Pattern for Mah Jongg Bag

As promised, here is the pattern for the bag I made for the Mah Jongg Mavens for Christmas. It's a quick knit, so you still have time to make one as a last minute present.

SUPPLIES
Cascade 220 [220 yd per 100g]; Color: 8400, Charcoal Grey, 1 skein

Lamb’s Pride Worsted [190 yd per 113g]; Color: M-83, Raspberry, 1 skein

This is enough wool to make two bags, one of each color.

Size 10½ (6.5mm) DPNs

Size 10½ (6.5mm) 16-inch circular needle
4 Stitch Markers

Tapestry Needle

Safety Pins

BAG BOTTOM
With MC, cast 35 stitches onto circular needles. DO NOT join for knitting in the round. Knit 60 rows in garter stitch.

Fold the cast on edge under the work, lining up the cast on edge with the last knitted row before the one on the needle. Safety pin it to hold in place. (See picture.)

Pick up and knit 14 stitches along the left edge of the work. Be sure to go through both layers of the work – you are joining them to form a pocket that will later hold a piece of cardboard. Pick up and knit 35 stitches along the folded edge. Pick up and knit 14 stitches along remaining side, again being sure to go through both layers of the work. [98 stitches total] The work should have now formed a pocket that is open on one side.

BAG SIDES
Place marker and join to begin working in the round. Knit 34 stitches and place marker. (Including stitch that joined round, you should have 35 stitches between the markers.) Knit 14 stitches and place marker. Knit 35 stitches and place marker.

Knit 36 rows in stockinette stitch, decreasing before and after each marker on every eighth row. [66 stitches remain] It will greatly help with the placement of the handles if you mark each pair of decreases with a safety pin.
Removing markers as they are encountered, knit 27 stitches and BO all remaining stitches.

BAG FLAP AND CLOSURE
Using the 27 stitches on the needles, work 13 rows in seed stitch. Attach CC and work 1 row in garter stitch. Continuing in seed stitch, bind off 1 stitch at the beginning of the next 2 rows, then 2 stitches at the beginning of the following 2 rows. [21 stitches remain]

Staying in pattern, bind off 7 stitches, work 3 stitches, bind off 1 stitch, work 3 stitches, bind off 7 stitches. Break yarn.

Slip last 3 stitches knit onto DPN. Work 5 inches of icord. Using 3 needle bind off, attach the end of the icord to the 3 stitches remaining on the circular needle. Be sure bound off stitches face the interior of the bag.

Using MC cast 3 stitches onto a DPN. Knit 15 inches of icord. Bind off and set aside.

HANDLES
With the front of the bag facing you, use a DPN to pick up 3 stitches in the lower left hand corner of the bag. Using these stitches as the beginning of an icord, knit an attached icord that goes from the bottom of the bag to the top of the bag. Use the safety pins that mark the decreases that shaped the bag’s sides as a guide for placing the icord, removing the safety pins as you encounter them. Once you have attached the icord to the top of the bag, knit 3 more rows of icord. Slip stitches to a safety pin and break yarn.

With the side of the bag facing you -- so that the icord you just knit is to your right -- again use a DPN to pick up 3 stitches at the lower left hand corner of the bag and knit an icord to the top corner of the bag. Once you have attached the icord to the top of the bag, knit 3 more rows of icord. Slip the 3 stitches that are on the safety pin onto the DPN. Knit 20 inches in garter stitch.

Slip 3 stitches from the DPN onto a safety pin. With the stitches that remain on the DPN, knit 3 rows of icord. Attach the icord to the opposite side of the bag, taking care that the handle is not twisted. Apply the icord from the top corner of the bag to the bottom corner of the bag, again using the safety pins that mark the decreases as a guide for placement.

Bind off the icord at the bottom of the bag in this manner: Knit 1 stitch from the DPN. Pick up and knit one stitch from the corner of the bag. Slip first stitch over picked up stitch. Knit one stitch from the DPN. Slip picked up stitch over stitch knit from DPN. Pick up and knit one stitch from the corner of the bag. Slip stitch knit from DPN over stitch picked up from corner of the bag. Knit last stitch from DPN. Slip picked up stitch over stitch knit from DPN. Break yarn and draw through loop to close.

Slip the remaining 3 stitches off the safety pin. Knit 3 rows in icord. Attach to bag, apply icord and bind off in the same manner as for previous applied icord.

FINSIHING
Weave in all ends. Felt the bag and the 15 inch icord.
Push and pull on the bag while it is still damp from felting to get it to the desired shape. Stuff with plastic bags to maintain that shape and hang by the handle to dry.

Tie the 15 inch icord into a Chinese button knot. There are many websites that show how to do this. This is one I like.

Remove plastic bags when purse is thoroughly dry. Attach button knot in the desired location. Cut a piece of sturdy cardboard to the size of the bottom of your bag and slip into the pocket at the bottom of the bag.

Enjoy!

LEGAL NOTE: This pattern is for personal use only. This pattern, or works made using this pattern, may not be sold. Ms. Nidoog retains the copyright for all patterns posted on this blog.