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.

When I first found these purse frames, I couldn't help but think of two little round bags, slightly different sizes, and so round that they were just like scoops of ice cream. Neapolitan ice cream to be precise: Strawberry, Chocolate, Pistachio. And so I designed a bag with a little round bottom that sits atop tiny bag feet. I gave the bag lots of fullness, so that when it is full of your things, it will be a round little ball, a little scoop.

While I left my scoops unadorned, I have a mind to return to them and bead one with beads that match the beads that hold the bag in the frame. Another, I plan to decorate with a grid of gunmetal cabochon rivets, still another I may sprinkle with Pansies from my Noni Flowers book. I invite you to use your own Scoops as a canvas that riffs on one of my ideas above or takes off in a different creative direction.

Finished Dimensions

Little Scoop

4" (10cm) wide
2" (5cm) deep
4 1/4" (10.5cm) tall

Big Scoop

5 1/2" (13.75cm) wide
2" (5cm) deep
6 1/4" (15.5cm) tall

Difficulty Level

Intrepid Easy: Requires knowledge of knitting and purling, knitting in the round on circular needles, and some hand-sewing during the finishing process.

Gauge

Pre-felted gauge: 20 stitches and 28 rounds = 4" (10cm) in St st with a double-strand of worsted weight yarn.

Materials

Yarn Requirements

Little Scoop: 170 yds (155m)
Big Scoop: 240 yds (220m)

Needles and Other Requirements

2 size 8 (5mm) 16" (40cm) circular needles
Size 8 (5mm) double pointed needles (set)
2 stitch markers in different colors
Tapestry needle
Sharp sewing needle
Locktite Superglue Extra Time Control clear-drying glue to glue bag into frame

Hardware Requirements for this Pattern

Note: the hardware is not currently in stock. If you would like to order hardware in bulk, that can be arranged. Contact Nora at nora@nonipatterns.com or call 410-262-5095 to special order.

6.5" (16.5cm) half moon purse frame in gunmetal
1 10" (25.5.cm) classic purse chains in gunmetal
Beads and nylon thread
4 16 mm bag feet
1 5 x 5 in sheets of stiffener

Pictured Samples

All pictured samples were made in Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool using Milk Chocolate, Pink, Spring Green, Light Turquoise and Misty Blue.

The idea for this bag came fully formed into my mind when I was in Virginia walking through a tiny little shopping center filled with antique shops with gilded chairs in the windows, fancy plates for holding oysters on the half shell. There was a shop filled with beautiful linens, some antique, embellished with hand-made lace sienna with age, linen sprays made from botanicals, beautiful stationary of carefully drawn nuts or vines with passion flowers dropping from their coils. And then the next shop: A woman's dress shop. An exquisite pair of trousers, a spare chemise, narrow elegant shoes one wouldn't dare walk in through a be-dewed lawn, and a black sweater with brightly colored felted balls around each cuff.

Instantly I could see the bobble bag. I had only to make it . . .

I have been lucky enough to see quite a few bobble bags in the wild. And what a thrill it is! One was made in muted earth tones. Fabulous. Another was in shades of pink. Still another a sea of blues. I loved them all. What will yours be?

Finished Dimensions

Small Bobbled Bag

6" (15.25cm) wide
3 1/2" (8.9cm) deep
9 1/2" (24.15cm) tall

Large Bobbled Bag

10" (25.5cm) wide
4" (10.15cm) deep
9" (22.85cm) 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

Small Bobble Bag

425 yds (388.6m) Christmas Red
425 yds (388.6m) Sun Yellow

Large Bobble Bag

675 yds (617.2m) Black
100 yds (91.44m) each of the following:

Spring Green
Green
Plum
Red
Lilac
Light Turquoise
Turquoise
Sun Yellow
Spring Chick Yellow
Creamsicle
Peach
Raspberry
Pink
Christmas Red
Hot Pink
Fuchsia

Needles and Other Materials

Size 11 (8mm) 24" (60cm) circular needles
Size 11 (8mm) double-pointed needles (set)
2 Acrylic Purse Handles
1 11 1/4 x 13 1/2 in sheet of stiffener
A small amount of polyester fiber fill for inside of bobbles
4 - 6 24mm Big bag feet
1 Amazing or Sew-in magnetic snap closure

Pictured Samples

Both of the bags pictured were created using Stonehedge Fiber mill Shepherd's Wool. Small Bobbles is pictured in Christmas Red and Sun Yellow. Large Bobbles is pictured in Black with Spring Green, Green, Plum, Red, Lilac, Light Turquoise, Turquoise, Sun Yellow, Spring Chick Yellow, Creamsicle, Peach, Raspberry, Pink, Christmas Red, Hot Pink, and Fuchsia Bobbles.

Let us put a custom hardware kit together for you. Contact us for details and pricing.

The Clematis Shopping Bag is the perfect tote for any shopping trip, for toting groceries, or as a picnic/lunch tote for the individual or the whole family.

The large shopping bag and small lunch tote can be made striped and adorned with the Clematis flower for an eminently feminine look, or try rugby stripes or solids (without flower) for a great-looking but entirely unisex and utilitarian set of bags perfect for groceries, picking up items at the mall, or used for a family picnic or as individual lunch tote.

Felted bags are particularly well-suited as totes for groceries and picnics because they are naturally insulated, don't lose their shape or their immense carrying capabilities when wet, and withstand even harsh treatment, all the while looking fantastic.

Finished Dimensions

Small Bag

7 1/2 - 8” (18.75 - 20cm) wide
5 1/2 - 6” (13.75 - 15cm) deep
9 - 10” (22.5 - 25cm) tall

Large Shopping Bag:

12 1/2” (31.25cm) wide
3" (7.5cm) deep
14 - 15" (35 - 37.5cm) tall

Pattern Difficulty

Intrepid Easy: Requires casting on, knitting and purling, picking up stitches in knitted fabric, knitting in the round on circular and double-pointed 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

Solid Color Bags

840 yds (768m)

Striped Bags

410 yds (375m) Mint
410 yds (375m) Lime

Clematis Flower

150 yds (137.15m) Lime
250 yds (228.5m) Violet
10 yds Crystal Palace Fizz in White

Needles and Other Materials

Size 6 (4mm) double pointed needles (set)
Size 11 (8mm) 24" (60cm) circular needle
Size 11 (8mm) double-pointed needles (set)
Tapestry Needle
Sewing Needles
Nylon beading thread
Locking stitch markers in 2 colors

Pictured Samples

The bag pictured was created using Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool Lime, Mint, and Violet.

No need to tote boring luggage again! Spacious and visually luxurious, this bag will mean that no one will have trouble spotting you in the airport. Make two in the same colors but switching main and contrast colors and you have a beautiful matching set. For a smaller coordinating bag, work in a single strand.

The Medallion Travel bag is knit from the bottom up, beginning with a stockinette, Fair Isle bottom. Stitches are picked up around the bottom and then the body of the bag is knit Fair Isle in the round.

The required finishing transforms the bag into a sleek travel tote that turns heads whether you are traveling to the beach, by bus, train, or jet: put a zipper in the top opening, stiffen the bottom and then attach bag feet, and, finally, attach a rolled leather or other handle to the built in handle tabs or clip to handle brackets and you are ready to set off for the weekend.

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

Finished Dimensions

20 1/2 - 21 1/2" (37.5 - 38.75cm) wide
5 - 5 1/2" (12.5 - 13.75cm) deep
15 - 15 1/2" (51.25 - 53.74cm) tall

Pattern Difficulty

Intrepid Intermediate to Advanced Knitters: Requires knowledge of knitting and purling in Fair Isle color work with careful attention to maintaining an even tension, knitting in the round on circular needles, and picking up stitches.

Gauge

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

Materials

Yarn Requirements

1300 yds (1188m) (A) White or Black 
1300 yds (1188m) (B) Black or White

Needles and Other Materials

Size 13 (8.5mm) 32" (80cm) or longer circular needles 
Tapestry needle
Sewing Needle
Noni 30" (76cm) custom YKK zipper with 2 bottom stops
'A Noni Design' label
2 30" (76cm) rolled leather handles with O-ring (pictured)
10 - 12 Noni 24mm bag feet

Pictured Samples

The black and white bags pictured are Noni originals and were created using Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool in Black and White.