DIY Network

Polka-Dot Drawstring Bag Polka-Dot Drawstring Bag From "Knitty Gritty" episode DKNG-108

Leigh Radford has designed a clever drawstring bag that serves as a nonthreatening introduction to the knitting technique called intarsia. When working with a variety of colors, knitters have their own personal preferences about how to handle the individual lengths of yarn, so check out her suggestions and see which one works best for you.

advertisement

	For a printable version of this chart, click on the PDF file below.
	PDF Intarsia bag

Knit-O-Meter Rating: Intermediate

©Leigh Radford; material not to be reproduced without permission or used for resale.

Finished size: approximately 11" x 11"

Materials
Rowan HandKnit DK Cotton yarn (100 percent cotton, 50g; 93 yards/85 m): (2) Main Color/Flame #254; (1) each: A/Sugar 303, B/Celery 309, C/Rosso 215, D/Bleached 263
One pair US 6 (4mm) (adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge)
Tapestry needle
Ribbon/drawstring

Gauge
Rowan HandKnit DK Cotton: 20 sts and 28 rows = 4"

Stitches
Stockinette Stitch (St st)
Row 1(RS): knit all sts
Row 2 (WS): purl all sts.

Moss Stitch
Row 1: K 1, p1
Row 2: repeat
(pattern worked over even number of sts -- purl knit sts and knit purl sts)

Tip: To help you keep your place on the chart as you knit, use a piece of stick-on note paper to mark your current row. Simply place the paper so it covers the previous rows and underlines the one you're knitting -- it's a lot less confusing than tryong to remember which row you were working on.

	Adding a second color (to see a step-by-step demo, click on the video link below) ...
	Media Watch the Video

Bag
With color A, CO 50 sts. Work 7 rows in St st (approx. 1") beg with a purl row.
Next row: (RS) K1, *yo, k2 tog, ending with k1.
Work 7 rows in St st (approx. 1").
Work 2 rows in color B.
Work rows 1-52 of Chart One, inc 1 st on first row of chart (51 sts.)
With color D, work 1 row St st, then work 24 rows (approx. 2 3/4") in Moss St.
With main color, change to St st, working rows 1-52 of Chart Two, dec 1 st on last row of chart (50 sts).
Work 2 rows in color B.
Work 7 rows in color A, (approx. 1").
Next row (RS): K1, *yo, k2 tog, ending with k1.
Work 7 rows in St st.
BO all sts.

Knit Bit: Want to know how much yarn you need for a block of color? No problem! Take a look at your chart and count the individual stitches in the block of color. Then you're going to take your yarn and wrap it around the needle the same number of times that there are stitches. Once you've done that, you've got your length of yarn -- and you're good to go!

RESOURCES :

Rowan HandKnit DK Cotton
Suggested retail price: $5.00
Main color: Flame #254
Accent colors: Sugar #303, Celery #309, Rosso #215, Bleached #263
Rowan Yarns
Website: knitrowan.com

Stitch Painter Knitting Software
Cochenille
Website: cochenille.com

Chinese Symbols
Price: $2.50 each (minimum order: 4)
Website: logoi.com/symbols/index.html

Astrological Signs
We apologize no contact information is available.

GUESTS :

Leigh Radford
Art Director, Interweave Knits
Website: interweave.com/