Product Description
Have you ever bought a skein of yarn because it was the last one there? Or because it was the last of its color? Or because it was so interesting in the store, but then you had no idea what to do with it? This pattern, named after the Arabic word for stratify, is a great way to use one of those in the last category.
First published in Knotions Magazine.
Yarn Required: untreated worsted weight wool (or other feltable fiber) in two colors -
approximately 175 yards / 160 meters Main Color (MC)
140 yards / 115 meters Contrast Color 1 (CC1)
approximately 100 yards / 95 meters non-felting novelty yarn in Contrast Color 2 (CC2) to coordinate with CC1
Finished Measurements: approximately 8 inches / 20 cm wide after fulling
approximately 3.5 inches / 9 cm deep after fulling
approximately 8 inches / 20 cm high after fulling
Skills Required: Knitting in the round, knitting with two strands of yarn held together, picking up stitches, making I-cord, creative manipulating of your knitting.
Tutabaq Knitted Bag by Ranée Mueller
What Is Being Made
Tutabaq is a one-piece knitted purse designed to showcase novelty or specialty yarns paired with complementary wool. Named after the Arabic word for stratify, this bag celebrates the creative use of single skeins—those last-of-their-kind yarns found in stores that inspire immediate purchase but require the right project. The finished bag is fulled (felted) for structure and durability, creating a professional-looking accessory with minimal finishing work.
Design and Construction Approach
This pattern eliminates the need for sewing entirely. The bag is constructed in a single piece using a joining-as-you-go technique, meaning shaping and assembly happen simultaneously during the knitting process. Once all yarn ends are woven in, the piece is ready for fulling—a wet finishing process that transforms the knitted fabric into a sturdy, felted material suitable for a functional bag. This streamlined construction makes it an excellent project for knitters seeking a finished, polished result without traditional seaming.
Techniques Used
- Joining as you go: Incorporates shaping and assembly during the knitting process rather than after
- Fulling: A wet finishing technique that felts the knitted fabric, creating a denser, more structured material ideal for bag construction
- Colorwork integration: Combines a main color with a contrast color to highlight novelty or specialty yarns
Materials Required
This pattern calls for untreated worsted weight wool or other feltable fiber in two colors. Approximately 175 yards total of yarn is needed: roughly 140 yards in the main color and approximately 100 yards in a contrast color. The use of untreated, feltable fiber is essential, as the fulling process depends on the yarn's ability to bloom and lock together when wet and agitated.
Difficulty Level
Rated as a beginner project, Tutabaq is accessible to knitters new to bag construction and fulling techniques. The one-piece, join-as-you-go method simplifies the typical multi-step bag-making process, and the absence of seaming reduces finishing complexity.
```Specifications
| Brand: | Independent Designer |
| Yarn Weight: | Worsted |
| Pages: | 9 |
| Designer: | Ranée Mueller |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Languages: | English |
| Number of Patterns: | 1 |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
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