Bag Style 22 Inspirational Handbags Totes and Carry-alls to Knit and Crochet

Why Bags? Even though we weren't there to see it, we're willing to bet that the first bag was invented sometime in prehistory when cavemen and women scavenged the countryside for food and had the good fortune to find more than they could carry. Since then, bags have become a necessity for life for carrying and storing all of our stuff.

Bag Patterns

• Zenith Carpet Bag by Véronik Avery- This uptown bag is large enough to hold a few books or important files and chic enough to wear with a business suit and heels.
• Two-Tone Triangle Purse by Mary D'Alton- Mary turned to Japanese origami for the construction of this clever bag. She knitted two diamonds - one burgundy and one chartreuse - then folded them together into a triangle shape.
• Cabana Backpack by Mags Kandis- While vacationing in the Caribbean, Mags purchased a souvenir backpack made of palm leaves that was, although beautiful to look at, scratchy to wear. She copied the narrow, elongated shape in a soft wool yarn in the festive colors of oceanside cabanas and bright beach towels.
• Knitting Needle Knitting Bag by Pam Allen- Pam indulged her fondness for the berry stitch in this quick-and-easy knitting bag whose cigar shape was inspired by a bag she saw in a catalog.
• Rugged Messenger Bag by Joshua Eckels- Carry your important files and papers comfortably in Joshua's manly messenger bag.
• Classic Crochet Purse by Norah Gaughan- To give this triangular purse plenty of depth, Norah sewed gussets at the base as well as generous pleats on the front and back.
• Hemp Market Bag by Katie Himmelberg- A champion of string market bags, Katie designed this one to be wider than most so that it could hold long veggies, leafy greens, fresh baguettes, and other goodies with ease.
• Linen Tube Clutch by Ruthie Nussbaum- On a recent trip to the Bahamas, Ruthie was fascinated by the intricately woven straw baskets, bags, and placemats in the Straw Market of downtown Nasseau. She translated these shapes, textures, and colors into this unusual linen clutch.
• Apple Ribbon Tote by Bri Ana Drennon & Regina Rious Gonzalez- With an unusual twist on knitting yarn, Bri Ana and Regina designed this generous tote to be crochet in raffia ribbon.
• Felt Laptop Case by Kate Jackson- For a fresh alternative to the black nylon laptop bag, Kate knitted and felted her own jazzy striped version.
• Fair Isle Book Bag by Kristin Nicholas- The rectangular book bag is the bread and butter of knitted bags. In this version, Kristin began with a flat base, then picked up stitches around the edges and worked the body in the round to the upper edge, alternating a few rounds of stockinette stitch and reverse stockinette stitch to punctuate the base and top.
• Lace Doily Purse by Lisa Daehlin- In an unusual twist on bag construction, Lisa began with two circular doily motifs worked from the center outward to a decorative picot edge.
• Formal Boot Bag by Laura Irwin- Laura used buttons and baubles to decorate this sturdy bag. She began by knitting a rectangular base with the yarn doubled for extra thickness, then she picked up stitches around all four edges and worked the body of the bag to the top, using just a single strand of yarn.
• Yoga Mat Tote by Sharon O'Brien- In true yoga fashion, Sharon combined elements of calm and energy in this bag designed to carry a yoga mat.
• iPod Pocket by Ann Budd- Frustrated by the inconvenience of carrying her iPod around in her hand, Ann set out to knit a portable iPod case.
• Yo-Yo HoBo by Judith L. Swartz- Circles of color play against each other all around this colorful drawstring bag.
• Celtic Weekend Tote by Lisa B. Evans- Knitted from soft Rowan Scottish Tweed, Lisa's tote is a welcome companion on a weekend getaway.
• Chullo Pouch by Mary Jane Muckelstone- Mary took the earflap on a traditional chullo hat of the Andes, blew the design up, and made it into a playful bag.
• Penny Rug Purse by Mags Kandis- Inspired by a photograph of a penny rug she had snipped from a catalog years ago, Mags designed this colorful boxy bag.
• Surface-Woven Tote by Theresa Schabes- Although this bag is visually complex, Theresa designed it to be surprisingly quick and easy to knit.

Ann Budd first learned to knit in 1968 when living in Switzerland for a year with her family. At the time, knitting was part of the curriculum for all schoolgirls. Back in the United States, Ann continued to knit through her high-school, college, and graduate years, when she earned a master’s degree in Geology. In 1989, Ann decided to forego the sciences and pursue her passion for knitting and fiber-related crafts when she began working as an editorial assistant for Handwoven magazine. Through the years, Ann worked as a book editor and managing editor of Interweave Knits magazine. Since 2002, Ann has authored or co-authored more than eight books, including the popular Knitter's Handy Book series, Getting Started Knitting Socks, and several books in the Style series. Ann continues to edit craft books for Interweave as well as author her own books.

Pam Allen has been part of the hand-knitting industry since 1985, and joined Classic Elite Yarns in May 2007. Until 2003, when she was hired as editor of Interweave Knits, her designs were published regularly in Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, and Knitters. Her work was also featured in general interest magazines—Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, and Woman’s Day—and in Melanie Falick’s book Knitting in America (1996) and Vogue Knitting/American Collection (2000). She is the author of Knitting for Dummies and Scarf Style, and the co-author of 4 other titles in the Style series published by Interweave Press. As editor of Interweave Knits, Pam worked with established hand-knitwear designers such as Norah Gaughan, Mari Lynn Patrick, and Deborah Newton, and she also encouraged new-generation designers such as Veronik Avery and Kate Gilbert. As creative director at CEY, Pam continues to work with these and other talented and well-known hand-knitwear designers, including up-and-coming blogger and designer Jared Flood. She also continues to be published not only in CEY’s semi-annual collection of best selling pattern booklets, but also in major knitting magazines, and e-zines, such as Twist Collective and knitty.com.