French Market Bag

A friend passed on this pattern (by Polly Outhwaite) for a square-bottom felted bag, called the French Market Bag. While wrangling the pleater, I felt I needed one in my win column. So I dug out this pattern and the skein and a half of Cascade 220 and Knit Picks Wool of the Andes and got to work on Thursday with some #6 dpns and circulars. I love the start of the bottom - reminds me of the "God's Eyes" we used to make out of bright yarn and popsicle sticks.



Here was the bag by this weekend with a full shot of the bottom. I started using up stash wool when I realized that (1) I was going to need more yarn, (2) I should have checked my gauge, and (3) I had no idea what the bag really looked like, but that I liked the shape, and what shape doesn't like stripes, especially a full bottom?



Here is the bag with a 14" needle for comparison.



Handles done and ready for the fun of felting (does this ever grow old?!).



Post felting - looking rather saggy and dark. It's more fun in person. Really.



Hanging out to enjoy the view.



I liked knitting this bag a lot. Lots of practice with continental knitting, which is finally seeming to go a bit faster than English for me (just the knit stitch, though. The purling is still dicey). I would refrain from stripes in the future - a bit much for this simple bag. The two recommended colors would work much better. Also, I'd do it again with two strands of yarn and slightly longer handles for more usefulness. Maybe even more narrow handles and make more of a decorative basket/bowl out of it rather than carrying things in it. I'm hoping this will make a fun project bag for a friend.

Now - when is that Knit Picks order coming since I have all this room in my yarn drawer?!