Mesh Market Bag with Cell Phone or Accessory Pockets

What You’ll Need:

Size 10 US/6mm circulars or DPNs
Sze 7 US/4.5mm circulars or DPNs
4 skeins of Sugar ‘n Cream Yarn or any cotton worsted weight yarn

Final Bag Dimensions:

Bag: 16 1/2″ long

Circimference: 27″ wide (empty) – the mesh will allow you to almost double that as it expands to fit larger items

Strap: 13 1/2″ from top of bag to top of shoulder.
27″ total strap length

Pockets: 3 1/2″ long x 2″ wide x 1/2″ deep – the mesh version of the pocket will stretch out a little more than this, however.

Gauge:

This knitted mesh market bag is great for the beach or running around town. You can add up to two pockets to the straps for a cell phone or other accessories. There are two different pocket styles – choose one or both! The one on the left is a solid seed stitch, so items at the bottom will not poke through. Of course this bag is machine washable because it’s made from cotton material, so no matter what you use it for, you can always pop it in the washing machine for a refresher!

Begin With Knitting the Strap

The main part of the strap is knitted back and forth in a seed stitch. However the wider base section is a stockinette stitch with a ribbed edge to prevent curling. Then later you’ll knit a pocket to be stitched over this area.

co 14 sts with the size 7 US / 4.5mm needles
R1: k even
R2: k2, p10, k2

*Repeat R1 and R2 for 26 rows

Decrease Bag Strap

NR: k1, skp, k8, k2tog, k1
NR: k2, p8, k2
NR: k1, skp, k6, k2tog, k1
NR: k2, p6, k2
NR: k1, skp, k4, k2tog, k1
NR: k2, p4, k2
k seed stitch for 80 rows (approx another 20″) or for desired length

Increase Strap

RS:, kfb, k6, kfb
WS: k2, p6, k2
RS: kfb, k8, kfb
WS: k2, p8, k2
(RS: kfb, k10, kfb
WS: k even) * Repeat these last 2 rows for 26 rows

Create the Bag’s Upper Band

Now it’s time to make that upper band on the bag. This band will help give the bag some stability, as it is knitted in the round in a seed stitch. Continue using the size 7 needles here.

With the 14 sts you already have on your needle, we’re now going to co 46 more stitches.

Note: I recommend using a Knitted Cast On

Pick up the 14 sts on the other end of the strap. Be sure it is not twisted!
co 47 more sts and join to the 1st st. You need an odd number of sts to do this part, which is why we cast on 46 and then 47 sts.
k 11 rounds in seed st.

Knit the Mesh Bag Body

Place a marker
Switch to Size 10US / 6mm circular needles

First we need to bring this back to an even number of sts so:

Round 1: k2tog, then (yo, k2tog)* Repeat the parenthesis to stitch marker
Round 2: knit even
Round 3: (yo, k2tog)* Repeat to stitch marker

Repeat Rounds 2 and 3 until the bag is 10 inches long (or desired length) from the top of the band where the straps join the bag.

Next round: Knit even to marker
Switch back to size 7 US / 4.5mm needles
kfb (increase by 1 st so you are back to an odd number of sts.)
k in seed st for 8 rows

Shape the Bag’s Bottom

Ending with a knitted st (not a yo or k2tog):

place marker
p2tog, k2tog, k37 in seed st
place marker
p2tog, k2tog, k37 in seed st
place marker

Note: With the p2tog, k2tog’s: this is meant to maintain the seed stitch pattern. It’s possible yours may not match up. Therefore, you’ll need to look at your own work and determine if the stitch before your descrease stitch is a purled stitch then you will k2tog and then p2tog. If the stitch before the 2 decrease stitches is a knitted stitch, then p2tog, k2tog and continue to maintain the seed stitch pattern.

The Base of the Bag

When you have 45 sts left, beginning from marker:

k1 (k2tog)* Repeat to end of round
Next Round: k even
Next round: k1, (k2tog)*
Next round: k even
Cut a long tail and pull yarn end through remaining sts, pull tight and weave in loose ends on the inside of the bag.

Knit the Pockets

We’ve got two pocket styles to choose from. You can knit one or both, it’s up to you. The pockets are knitted and then attached to the bag strap when completed.

knitted mesh bag pocket image — Mesh Pocket

Pocket Style 1

This pocket has a slight mesh pattern that matches the sides of the bag.

Use size 7 US / 4.5mm needles
co 13 sts
Row 1: purl across
R2: k1, p1, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, p1, k1, yo, skp, k1, p1, k1
R3: p1, k2, p4, k1, p4, k1, p1
Repeat rows 2 and 3 for 22 rows.
Next 3 rows: k in rib knit (k1, p1)
Bind off loosely. Leave a very long tail and use that to attach the pocket to the bag. I recommend a chain stitch with a crochet hook but a straight sewing stitch will work as well.

Seed Stitch Pocket image — Seed stitch pocket

Pocket Style 2

This pocket has a seed stitch pattern with 2 ribbed stripes along the side that allows for some stretch.

Use size 7 US / 4.5mm needles
co 13 sts
Row 1: k1, p1, k3, p1, k1, p1, k3, p1, k1
Row 2: (k1, p1)* Repeat to end
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for a total of 25 rows.
Bind off loosely. Leave a very long yarn tail and use it to sew the pocket to the strap of the bag.

Knitting Abbreviations Used In This Pattern

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