Christmas Tree Drawstring Gift Bag

Christmas Tree Drawstring Gift Bag

Project Overview

This is a beginner-level knitted drawstring gift bag designed by Andrew Lucas, featuring a festive Christmas tree motif. The finished bag measures approximately 10 centimeters and is created using basic knitting techniques suitable for those new to the craft. The design combines colorwork elements with structural shaping to create a functional and decorative storage piece perfect for small gifts or holiday treats.

What is Being Made

A small drawstring gift bag with Christmas tree design elements. The bag features a main body constructed in green knitting, accented with yellow, red, and blue details. The design includes a picot edge at the top for decorative appeal and a functional drawstring closure system. The bag is shaped at the base to create a three-dimensional form, and bottom branches add dimensional detail to complete the festive aesthetic.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Garter stitch – Used for the initial yellow cuff at the top of the bag, creating a textured, reversible fabric
• Picot edging – A decorative technique creating small loops along the top edge using yarn round needle and knit two together decreases
• Stocking stitch – The primary fabric structure for the main body of the bag, created by alternating knit and purl rows
• Decreasing – Multiple decrease rows shape the base of the bag, progressively reducing stitch count to create the gathered bottom
• Colorwork – The design incorporates oddments of yarn in green, yellow, red, and blue to create visual interest and the Christmas tree theme
• Bind and tie finishing – A secure closure method threading the final stitches together using a tapestry needle
• Seaming – Row ends are stitched together to form the three-dimensional bag structure

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern uses standard knitting abbreviations including: inc (increase), dec (decrease), k (knit), p (purl), rep (repeat), st st (stocking stitch), tog (together), gs (garter stitch), B and T (bind and tie), yrn (yarn round needle), and psso (pass slip stitch over). These abbreviations allow for concise pattern instructions while maintaining clarity for knitters at all levels.

Materials and Tools

This project requires 3.25mm knitting needles and double knitting weight yarn in multiple colors. The pattern calls for oddments (small quantities) of green, yellow, red, and blue yarn, making it an excellent stash-busting project. A tapestry needle is needed for the bind and tie finishing technique and for seaming the bag together. The relatively small yardage requirements make this an economical project suitable for using leftover yarn from other knitting projects.

Construction Details

The bag begins with a yellow garter stitch cuff of four rows, followed by a picot row created using yarn over and knit two together decreases. The main body is worked in green stocking stitch for 24 rows, establishing the primary color and fabric structure. A fold line is created through purl and knit rows, which allows the picot edge to fold neatly. The base is shaped through a series of strategic decreases: the first shaping row reduces 45 stitches to 36, the second reduces to 27, the third to 18, and the final row reduces to 9 stitches before binding off. Bottom branches are begun in green wool, adding dimensional detail to complete the Christmas tree design. The row ends are seamed together to create the finished three-dimensional bag form.