstring finishing technique. Rather than using a simple purchased cord, knitters create two custom drawstrings directly from yarn using a traditional hand-twisting method. This technique involves cutting approximately 10 feet of yarn, securing it to a fixed point such as a doorknob or chair leg, and twisting the yarn until it naturally kinks back on itself.

The process includes pinching the midpoint of the twisted yarn while keeping tension, then allowing the yarn to twist back on itself to create a balanced, finished cord. The more twist applied during this process, the firmer and more durable the resulting cord becomes. This handmade approach allows knitters to customize cord thickness and texture while creating a cohesive finished product using the same yarn as the bag itself.

Once completed, the two twisted cords are threaded through the eyelets in opposite directions around the bag perimeter, with ends tied together to create a secure, adjustable drawstring closure system.

Materials

This pattern is designed for 4-ply yarn weight, which provides an appropriate balance of stitch definition and fabric drape for a small bag project. The yarn selection directly impacts both the finished size and the appearance of the eyelets and twisted cord. Standard knitting needles appropriate for 4-ply yarn weight are required, along with a crochet hook or pencil to assist with the cord-twisting process during finishing.

Difficulty Level

Classified as an intermediate project, the Sock Candy Bag assumes knitters have mastered basic stitches and are ready to work with decreases and eyelet patterns. The twisted cord finishing technique, while traditional and achievable, adds a handcrafted element that distinguishes this project from beginner patterns.