Café Bag Knitting Pattern

Café Bag in Berroco Regatta

What is Being Made

The Café Bag is a knitted tote-style handbag designed by Donna Yacino. This intermediate-level project creates a finished bag measuring approximately 18 inches wide by 17 inches high, not including the straps. The bag features a strap drop of approximately 7 inches, making it a practical everyday carry piece. The design uses a two-section construction method where the back and front panels are worked flat before being joined together with sewn side seams and a coordinating top band worked in the round.

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several fundamental and intermediate techniques suitable for knitters with some experience. The construction begins with the long-tail cast-on method, which creates a sturdy, elastic edge ideal for bag openings. The back and front panels are worked flat on circular needles, meaning they are knitted back and forth in rows rather than in continuous rounds. Once the flat sections are complete, the pattern transitions to working in the round for the top band, which requires joining stitches to create a seamless circular section. The bag also incorporates side seam seaming, where the edges of the back and front panels are sewn together using a mattress stitch or similar joining technique. Additionally, the pattern includes pick-up and knit techniques, where new stitches are created by picking up existing cast-on stitches to begin the front panel. Increases such as M1 (make one) and M1p (make one purl) are used in the top band to shape the transition from the body to the finished edge.

Stitches Used

The Café Bag features a distinctive Pattern Stitch that forms the main fabric of the bag body. This stitch is worked as follows: Row 1 consists of K2, [yo, pass last stitch on right-hand needle over yo] twice, repeated across. This creates a textured, open-work effect through the combination of yarn overs (yo) and pass over decreases. The yarn overs add decorative holes and visual interest, while the pass-over technique decreases stitches to maintain stitch count. This Pattern Stitch is repeated throughout the back and front panels to create the bag's primary texture. The top band introduces additional stitches including purl (p), knit (k), slip stitch wyif (with yarn in front), and the aforementioned increase stitches. The combination of knit and purl stitches in the top band creates a ribbed or textured edge finish that complements the open-work body.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Café Bag is designed to be knitted using Berroco Regatta yarn, a yarn produced by Berroco, Inc. The project requires 3 balls of Berroco Regatta, each weighing 100 grams, in the colorway #9575 Skipper. The gauge for this project is 12 stitches and 18 rows over 4 inches in Pattern Stitch, which is an important measurement to verify before beginning the project to ensure the finished bag meets the specified dimensions. The pattern recommends using a 29-inch circular needle in size 9 (5.50 mm) or the size necessary to obtain the correct gauge. A spare needle in size 9 (5.50 mm) or smaller is also required for holding stitches temporarily during construction. The use of circular needles allows for flexibility in working both flat sections and in-the-round sections with the same tool.

Pattern Summary

• Skill Level: Intermediate
• Finished Size: Approximately 18" wide x 17" high, with 7" strap drop
• Yarn: Berroco Regatta, 3 balls (300 grams total) in color #9575 Skipper
• Needles: Size 9 (5.50 mm) circular needle, 29 inches long, plus spare needle
• Gauge: 12 stitches and 18 rows = 4 inches in Pattern Stitch
• Construction: Flat back and front panels joined with sewn side seams, topped with an in-the-round band
• Primary Stitch: Textured Pattern Stitch using yarn overs and pass-over decreases