Mitered Square Bag

I will admit that I have a certain affection for mitered square projects. Once I started the sock yarn blanket made with mitered squares, I fell in love with the quick and easy construction. Have only a little time - make one square - have more time - make more squares. Have only leftover bits of yarn - not a problem either! In fact I have two more mitered square blankets in progress right now - one made of DK weight and heavier, and one made just of Malabrigo worsted.

So, when I joined the bag swap on the Karma Yarn Swap group - I kept trying to decide what I wanted to do for the handmade bag. Buy one, knit one... My swap spoilee liked the entrelac clutch pattern, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to make it again. Then it hit me - why not make a mitered square bag?

My first attempt didn’t go so well, I was going to felt the bag and started with some bulky weight for the bottom. It got floppy. I didn’t do the proper math for making a circle or something. So I frogged it, and started over with larger mitered squares. Then I made a ring of smaller mitered squares. Then I picked up from the bottom of the larger squares and decreased around until it closed up on the bottom. Then I kept making the smaller squares until I decided the bag was tall enough. Because the yarns were all different weights and fibers, I dropped the felting idea, afraid it would shrink into a tangled mass of ugly. Then around the top tier, using the same yarn as I made the bag’s base, I made a circle of triangles to fill in the top. Then a shoulder strap. Then I lined it with fabric (it scared me but I did it)

Here is a picture the recipient took of the finished product! She is Mandarella on Ravelry and I much appreciate her excellent photography of this project, since the photos I took with my phone’s camera while it was sitting on my couch are less than flattering.

So now the plan is to make another, and write down the process so others can make it! I have the yarn picked out, and I have plans to maybe make a third to actually felt, if I actually get around to it. The pattern will be available on the Social Knitworking Site, and on Ravelry.