Lavender Ombre Knit Backpack Pattern
When you've never knit something before in your life, the obvious next steps are to find a simple, free pattern in that category, work through the pattern while analyzing the construction of the project, and, if you enjoyed it, later add some more complicated or interesting patterns to your queue.
It is certainly not to wing it and dive right in to designing your own pattern for said thing, but here we are.
I had this bag in my head for quite some time, or at least the ombre design of it—whether it was going to be a backpack, a handbag, or a tote bag was sort of up-in-the-air.
The truth is, I've always struggled with purses growing up—being a somewhat androgynous-presenting person in the fashion realm (with a love for menswear that I haven't quite managed to reconcile with the awkward shape of my body) who values freedom of motion over just about everything else in an outfit, purses have always proven to be clunky at their best and downright inconvenient and intrusive at their worst.
Enter the backpack. Sometime in 2017 or so those mini backpacks started to come into fashion, and it was my time to shine. I love them so much. They stay out of sight and out of mind, you don't need to keep your arms or shoulders in any sort of single position to keep them upright, and, frankly, they're cute as hell. Sometimes I still choose to just grab my wallet and stuff it into my coat or jeans pocket, but nine days out of ten, I'm wearing a backpack.
In fact, ever since my first little backpack, the only time I've ever worn a "normal" over-the-shoulder purse has been for formal events. That said, it felt pretty disingenuous to design a purse that I would never wear.
However, designing a backpack carries with it the awkward element of straps. Sure, every bag (excluding the bane of my existence, the clutch) involves straps of some sort, but the adjustability of the straps of a backpack just feel like an essential to me.
I decided to go all-out and purchase webbing and slides, and follow a pretty easy sewing tutorial to add the straps to my bag, but if you like the more gym-bag look, you could absolutely just knit up a couple of long I-cords to sew on (or, if you're feeling particularly ambitious and have the extra yarn lying around, knit yourself up some long, thin garter stitch rectangles.
I digress. Here's a backpack from someone who's never knit a bag before.
Needles:
Other Materials:
Gauge: About 22 sts and 32 rows for 4", but gauge is not critical for this project.
Measurements:
11.25" (28.6 cm) high (flap closed)
16" high (40.6 cm) (flap open)
8" wide (20.3 cm) (laid flat)
Round 1: *k1, p1 around.
Round 2: *p1, k1 around.
Rep rounds 1 and 2 until seed stitch border measures 1”.
K around in A until work reaches 2” from the co edge.
Begin colorwork chart A. Read from right to left for every row of the chart, since you're working in the round.
Slide the last 50 sts onto another DPN, and hold parallel to first DPN.
Using kitchener st, seam all rem sts together.
(I can never remember how to knit the kitchener stitch on my own, and highly recommend watching this video at around 3:25).
Weave in ends
Row 1 (WS): *k1, p1; rep from * three times total. p38. *k1, p1; rep from * to end
Row 2: *p1, k1; rep from * three times total. k38. *p1, k1; rep from * to end.
Work rows 1 and 2 until flap measures 2” from co edge where you picked up sts, ending after a WS row.
Begin colorwork chart B, keeping in patt with seed stitch border in A on either side of flap,
reading chart from left to right on RS (odd) rows, and right to left on WS (even) rows.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * around.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * around.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * around.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * around.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * three times total. Bind off 4 sts. *p1, k1; rep from * until 10 sts rem. Bind off 4 sts. *p1, k1 to end.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * three times total. Cast on 4 sts using backwards loop method. *k1, p1; rep from * until 6 sts rem. Cast on 4 sts using backwards loop method. *k1, p1 to end.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * around.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * around.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * around.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * around.
Bind off all sts.
Attach button approximately where buttonhole worked in next round lands when lying purse flap flat against purse body.
You may also choose to knit long, garter stitch rectangles (at the length which you would like the straps) of about 5-6 stitches in width.
Should you choose to sew backpack straps like in the example above, follow this tutorial exactly for the backpack straps. I've never sewn straps in my life and this was super thorough and easy-to-follow.
Attach the top of these straps just below the seed stitch brim border in the back, about 1.5" (3.8 cm) from edge, and attach the bottom of these straps at the bottom corners of the back of the bag.
This is the exact nylon webbing I used for this bag, and these are the tri-glide slides.
pm: place marker
k: knit
p: purl
rep: repeat(ing)
A: color A
B: color B
C: color C
st(s): stitch(es)
DPN: double-pointed needle
BOR: beginning of round
WS: wrong side
RS: right side
patt: pattern
It is certainly not to wing it and dive right in to designing your own pattern for said thing, but here we are.
I had this bag in my head for quite some time, or at least the ombre design of it—whether it was going to be a backpack, a handbag, or a tote bag was sort of up-in-the-air.
The truth is, I've always struggled with purses growing up—being a somewhat androgynous-presenting person in the fashion realm (with a love for menswear that I haven't quite managed to reconcile with the awkward shape of my body) who values freedom of motion over just about everything else in an outfit, purses have always proven to be clunky at their best and downright inconvenient and intrusive at their worst.
Enter the backpack. Sometime in 2017 or so those mini backpacks started to come into fashion, and it was my time to shine. I love them so much. They stay out of sight and out of mind, you don't need to keep your arms or shoulders in any sort of single position to keep them upright, and, frankly, they're cute as hell. Sometimes I still choose to just grab my wallet and stuff it into my coat or jeans pocket, but nine days out of ten, I'm wearing a backpack.
In fact, ever since my first little backpack, the only time I've ever worn a "normal" over-the-shoulder purse has been for formal events. That said, it felt pretty disingenuous to design a purse that I would never wear.
However, designing a backpack carries with it the awkward element of straps. Sure, every bag (excluding the bane of my existence, the clutch) involves straps of some sort, but the adjustability of the straps of a backpack just feel like an essential to me.
I decided to go all-out and purchase webbing and slides, and follow a pretty easy sewing tutorial to add the straps to my bag, but if you like the more gym-bag look, you could absolutely just knit up a couple of long I-cords to sew on (or, if you're feeling particularly ambitious and have the extra yarn lying around, knit yourself up some long, thin garter stitch rectangles.
I digress. Here's a backpack from someone who's never knit a bag before.
Lavender Ombre Knit Backpack Pattern
Yarn: Around 150 yards of one color of weight 3 cotton yarn, and around 100 yards each of two more colors of weight 3 yarn. I used:- Stylecraft Classique Cotton DK
- Ivory (3665) - A
- Wisteria (3664) - B
- Smoked Grape (3966) - C
Needles:
- One set of size 5 16” circular knitting needles
- Two size 5 double-pointed needles (for grafting)
Other Materials:
- Two 1⅛” (28mm) buttons
- Less than 1 yard of fabric for lining (optional)
- White thread for sewing (optional)
- Approx 80" white nylon webbing for straps (optional)
- 4 white tri-glide slides for straps (optional)
Gauge: About 22 sts and 32 rows for 4", but gauge is not critical for this project.
Measurements:
11.25" (28.6 cm) high (flap closed)
16" high (40.6 cm) (flap open)
8" wide (20.3 cm) (laid flat)
Body
co 100 sts longtail with A. Join to work in the round. Pm to denote the beginning of the round.Round 1: *k1, p1 around.
Round 2: *p1, k1 around.
Rep rounds 1 and 2 until seed stitch border measures 1”.
K around in A until work reaches 2” from the co edge.
Begin colorwork chart A. Read from right to left for every row of the chart, since you're working in the round.
Seaming
Slide first 50 sts onto one DPN, being careful not to let any sts slide off the end.Slide the last 50 sts onto another DPN, and hold parallel to first DPN.
Using kitchener st, seam all rem sts together.
(I can never remember how to knit the kitchener stitch on my own, and highly recommend watching this video at around 3:25).
Weave in ends
Flap
Pick up and knit 50 sts from co edge, starting with BOR from body of the backpack using color A. Begin knitting flat.Row 1 (WS): *k1, p1; rep from * three times total. p38. *k1, p1; rep from * to end
Row 2: *p1, k1; rep from * three times total. k38. *p1, k1; rep from * to end.
Work rows 1 and 2 until flap measures 2” from co edge where you picked up sts, ending after a WS row.
Begin colorwork chart B, keeping in patt with seed stitch border in A on either side of flap,
reading chart from left to right on RS (odd) rows, and right to left on WS (even) rows.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * around.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * around.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * around.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * around.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * three times total. Bind off 4 sts. *p1, k1; rep from * until 10 sts rem. Bind off 4 sts. *p1, k1 to end.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * three times total. Cast on 4 sts using backwards loop method. *k1, p1; rep from * until 6 sts rem. Cast on 4 sts using backwards loop method. *k1, p1 to end.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * around.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * around.
Next row: *p1, k1; rep from * around.
Next row: *k1, p1; rep from * around.
Bind off all sts.
Attach button approximately where buttonhole worked in next round lands when lying purse flap flat against purse body.
Lining
Should you choose to line your bag, do this now. If you choose, I recommend following this tutorial rather than doing what I did, which was haphazardly cut rectangles at roughly the dimensions of the bag as it's inside-out and sew on like a maniac.Straps
The easiest way to make straps for this bag would be to knit two I-cords of about 3-5 stitches (this tutorial is handy for learning how to knit an I-cord) to the exact length which you would like the straps and attach them at just below the seed stitch brim border in the back and right at the bottom corners of the back of the bag.You may also choose to knit long, garter stitch rectangles (at the length which you would like the straps) of about 5-6 stitches in width.
Should you choose to sew backpack straps like in the example above, follow this tutorial exactly for the backpack straps. I've never sewn straps in my life and this was super thorough and easy-to-follow.
Attach the top of these straps just below the seed stitch brim border in the back, about 1.5" (3.8 cm) from edge, and attach the bottom of these straps at the bottom corners of the back of the bag.
This is the exact nylon webbing I used for this bag, and these are the tri-glide slides.
Abbreviations:
co: cast onpm: place marker
k: knit
p: purl
rep: repeat(ing)
A: color A
B: color B
C: color C
st(s): stitch(es)
DPN: double-pointed needle
BOR: beginning of round
WS: wrong side
RS: right side
patt: pattern
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