Windy City Tote Bag Knitting Pattern

Windy City Tote Bag Knitting Pattern by Lion Brand

Project Overview

The Windy City Tote Bag is a felted knit purse designed for everyday use, created using Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool yarn. This downloadable knitting pattern produces a finished tote measuring approximately 9 1/2 x 14 inches (24 x 35.5 cm) after felting. The pattern is rated as Easy skill level, making it accessible to knitters with basic experience.

Materials and Yarn

This project requires Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool yarn in two colorways:

• Nature's Brown (A) - 1 ball
• Oatmeal (B) - 1 ball

Knitters will also need Lion Brand Knitting Needles in Size 10.5 (6.5 mm). The Fishermen's Wool yarn is ideal for this project because of its excellent felting properties, which are essential to the final construction of the tote.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches and 20 rows equal 4 inches (10 cm) in Stockinette stitch before felting. Achieving the correct gauge is critical, as it ensures the tote will reach the intended finished dimensions and that the yarn quantity provided will be sufficient. Knitters should adjust needle size accordingly if their gauge differs from the pattern specification.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The Windy City Tote is constructed using fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginners:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st) - The primary stitch used throughout the project, created by knitting on the right side and purling on the wrong side to produce a smooth, classic fabric
• Casting on - The foundation row technique used to create the initial stitches
• Binding off - The finishing technique used to secure stitches and complete edges

Pattern Construction

The tote body is created using a color-blocking technique with alternating stripes of the two yarn colors. The main piece begins with 86 cast-on stitches and is worked in a repeating pattern: 5 rows in Nature's Brown (A), followed by 5 rows in Oatmeal (B). This 10-row repeat is worked 21 times, then the pattern is completed with a final 5-row section in Nature's Brown. The body is then bound off, creating a rectangular fabric that will be shaped during finishing.

Two handles are knitted separately, each created by casting on 7 stitches and working in Stockinette stitch until the piece measures 35 inches (89 cm) in length. These long, narrow strips will be attached to the tote body to create functional carrying straps.

Assembly and Finishing

After knitting is complete, the tote is assembled through several finishing steps. The rectangular body piece is folded in half and side seams are sewn together to create the basic bag shape. The corners are then folded and sewn in place to create structure and depth. The two handles are positioned 5 inches (12.5 cm) from the sides and 3 inches (7.5 cm) below the top edge, then securely sewn to the tote. All yarn ends are woven in to complete the construction.

Felting Process

A distinctive feature of this pattern is the machine felting finish, which transforms the knitted fabric into a durable, dense material. The completed tote is machine washed on a hot wash/cold rinse cycle with detergent and several pieces of clothing to provide agitation. For additional felting, the bag is then dried in a machine dryer on a regular setting until almost dry. Once removed from the dryer, the tote is pulled and shaped by hand to achieve the final dimensions. This felting process significantly alters the fabric structure, creating a sturdy, weather-resistant purse suitable for daily use.