Messenger Bags That Send a Message

Today on The Knitting Needle and the Damage Done, we're going to look at a selection of messenger bag designs. This post is the latest in a series of posts on selected bag patterns, which also offers selected clutch/wristbag, handbag, and tote bag, and backpack posts.

The first messenger bag design, pictured above, is The Sun Satchel, designed by Stephen West. I love the sunburst design, and that West didn't go too literal with it.

Kauni Damask Understated Bag, by Karen Stelzer. This bag isn't my idea of understated, as it's too pretty to remain unnoticed. And it's a free pattern!

Woolly Bully Bag, by Lori Puthoff. Here's a contemporary classic. The decorative pin on the front flap is the perfect finishing touch.

Maple, designed by Susan Todhunter. As a Canadian, I am culturally obliged to love this one (and indeed have previously included it in a special Canada Day post), but I think I would anyway.

Tree of Life Felted Bag, by Jenny Williams. This one has a subtle charm. Stitchwork Tree of Life designs are always so attractive.

Circling Infinity Bag, by Jeanne C. Abel. Simple, attractive and serviceable shape, a commercially made strap that adds polish, and would you LOOK at those pockets that keep everything both snugly in place and accessible.

Andi Messenger Bag, by Sarah Hatton, which was published in Rowan Felted Knits. A nice-looking bag with a bit of texture.

Lucca, by Berroco Design Team. Cute bag, though I would probably nix the pom poms. It's a free pattern.

Felted Messenger Bag, by Julie Weisenberger. I like how this bag is designed to complement its strap. One of the reasons it's always a good idea to buy notions like straps, buttons, and other fastenings before you begin knitting a project is that you can then tailor your project to suit those notions.

Knitted Bag of Navajo-Churro Wool, by Susan M. Strawn. I find the combination of the diamond and stripe themes works together well.

Felted Messenger Bag, by Cheri Clark. Simple but fun use of stripes and colourblocking in this one.

Triple Pocket Bag, by Dawn Leeseman, published in Casual Elegant Knits: Classy Designs for Men and Women. This one's very smart and could easily pass for commercially made.

Old School, by Laura Birek, published in Picture Perfect Knits. A contemporary take on the argyle pattern.

Cherish, by Sue Hanmore. You can't go wrong with a nice cable arrangement.

Fab Felt Tote, by Maggie Pace. This designer has used appliqué cut from the lining fabric to tie the felted wool and lining fabric together visually, and added some embroidery to make the look even more special. Nice touch!

Signature Bag, by Berroco Design Team. This one is rather visually striking.

Not Just A Baby Bag, by Nora J. Bellows. This one's actually intended to be a diaper bag, and comes with patterns for a matching cosmetic bag and diaper changing pad, but of course like a truly good bag, it'll be useful to the parent after the baby's grown, or to the non-parent at any time. This one could be a good stash buster given the stripe pattern.

Stripey Noro Messenger Bag, by Deborah Cooke. Very pretty stripe arrangement, and it's a free pattern.

Classic bag, by Tina Barrett. This is a nice take on the Chanel-look design. Though I would recommend using better buttons for this project than these dead basic plastic ones.

Totes Adorable

Today we're going to have a look at the selection of tote bag patterns I've picked out. This post is the third in the series of five bag posts I've done -- I've also done posts on selected clutches/wristbags, handbags, messenger bags, and backpack designs.

The above pattern is the "Hello" Fair isle bag, from Bergère de France, although I think it could also be aptly named "the Hell Bag". Isn't there an expression about how one's life is "going to hell in a handbag"?

For those who feel unable to leave their Hudson's Bay blankie at home, I present this Felted Knot Bag, by k | knits.

Summer Fling, by Espace Tricot. A light, minimalist style bag. It's a free pattern.

ATX Linen Tote, by Staci Perry. Another light, sling-style bag with a smart stripe pattern. This bag and the one above aren't the bags for carrying a lot of stuff, but sometimes one doesn't need to carry a lot.

Plaid Squared, by Susan Rainey. This one looks both smart and sturdy.

Bedouin Bag in 3 Sizes, by Nora J. Bellows. These look as though they came from an expensive shop. The simple ridges add so much.

Felted Tote with Kureyon Scraps, by Janet D. Russell. This one would be an awesome stash buster.

Flock of Sheep Bag, by Denny Gould. How cute is this little bag?

Sand and Sea Felted Tote, by Maria Do Souto. Love the stitchwork on this one.

Felted Snowflake Tote, by Lion Brand Yarn. I really like that this one employs two complementary patterns.

Plein Air Tote, by Amanda Scheuzger. Love this one, though I believe I'd size it down a little, perhaps by using a slightly lighter yarn or smaller needles, as it does look awkwardly large.

The Bag, by Wendy Wonnacott, published in
No Sheep For You: Knit Happy with Cotton, Silk, Linen, Hemp, Bamboo, and Other Delights. The other sample photos on the Ravelry page for this design show other, more muted colourways, but this bag looks best in the sharp contrast of black and white.

Bar Harbor Shell Bag, by Madeline Langan. This would be a fun one to plan a colourway for.

Intricate Stag Bag, by Norah Gaughan. Love the stag graphic in this one.

Shigra Diamonds, by Vicki Square, published in Folk Bags: 30 Knitted Patterns & Tales From Around the World. Ooh, this colourful harlequin-like effect is a lot of fun.

The Medallion Travel Bag, by Nora J. Bellows. The stitchwork on this is fabulous.

The Fleur Tote, by Ann Kingstone. Very pretty!

Tree Hugger, by Vickie Howell, published in AwareKnits: Knit & Crochet Projects for the Eco-Conscious Stitcher. I love the Shaker-like image of the needled-felted tree on this one.

Everything Totes, by Nora J. Bellows. These are so polished, and they also look capacious.

Bird Bag, by Pierrot Yarns Patterns. This one has an attractive folk art appeal. It's a free pattern.

Felted Tribal Bag, by Lion Brand Yarn. This one would be just the thing to wear with ankara, kente, or dashiki print clothing. And it's a free pattern.

Celandine, by Diane Bertolatti. I like this one's simple shape and neutral tone. It could go just about anywhere with just about any woman's outfit.

Amethyst Organiser, by Diane Bertolatti. This one's fun, and it also looks practical, because handy little pockets are always a nice feature in a bag. Making your own bag can be such an advantage in terms of the bag's convenience, because you can customize the pockets by adding whatever size and style of pockets you want to the body or the lining.

Just So Bag, by Andrea Babb. This one's both polished and visually interesting.

Superb OWL: The Felted bag, by Deborah Tomasello. A cute bag for the owl-lovers among us.

Wheatsheaf Carpet Bag, by Linda Cyr. This one's definitely a stand out. I remember reviewing it when it appeared in Interweave's Jane Austen Knits in 2014. The bag gets its great shape from an internal frame, and those are the best felted handles I've ever seen -- they look as good as leather or vinyl handles in the same style. The pattern's lovely too.

Rose Window Tote, by Laura Barker. As someone who does stained glass, I am always here for stained glass effects in knitting, and this an especially pretty example of a "stained glass window" knit. I would replace those wimpy-looking straps with leather or vinyl ones, though.

Carpet Bag, by Susan Mills. Very much like the pattern on this bag. It's a free pattern.

In the Bag

Last week I posted a selection of clutch and wrist bag patterns; in today's post I offer my picks for handbag/purse designs. I've also done posts on selected tote bag, messenger bag, and backpack designs.

The above photo is of the mini-backpack and handbag of the Tensity pattern, designed by Talitha Kuomi. Having scrolled through 65 pages of handbag designs on Ravelry to find the eighteen patterns for this post, I can tell you that I definitely recommend using commercially made handles, buckles, and other hardware to finish off a handknitted bag. It elevates the look from "homemade" to "polished". These bags simply wouldn't be nearly as smart-looking without their straps and buckles. Since selection of straps, handles, and hardware can be limited, I also advise purchasing them before you begin your project -- perhaps even before selecting your yarn -- as it can be such a letdown to finish one's bag project and then not be able to find complementary hardware. I also advise lining your bags whenever possible, even if the pattern doesn't call for it (these particular bags are lined), not only with a durable, washable lining fabric, but also with a sturdy interfacing and possibly also batting if it seems necessary to give the bag shape. This will generally require the use of a home sewing machine and at least basic sewing skills.

The Damask bag, from the Berroco Design Team. Felting is another recommended direction for handmade bags, as it makes the bag far sturdier than knitting alone can do. And it can be used to create some interesting visual effects. Love the damask flower on this bag, the handles work perfectly with it, and the braided cord adds a lot too.

The Viking Bag, by Karen S. Lauger. A classic bag. Interesting yarn and hardware choices will go a long way towards mitigating the "knitting bag" look.

The Billington Bag, by Snowden Becker. How cute are these bags? The stitchwork gives the simple shapes and colour choices all the interest they need.

The Cinch, by Nora J. Bellows. This looks exactly like the kind of bag you'd see in an expensive store and sigh over. The little metal label is a nice touch.

Molly's Carpetbag, by Cricket Toomey. This bag is so cute, and smart enough to carry with a suit. If my enthusiasm over this quality comes across as over-the-top, well, you weren't sitting beside me as I trawled through the aforementioned 65 pages of handbag designs on Ravelry, a disturbing proportion of which looked for all the world like toilet paper cosies with straps.

Tree of Life Felted Purse, by Cindy Pilon. The exception I would make to my "go with commercially made hardware and straps" advice is if you want a monotone look like this one, which of course you're often not going to get with anything but handles made from the same yarn.

Trellis Tote and Flap Bag, by Diane Sutliff. This one's a lot of fun. Noro yarns like these will make a uniquely colourful bag.

Bag of Checks. A felted, oversized houndstooth effect combined with a good shape.

That's Mr. Morris to You, by Jenny Tabrum. Here's another appealing handbag with an attractive felted motif and a good shape.

Floral Felted Bag, by Nicky Epstein. I think I'd know a Nicky Epstein design if I met it in the dark. She's very fond of whimsy and of tapestry-inspired designs.

Wishbone Cable Handbag, by Karen Payzant. Some interesting cabling in this, and the shape is good.

Bow Me Over, by Bonnie Golding. This project would be a fun one to pick out a yarn/fabric combination for.

Junior Doctor's Bag, by Mel Clark. The chevron stitch used here is such a good look with a classic shape.

Lacey Leaf Satchel, by Pam Powers. Very pretty and distinctive bag.

Evelyn, by Carol Galasso. Reinforcing flat felted straps with fabric is another handle option, and a good one, as this bag could definitely pass for "commercially made and sold at an expensive, trendy store".

Magnolia Handbag, by Sini Huupponen. Felted handbags make good canvases for some charming embroidery motifs if you're so inclined. This is adorable.

Plaid Felted Purse, by Cindy Pilon. Another super cute bag. Make this bag in a woman's personal palette of favourite colours and it will be a perfect and useful accent bag for her wardrobe.