Deramores Friesland Tote Bag Knitting Pattern

Deramores Friesland Tote Bag

What is Being Made

The Friesland Tote Bag is a knitted tote bag featuring a decorative Friesland tile design on the front and a neat Houndstooth pattern on the back. This is an advanced-level knitting project that combines colorwork techniques with structural shaping to create a functional accessory. The finished bag measures approximately 35cm x 38cm, making it a practical size for everyday use.

Techniques Used

This project employs stranded colorwork knitting, a technique where two colors of yarn are carried across the back of the work to create intricate patterns on the front. The design uses a charted pattern system, with the Friesland tile motif worked from a chart that spans 40 rows. Knitters must read the chart carefully, working odd-numbered rows from right to left and even-numbered rows from left to right, as is standard in colorwork knitting.

The bag construction begins with moss stitch borders, which frame the central colorwork pattern. Moss stitch creates a textured, stable edge that provides structure to the piece. The pattern instructions specify working 5 stitches in moss stitch on each side of the 81-stitch colorwork section, ensuring balanced proportions and a finished appearance.

Additional finishing techniques include sewing the cotton lining fabric to the interior of the knitted bag and attaching press studs for closure, transforming the knitted piece into a fully functional tote.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K) – the fundamental stitch creating the smooth face of stockinette stitch
• Purl (P) – used in combination with knit stitches to create moss stitch texture
• Moss stitch – an alternating knit and purl pattern that creates a bumpy, textured fabric ideal for borders and edging
• Stranded stocking stitch – smooth stockinette stitch worked with two colors carried across the back to create the Friesland and Houndstooth patterns
• Slip stitch purlwise with yarn at back (Sl1yb) – used for neat edge stitches and pattern transitions

Materials

The Friesland Tote Bag is knitted using Deramores Studio Cotton DK yarn, a lightweight cotton yarn ideal for structured projects. The colorwork requires two colors: 2 x 50g of Vanilla (Yarn A) and 2 x 50g of Breeze (Yarn B). Cotton yarn provides durability and a crisp finish suitable for a tote bag that will be used regularly.

Knitting is worked on 4mm straight needles for the flat pieces and a set of 4mm double-pointed needles (DPNs) for any circular sections. The tension is measured at 22.5 stitches and 25 rows over 10cm x 10cm in stranded stocking stitch, which is critical for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Finishing materials include matching cotton lining fabric (71cm x 39cm), two 1.1cm press studs for closure, a sewing needle with thread, and a yarn or tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming the knitted pieces together.