Clutch This

In today's post I'm going to offer a selection of clutch and wrist bag patterns. I'm planning to do a series of posts on selected patterns for knitted bags over the next several weeks, starting with this post of clutch and wristlet patterns, moving on to a post on handbag patterns, and from there to a selection of tote bag patterns, and winding up with backpack and messenger bag posts. It'll be a good, useful series of posts for my readers, as well as a way to harmlessly indulge my fetish for nice bags. Because I can't knit every beautiful bag design I see, can I? (Narrator, sternly: She cannot.)

Let's start with the Grace Clutch, designed by Julie Grantz LeFrancois. How smart is this clutch? This one's not an evening bag, but would be fine for any occasion to which a woman can wear dressy street clothes: a daytime wedding, a lunch or dinner date. And as you can see it's the perfect accessory for a simple black outfit.

This is the Clutch This bag, designed by Debbie Bliss, and available in the book Knits to Give: 30 Knitted Gifts Made With Love. This little clutch would work just fine with evening wear. After checking out 15 pages of clutch and wristlet patterns on Ravelry to find patterns for this post, I can tell you that knitted evening clutches require certain yarns and findings, as clutches knitted out of regular sweater-type yarn tend to look too homely and unpolished for evening wear. You'll need to go with certain kinds of materials to wind up with an evening bag that looks right with evening wear: yarns that have a sheen or a halo, metallic yarns, novelty yarns that contain sequins or ruffles, and/or add beads or other embellishments.

Smocking Clutch, by Laura Zukaite, available in Luxe Knits: The Accessories: Couture Adornments to Knit & Crochet. This one's another daytime bag that is a little more roomy than any of the others in this post, and therefore more practical -- women tend to need to carry much more stuff with them during the workday! I'm not thrilled with the yarn choice used here (though it is an alpaca silk), but I do love the shape of this bag.

The Buckle Bag, designed by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. This pattern is available in Vogue Knitting on the Go: Bags Two! This one's another smart clutch that I'd consider best employed for daytime wear, though it could be turned into an evening bag with a different yarn and possibly buckle choice, if you can find fancier buckles.

The CoCo bag pattern, designed by Janine Le Cras, imitates the classic Chanel bag. I'd be inclined to make this one in a glossy black yarn and run a silk or velvet ribbon through the links of the chain strap, rather than yarn.

The Verdigris clutch, by Charmaine Fletcher, looks like the perfect little daytime summer clutch to make in a cotton or linen.

Envelope Clutch, by Gwen Bortner. This pattern was published in Bortner's Entrée to Entrelac: The Definitive Guide from a Biased Knitter. Another daytime/street wear clutch. I'm having fun thinking of all the different variegated yarns this one might be done in, though of course a neutral-colour clutch is the most versatile.

Ada, by Louisa Harding, published in Harding's book Knits from an English Rose: 25 Modern-Vintage Accessories. Love the stitchwork on the flap of this one.

Felted Clutch, by Jill Wright. Felting is a good direction to go with in making bags, because it's a considerable help with the sturdiness factor. And the right toggle can do a lot for a clutch.

The RYTA Felted Clutch Handbag, by Tanya Alpert. If you're like me and like the look of a nice brooch but don't like actually wearing them because they leave little brooch holes in your clothing, a felted clutch such as those shown here can be the perfect way to showcase a family heirloom brooch or a pretty inexpensive brooch that came from your local discount or thrift store.

But I Wanted Tiffany's, by Cheryl Erlandson. I'm not a big fan of frame bags, which have a rather too fussy look for my liking, but I can hardly overlook such a classic small bag style (I even own a few myself), so I'll close out this post with a selection of four of them. This is an undeniably sweet little confection of a bag.

The Cascading Ruffle Clutch, by Christina Behnke. This bag would hold its own alongside many a far more expensive, commercially made evening bag, and it's a good way to use a novelty ruffled yarn. If you'd like to save money on the frame, check thrift stores for old frame bags, as the frames can be stripped and reused.

Morning Glory, by Angela Sixian Wu. The combination of Rowan Kidsilk Haze and beads makes for a very pretty effect.

Diamonds are Forever, by Theresa Williams. This pattern was published in Williams' Bead Knitting Handbags 1. This has an Art Deco, 1930's vibe to it, and I am here for that.