A Day at the Beach Bag in Deramores Studio DK Acrylic - Downloadable PDF

A Day at the Beach Bag – Knitting Pattern Summary

About This Pattern

Designed by Wendy Kippax, A Day at the Beach Bag is a stylish, practical knitted tote bag that brings together bold colour and elegant stitch texture. Wendy Kippax is an award-winning designer — a former Designer of the Year winner — whose work draws inspiration from history, travel, and vibrant colour palettes. This pattern is available as a downloadable PDF from Deramores and is rated Intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping and stitch patterns and are ready to explore more decorative techniques.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a knitted beach bag, measuring 35 x 43cm (excluding handles), making it a generously sized everyday tote that is equally at home on a summer beach trip or as a stylish shopper. The bag is worked in a striking multi-colour combination and features a fabric lining for added structure and durability.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern uses Deramores Studio DK yarn, a smooth acrylic DK-weight yarn, worked across three carefully chosen colourways:

• Yarn A: Latte — 1 x 100g ball
• Yarn B: Ultramarine — 1 x 100g ball
• Yarn C: Pearl — 1 x 100g ball

The combination of warm neutral Latte, deep ocean-inspired Ultramarine, and soft Pearl gives the bag its seaside character. Deramores Studio DK is a reliable acrylic yarn that offers excellent stitch definition, making it well-suited to textured stitch patterns, and it is easy to care for — an important quality in a bag intended for everyday use.

Needles and Tools

• 4mm straight knitting needles — used for the main body of the bag
• Two 4mm double pointed needles (DPNs) — used specifically for working the i-cord handles
• A 72 x 45cm piece of cotton fabric for the lining, plus a sewing needle and thread for assembly

Tension

The stated tension is 22.5 stitches x 28 rows = 10 x 10cm over the closed shale pattern using 4mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is particularly important in this project to ensure the bag reaches the intended dimensions of 35 x 43cm.

Techniques and Stitches Used

This pattern introduces knitters to a selection of interesting and decorative techniques that elevate it beyond a simple beginner project:

• Closed Shale Pattern — the primary stitch pattern used across the body of the bag. The shale stitch is a classic lace-influenced wave pattern that creates beautiful rippling texture. It typically involves a combination of increases and decreases worked across a set number of rows to produce its characteristic undulating effect, making it visually striking while remaining structured enough for a bag fabric.
• I-cord — worked on two 4mm double pointed needles, i-cord is a simple but effective technique for creating neat, rounded knitted tubes. Here it is used to form the bag's handles, giving them a tidy, professional finish.
• K2tog (Knit 2 Together) — a standard right-leaning decrease used to reduce stitch count where shaping is required.
• Knit (K) and Purl (P) stitches — the foundational stitches of all knitting, used throughout the pattern.
• Colour work — the use of three separate yarn colours (Latte, Ultramarine, and Pearl) adds visual interest and requires the knitter to manage yarn changes neatly.
• Fabric lining construction — the finishing process includes sewing a cotton lining into the bag using a sewing needle and thread, adding structure and a polished interior finish.

Who Is This Pattern For?

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