Pattern Description:
The Weekender Tote Bag is a stylish, easy-to-knit project combining structure and softness with Purl Soho’s Sunshower Cotton yarn.
Featuring a sturdy garter-stitch base and a smooth stockinette body, it’s perfect for everyday errands or weekend getaways.
Available in two sizes, this free pattern offers a simple, modern design that balances functionality, comfort, and timeless handmade charm.
Materials Needed & Measurements:
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Purl Soho’s Sunshower Cotton, which is 100% organically grown cotton and a worsted/aran-weight yarn.
- Skeins required: 3 (5) skeins.
- Total yards required: Approximately 475 (710) total yards. Each skein is 159 yards/100 grams.
- Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm), 24- or 32-inch circular knitting needles, depending on which size is being made.
- Notions: Stitch marker and Stitch holder or scrap yarn.
- Sample Colors Used: Heirloom White (Small size) and Upper Atmosphere (Large size).
Gauge
The gauge is measured after blocking:
- Garter stitch: 21 stitches and 42 rows = 4 inches.
- Stockinette stitch: 21 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches.
Finished Measurements (Small (Large))
- Finished Circumference: 31½ (36¼) inches.
- Finished Depth: 10¾ (14¾) inches.
- Base of Bag: 12 inches wide x 3¾ inches long (13½ inches wide x 4½ inches long).
- Strap Depth: 9¾ (11) inches.
Instructions for Making the Weekender Tote Bag Pattern:
BASE (Garter St.)
- CO: Cast on (CO) 63 (71) stitches (sts). (A Long Tail Cast On is recommended).
- RS Marker: Place a removable stitch marker or scrap yarn on the first row to indicate the Right Side (RS).
- Knit Base: Knit (K) every row until the piece measures 3¾ (4½) inches from the CO edge, ending with a Wrong Side (WS) row. At this point, you should have 20 (24) garter ridges on the RS.
BODY (Stockinette in the Rnd)
Pick Up Sts:
- Set-Up Row (RS): K 63 (71) sts.
- Rotate work 90 degrees clockwise (CW), and pick up and K 20 (24) sts along the left selvage (one st between every garter ridge).
- Rotate work 90 degrees CW, and pick up and K 63 (71) sts along the CO edge.
- Rotate work 90 degrees CW, and pick up and K 20 (24) sts along the right selvage.
- You will have 166 (190) total sts.
- Join Rnd: Place a unique marker and join for working in the round (rnd). (If the RS, or stockinette ‘V’ stitches, is facing inwards, turn the work inside out).
Body Height: K every rnd until the piece measures 9 (12½) inches from the Set-Up Row.
DIVIDE FOR HANDLES
Division Rnd (RS): K 114 (130) sts. Slip the next 83 (95) sts onto stitch holders or scrap yarn, removing the end-of-round marker as you reach it. 83 (95) sts remain on the needles for the First Handle, and 83 (95) sts are on hold for the Second Handle.
(You will now work the handles flat, turning the work after each row).
FIRST HANDLE (Work Flat)
- Slip St Note: Slip (Sl) stitches purlwise with yarn in back on RS rows, and with yarn in front on WS rows, unless directed otherwise.
- Set-Up Row (WS): Sl 1 (see Notes), Purl (P) to end of row.
- Row 1 (RS – Decrease): Sl 1, K 2, slip slip knit (ssk), K to last 5 sts, K 2 together (k2tog), K 3. [2 sts decreased].
- Row 2 (WS – Clean Edge): Sl 2, P to last 4 sts, P 1 through the back loop, P 3, sl last 2 sts back onto the left needle (L-needle) and P 2. (This technique gives a clean edge; the resulting “float” should be on the WS).
- Row 3 (RS – Decrease): Sl 2, K 1, ssk, K to last 5 sts, k2tog, K 3, sl last 2 sts back onto L-needle and K 2. [2 sts decreased].
- Shape Handle: Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until 9 sts remain (35 (41) more times), then repeat Row 2 one more time.
- Bind Off Center (RS): Sl 2, K 1, sl 1 knitwise with yarn in back, K 1, pass slipped st over and off the right needle (R-needle), sl the resulting st from R-needle to L-needle, pass the second st on L-needle over the first, sl the resulting st back to R-needle, K 3, sl last 2 sts back onto L-needle and K 2. [7 sts remain].
- Next Row (WS): Sl 2, P to end of row.
- Finish: Place sts on st holder/scrap yarn. Cut yarn.
SECOND HANDLE & FINISHING
- Second Handle: Return the 83 (95) on-hold sts to needles and rejoin yarn, ready to work a WS row. Work exactly as for the First Handle, beginning with the Set-Up Row.
- Grafting: When finished, leave sts on needles. Cut yarn, leaving a 13-inch tail for grafting.
- Slip the on-hold First Handle sts onto the other end of the needles, ensuring the Handle is not twisted.
- Holding the needles parallel, use the long tail and Kitchener Stitch to graft the Handles together.
- Finishing: Weave in all ends. Wet block as desired.
Like a sturdy dock built to withstand sunny days and stormy weather, the foundation of the Weekender Tote begins flat with a dense garter stitch base before rising into a soft, structured stockinette body knit in the round, relying on the strength of the cotton fiber to hold its shape.
