Sometimes you just want a soft bag that drapes over your shoulder and wears like a broken-in pair of jeans. This bag is that bag.

Available in 3 sizes, there is a size that will perfectly fit your purpose: the smallest bag is just right for a day-trip, a jaunt to the mall, for your lunch, or to tuck inside a big bag. It's the little bag you grab when you've got to make a quick trip. The medium sized bag is the classic all-day every-day bag. And the large size is a great tote for your knitting projects, a weekend escape, or for people like me who love a large bag even if all you've got in it is a set of keys.

Click on the Additional Details tab for more information about dimensions, yarn amounts, materials, and bag kits that include everything you need to complete this project.

Finished Dimensions

Small Nomad Felted Bag

8" (20cm) square bottom
8-9" (20-23cm) wide across the front/back at bag top
8" (20cm) tall to handle

Medium Nomad Felted Bag

9.5-11" (24-28cm) square bottom
12" (30cm) wide across the front/back at bag top
10-11 (25 - 28cm) tall to handle

Large Nomad Felted Bag

14" (35.5cm) square bottom
16" (41cm) across the front/back at bag top
15” (38cm) tall to handle

Pattern Difficulty

Intrepid beginner: Requires knowledge of knitting and purling, increasing and decreasing, picking up stitches, and working in the round on circular needles.

Gauge

Pre-felted gauge for felted bag: 12-13 stitches and 16 rounds = 4" (10cm) in St st using a double-strand of worsted-weight yarn.

 Gauge for knitted bag: 16 stitches and 24 rounds = 4" (10cm) in St st using a double-strand of DK-weight OR a single-strand of worsted-weight, non-felting fiber.

Materials

Yarn Requirements

Felted Small Hobo Bag: 500 yds (457m)
Felted Medium Hobo Bag: 1,000 yds (914m)
Felted Large Hobo Bag: 1,600 yds (1462m)
Unfelted Small Hobo Bag with a single strand: 340 yds (312m)
Unfelted Medium Hobo Bag with a single strand 670 yds (612m)
Unfelted Large Hobo Bag with a single strand 1070 yds (978m)
Unfelted Small Hobo Bag with a double strand 500 yds (457m)
Unfelted Medium Hobo Bag with a double strand 1,000 yds (914m)
Unfelted Large Hobo Bag with a double strand 1,600 yds (1462m)

Needles & Other Materials

Size 11 (8mm) 24" (60cm) circular needles
Size 11 (8mm) double-pointed needles(set)
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Sewing needle for finishing work, such as sewing in the zipper
Nylon beading thread
Stitch markers to mark bag corners and round beginning
8 cabochon rivets
JUL Mountain Explorer
YKK zipper with closed ends 2 sliders

Pictured Samples

Pictured Bags were made in Stonehedge Fiber Mill's Shepherd's Wool. Small bag pictured in Lime. Medium bag pictured in Misty Blue. Large bag pictured in Lakershore.

The name evokes endless winds and carved dunes. The ridged construction calls to mind timeless and ancient handmade basketry re-interpreted for the modern trek.

Inspired by the artistic yet everyday carpet bags of nomadic tribes, the richly draped top and Amazing Snap keep all your provisions secure. Best of all, each of the three oversized purses feels organically comfortable against your body and lends an adventurer's flair to all your looks.

Custom handles by JUL and hardware components by Noni complete the bag.

Look at Additional Details below for information about dimensions, gauge, materials, and necessary.

Finished Dimensions

Small Bedouin Bag

10 - 10.5" (25 - 26.25cm) wide across the front/back at bag bottom
5" (12.5cm) deep
16"(40cm) tall from bottom to top opening
34" (86cm) circumference of top opening

Medium Bedouin Bag

13" (33cm) wide across the front/back at bag bottom
8" (20.25cm) deep
21" (53.25cm) tall from bottom to top opening
38" (96.5cm) circumference of top opening

Large Bedouin Bag

14" (35.5cm) wide across the front/back at bag bottom
8" (20.5cm) deep bottom
23" (58.5cm) tall to top opening
46" (116.5cm) circumference of top opening 

Pattern Difficulty

Intrepid beginner to Intermediate: Requires knowledge of knitting and purling, picking up stitches, working in the round on circular needles, and knitting in the stitch several rows below. Some simple hand-sewing also required for finishing.

Gauge

Pre-felted gauge: 12 stitches and 16 rounds = 4" (10cm) in St st with a double-strand of worsted weight yarn.

Materials

Bedouin Hardware Kit is available for this pattern and includes:

1 JUL Budapest 26" (66cm) leather handle with tabs
1 Noni Rivet-in Snap

Yarn Requirements

Small Bedouin: 1500 yds (1375m)
Medium Bedouin: 1750 yds (1600m)
Large Bedouin: 2250 yds (2057m)

Needles and Other Materials

Size 11 (8mm) 24" (60cm) or 32" (80cm) circular needle
Tapestry needle
Sewing needle
Nylon beading thread
Stitch markers
1 - 1 1/2 yards (1 - 1.4m) of lining material (if desired)

Pictured Samples

Pictured felted bags were made with Stonehedge Fiber Mill's Shepherd's Wool. The small bag was made in Lakeshore, medium bag in Great Lakes, and large bag in Blue Spruce.

This classically-shaped Carpet Bag combines practicality and beauty. It makes a bold statement as a briefcase embellished with luscious camellia flowers (flower instructions included in the pattern), a great weekender bag, or a knitting bag that will be the envy of all but those who have already made their own.

The Rather huge carpet bag really is rather huge. If the finished measurements seem rather abstract to you, get out that tape measure and make it in the air. It is BIG. And it is traffic-stopping gorgeous, with big, sexy camellias on one (or both) sides.

The medium carpet bag is the perfect size to carry anywhere. It works as a purse to carry everyday, as a tote for those smallish knitting projects, or as a look-at-me-and-my-awesome-bag fashion statement.

When you don't want a big carpet bag, it's nice to have a small one. It looks terrific embellished or decorated with a single camellia flower or any one of the many Noni flowers available in singlet patterns or in the Noni Flowers book.

Look at Additional Details below for information about dimensions, gauge, and materials.

Finished Dimensions

Smallish Carpet Baguette

11" (28cm) wide
3" (7.6cm) deep across bag bottom
1" (2.5cm) deep across bag top
6" (15.25cm) tall

Medium-Sized Carpet Bag

12" (30.5cm) wide
4" (10.15cm) deep
10" (25.5cm) tall

Rather Huge Carpet Bag

19" (48.25cm) wide
6" (15.25cm) deep
13" (33cm) tall

Pattern Difficulty

Intrepid Easy: Requires knowledge of casting on, knitting and purling, picking up stitches in knitted fabric, increasing and decreasing, knitting in the round on circular needles, and some hand-sewing during the finishing process.

Gauge

Pre-felted gauge: 12 stitches and 16 rounds = 4" (10cm) in St st with a double-strand of worsted weight yarn.

Materials

Yarn Requirements

Smallish Carpet Baguette

Solid Colored Bag: 450 yds (412m)
Striped Bag: 225 yds (206m) Pewter
225 yds (206m) White

Medium-Sized Carpet Bag

Solid Colored Bag: 900 yds (823m)
Striped Bag: 450 yds (412m) Christmas Red
450 yds (412m) Garnet

Rather Huge Carpet Bag

Solid Colored Bag: 1800 yds (1646m)
Striped Bag: 900 yds (823m) Black
900 yds (823m) Granite

Camellia Flower

(makes 1 large flower and 1-2 medium flowers): 600 yds (549m) in Christmas Red

Needles and Other Materials

Size 11 (8mm) 24" (60cm) circular needles
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle
Sewing needle
Nylon beading thread
Noni Amazing Magnetic Snap Closure
6 - 12 Noni 24mm bag feet
11.25 x 13.5 in sheet of stiffener for the bag bottom. We recommend mat board to stiffen the bottom of your bag
Zipper with 2 bottom stops (optional-pictured on the small bag)
2 acrylic purse handles (pictured)

OR 1 pair of JUL Flat-strap, Forager handles (recommended) See my blog entry about dressing the Carpet Bags.

Camellia Flowers
Size 11 (8mm) set of double-pointed needles

Pictured Samples

All of the bags pictured were created using Stonehedge Fiber Mill's Shepherd's Wool. Smallish Baguette pictured in White and Pewter. Medium-Sized bag pictured in Christmas Red and Garnet. Rather Huge bag pictured in Black and Granite with Christmas Red camellias.