Gardiner Yarn Works Farmer's Market Bag Knitting Pattern

Gardiner Yarn Works Farmer's Market Bag

Project Overview

The Farmer's Market Bag is a sturdy, reusable market tote designed by Chrissy Gardiner and originally published as "Rutabaga" in Knitscene, Spring 2007. This knitted bag combines practical construction with decorative stitch work, making it an ideal accessory for shopping and everyday carry. The finished bag measures approximately 13" x 13" excluding the strap, providing ample space for groceries and market purchases.

What Is Being Made

This project creates a seamless, bottom-up knitted tote bag featuring a structured base and decorative body. The bag is worked primarily in the round after an initial flat-knitted base section, resulting in a sturdy, functional carryall with integrated shaping and visual interest through stitch pattern work.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The bag begins with a flat garter stitch base that is then picked up and worked in the round, creating a structured foundation
• Seamless, worked-in-the-round: After the initial base, stitches are picked up along all edges and the body is worked circularly, eliminating the need for seaming
• Lace stitch patterning: The bag body features a smocked stitch pattern created using yarn overs and decreases that creates an open, decorative mesh effect
• Stitch manipulation: The pattern employs techniques such as knitting through the back loop and slipping stitches with yarn in front to create texture and shaping
• Increases for shaping: Strategic increases using make-one stitches expand the stitch count from the base to accommodate the bag body

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch: Worked flat for the initial 30-row base, creating a sturdy, textured foundation
• Stockinette stitch: Used in the body sections for smooth fabric
• Smocked stitch pattern: The primary decorative stitch in the bag body, combining yarn overs (YO), knit two together (k2tog), slip slip knit (SSK), and knit through back loop (k-tbl) to create an open mesh pattern with visual texture
• Purl stitches: Used for transition rounds and to create subtle ridges
• Make-one stitches: Both regular make-one (m1) and make-one purl (m1p) are used to increase stitch counts for shaping

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: DK-weight yarn, approximately 400 yards. The sample uses Hemp For Knitting allhemp6 in Dijon, a natural fiber choice that provides durability and structure ideal for a market bag.

Needles: The pattern requires multiple needle sizes to achieve proper gauge and construction:

• Size 7 (4.5mm) circular needle, 24" length, for the base and initial body work
• Size 10.5 (6.5mm) circular needle for the main smocked stitch pattern body
• Extra size 7 needle for the three-needle bind-off finish

Gauge: 18 stitches and 20 rounds equal 4 inches in the mesh pattern on the larger needles. The pattern notes that gauge is not critical for this project, making it more forgiving for knitters working with different yarn weights or needle sizes.

Additional supplies: Yarn needle for weaving in ends, stitch holder for securing stitches, and stitch marker for tracking round beginnings.

Difficulty Level

Rated as advanced beginner, this project is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle seamless construction, stitch pattern work, and circular knitting techniques. The smocked stitch pattern requires attention to stitch manipulation, and the circular construction demands familiarity with working in the round.