LOOM KNIT GARDEN TOTE

I imagine this floral motif as the window that

looks out onto a rose garden, which would

be a perfect place to sit and knit in the

shades of the trellises, surrounded by the

lovely scents of nature. This design features

both double and single knit, making it a

wonderful introduction to the Rotating

Double Knit Loom by Authentic Knitting

Board...Enjoy!

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate

ABBREVIATIONS

Approx=approximately

CO=cast on

BO=bind off

WY=working yarn

PATTERN NOTES

(*please read through before beginning project)

This project is designed in such a way that a

multitude of items can be created from it. If a

bag is not preferred, a pillow can be made by

simply stuffing and closing the top, rather than

adding handles. An unlined bag can be created

by simply adding premade or knit handles to the

top of the bag. The stranded colorwork patch

can be inserted directly into another knitted

project, such as a blanket, etc. The options for

this design are only limited to your imagination!

To make it easier to add a simple canvas tote to

the inside of your bag for a quick liner with

handles, add another 4 rows on each of the 2

color blocks of the main double knit bag to

increase the height to 14”. Then simply insert

the tote into your knitted bag and hand stitch

them together along the top opening! 

METHOD USED FOR FINISHING SAMPLE:

The sample used a basic tote bag for a liner, but

2” were cut off the top of the tote below the

thick seam and handles. The 2 handles were

removed, then stitched together to make one

LOOM: Rotating Double Knit Loom by KB

YARN: approx. 420 yards #4 worsted weight

yarn. Sample used Patons Classic Wool, 210

yards per skein, 100% wool, in colors orchid

and lemongrass

NOTIONS: loom tool, yarn needle, lengths of

waste yarn, row counter. Optional for lining

bag: approx. 1 yard decorator fabric, 1 basic

canvas tote, 10”x10” soft plastic canvas or

stiff felt, sewing machine, sewing thread,

sewing needle, straight pins.

GAUGE: Double Knit Ribbing: approx. 5 sts x

9 rows = 2 inches

Single Knit U-stitch: approx. 10 sts x 11.25

rows = 2 inches

SIZE: Sample is 12” h x 14” w.

longer handle. The removed thick top piece was

trimmed to the very edge and cut through once

to make the 2

longer handle. These were

covered with decorator fabric by folding over

and hand stitching. Pressing the sections of

newly made handles and liner with an iron as

you proceed is helpful and provides a

professional finish.

Two pieces of decorator fabric were cut approx.

1” larger than the trimmed tote and the pieces

seamed with right sides together across the

sides and bottom. The fabric was then inserted

into the tote with the right side of the fabric

showing through the opening of the bag. (*Note:

the part of the tote at the bottom where it opens

to make wider was simply kept closed for a basic

straight bottom.)

The top of the fabric was folded down over the

tote and stitched in place. The handles were

then securely re-affixed to the outside of the

tote. The entire tote with covered liner and

handles was then inserted into the knitted piece

and handstitched around the entire top edge.

COLORWORK PATCH

The stranded colorwork patch was made into a

pocket on the sample. If a pocket is not desired,

then simply stitch the patch around all sides

directly onto the main knitted bag.

The sample created a lined pocket with firm

support by first stitching the colorwork patch to

the front of the bag across the 2 sides and the

bottom. Make sure to center the patch so that

its color blocks are opposite from the bag’s color

blocks (sample was pink on green and green on

pink) and aligning the dividing line of the color

blocks on both pieces. A piece of soft, small

squared plastic canvas (stiff felt could also be

used) cut to approx. 10” x 9” was inserted to fit

at the back of the colorwork patch for support.

The liner was then created by cutting a piece of

decorator fabric into approx. 10.5”x 19”. This

piece of fabric was placed onto the front of the

patch with right sides together and stitched

across the top edges of the patch and the fabric.

The fabric was then folded up onto itself so that

the 2 shorter ends were aligned (the one just

seamed & the one now folded up). The sides of

the fabric were then stitched together to form a

pocket. This pocket was then tucked into the

knitted patch, folding the stitched top edge so

that none of the fabric showed at the front of

the patch. The other side of the top edge of the

fabric pocket liner was folded down to match

the height of the stitched front edge. Pin in

place and hand stitch the liner to the knitted

pocket and bag across the entire top opening.

Pressing the pocket and liner with an iron is

helpful and provides a professional finish…just

be careful about the temperature being applied

to any synthetic yarns. The sample used 100%

wool, so ironing at high heat was acceptable.

KNITTING INSTRUCTIONS

DOUBLE KNIT BAG

Set up the Rotating Double Knit Loom to use

both looms on the base to work a double knit

panel. Using the color of yarn desired for the

bottom color block (COLOR A), CO to 35 peg

pairs using the Ribbing Stitch method of

wrapping.

*See last page of pattern for photos of the

Ribbing Stitch method.

Insert an anchor yarn across all the stitches and

tuck the ends down into the loom.

Rows 1-28: Wrap the loom with the Ribbing

Stitch method and knit off.

Rows 29-55: Trim the bottom yarn color to 4”

and pick up the top yarn color (COLOR B) to

continue wrapping and knitting with the Ribbing

Stitch.

BO all stitches using the Crochet BO for double

knitting. Also BO at the anchor yarn end.

Find helpful instructions for binding off and the

finishing method for the anchor yarn at this link:

http://www.knittingboard.com/bind-offs-page/

Repeat Rows 1-55 instructions to make a 2

identical panel.

Stitch the 2 panels neatly together at the sides

and bottom.

COLORWORK PATCH

Set up the Rotating Double Knit Loom to use

only the outside loom on its base to work a

single knit panel. Using COLOR B, the yarn

desired for the bottom main color of patch, CO

to all 52 pegs from left to right (Sample used

Chain CO).

Rows 1-55: All stitches use the U-stitch. Follow

Chart below for color placement.

This panel uses stranded colorwork to create its

alternating color pattern. Do not cut yarns

when they are not being used. Instead, carry

them along the back of the work together with

the current color. To keep the travelling lines, or

floats, from getting too long, every 3 stitches

that a yarn isn’t being used, wrap the WY

around and over the carried yarn to pin it in

place to the back of the work. To switch colors,

simply bring the yarn to be used over the top of

the now resting yarn and knit the peg(s) called

for in the chart.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Begin reading the chart from right to left, and

working from the bottom row to the top, work

each stitch in the color indicated by the chart.

Row 1 calls for COLOR B to be used on all the

pegs. Row 2 calls for COLOR B to be used on

pegs 52-28. Drop COLOR B and begin using

COLOR A on peg 27. Drop COLOR A and bring

COLOR B around the top of COLOR A and begin

knitting pegs 26-1.

(**Note: You will only need to carry the yarns

during the actual multi-colored motif. The

outside of the diamond motif will be knitted with

just one color, so there is no need to travel the

unused color during these sections.)

BO all stitches using Basic BO and block panel to

a 10.5”w x 9.5”h measurement.

FINISHING

Refer to PATTERN NOTES and METHOD USED

FOR FINISHING SAMPLE instructions at the

beginning of pattern for specific details and

ideas on lining and finishing the bag.

(*Note: For the sample, the colorwork patch was knit in exactly the color scheme as is shown in

the chart above and simply flipped around for seaming onto the bag. Feel free to knit the two

colors of the patch in whatever direction works best for your design. The pattern directions on

the previous page reflect the actual way the colors are laid out in the final design of the bag.)

DOUBLE KNIT RIBBING CAST ON

(*Note: these photos are an example and not the

number of pegs called for in the pattern.)

CO from left to right as seen above. The slip knot

for temporarily holding the yarn is at far left.

Place anchor yarn across CO row & tuck ends

down through loom.

Start Row 1 in pattern from right to left. The

turning peg in each row will only have one loop

and will not be knit off (KO).

The row is completely wrapped the exact same

way as before. The last peg is wrapped for the

first time.

The row’s pegs are KO with anchor yarn in place.

Start Row 2 in pattern from left to right. The

turning peg will have only one loop. Continue

wrapping in the same exact way for all rows.

Bethany A. Dailey has loved the art of loom knitting since 2005. She discovered that even

with hand and wrist limitations, she was still able to successfully create lots of fibery

goodies on her knitting looms. She soon began teaching locally, and online through her

website, GettinItPegged.com. As well as participating in various loom knitting publications

over the years, Bethany has authored her own book, Loom Knitting for Little People. She

has also had the privilege of writing the Stitchology Column for Authentic Knitting Board

since 2014, as well as being a regular design contributor. Feel free to reach her at

Bethany@GettinItPegged.com.