Fig. A: Assorted washers. Fig. B: Stringing the washers
onto the vinyl yarn. Remember that the last embellishment added is first knit. Fig. C: Treat with Armor All
wipes. It’s important to use metal knitting needles and to
coat them with Armor All or a similar product from time
to time. This will keep vinyl yarn moving smoothly over the
needles. Fig. D: Bringing the yarn forward in preparation
for knitting an embellishment in place.
Materials
» U.S. size 5 metal knitting needles
24" circular
» Yarn I used 2 skeins of Jelly Yarn
fine gauge vinyl yarn, color Ice, found
in high-end yarn stores or online at
jellyyarns.com.
» 8" mending braces, zinc ( 2)
» Assorted washers, wing nuts,
grommets, hex and square nuts
» Vinyl protectant such as Armor All
Protectant Wipes or similar product
» Craft scissors
» Large-eyed metal needle for sewing
sides and handles of purse and
weaving in ends
The materials used in my Hardware Handbag
come from a hardware store just a few blocks from
my home, but interesting pieces for your bag can be
found at larger home improvement stores as well.
Choose embellishments that have holes through
the centers large enough to thread the yarn, and
make sure they’re lightweight so they don’t pull
your bag out of shape or become too heavy to carry.
In my purse, I use an assortment of stainless
steel, nylon, brass, hardened steel, and rubber
washers, as well as wing nuts, grommets, and hex
and square nuts.
These materials may discolor over time, but
they’re very unlikely to rust. You will also need two
8" mending braces (zinc) for the purse handles.
Important Things to Know
Before Starting Your Bag
» Before casting on, thread all embellishments onto
the yarn in reverse order; the last item on will be the
first knit.
» This bag is knit using garter stitch. Choose one
side to be the front, and place embellishments only
on this side. When you arrive at a stitch where
you’d like to knit one in, bring the yarn forward,
slide a bead down to the needle, slip the next
stitch purl-wise, and bring the yarn to the back
of the bag.
