Christmas Tree Drawstring Bag

Pattern details: PDF file of 6 pages with detailed instructions, 7 photos, and 7 supporting videos. This bag is a fun and interesting project, worked from the bottom up. You’ll learn several new knitting cast-on techniques, including Judy’s Magic Cast-On and the Turkish Cast-On. You can knit this Christmas Tree Bag in just a couple of evenings. **Finished Size** Approximately 14 cm (5½ in) wide at the widest point and 14 cm (5½ in) tall, including the trunk. The bag can easily be made in any size by adjusting the number of cast-on stitches and the length. **Yarn** Yarn in three colors: dark green, brown, and beige. Cotton yarn or wool-blend sock yarn with a yardage of approximately 350–400 m (383–437 yd) per 100 g (3.5 oz) works well, although other yarn weights can also be used. Yarns in Sample One: Gazzal Baby Cotton 3463: 14 g, 3446: 2 g. YarnArt Jeans (for the trunk) 40: 2 g. Yarns in Sample Two: Drops Nord (Lemongrass Mix 10: 13 g; Chestnut Uni Color 22: 2 g), Drops Safran 64: 2 g. The finished bag weighs approximately 16-18 g (0.6 oz). **Needles** Circular knitting needles with a cable at least 80 cm (32 in) long for knitting with the Magic Loop method. Choose a needle size appropriate for your yarn, following the yarn manufacturer’s recommendations. I used 3 mm (US 2½) needles. You can use smaller-diameter needles to knit the laces for a neater result—for example, 2 mm (US 0) needles—but you can also knit them using the same needles as for the bag. **Other tools and materials** * Scissors. Locking stitch marker (optional). * Blunt-tipped tapestry needle for sewing. * Sharp-tipped needle (for weaving in yarn ends, optional). * 2 mm (US B/1) crochet hook for making the laces (optional; you can also make the laces using the same needles you used for the bag). * 2 mm (US 0) double-pointed needles for knitting the laces (optional; you can use the same needles as for the bag). * Safety pin for threading the laces through the drawstring casing (or use a locking stitch marker instead). * A 40 cm (16 in) length of contrasting yarn (optional). **Gauge** When knitting in the round with 3 mm needles, Gazzal Baby Cotton produces a gauge of approximately 2.85 stitches and 3.8 rounds per 1 cm (28.5 stitches and 38 rounds per 10 cm / 4 in). Gauge is not critical for this project, but it will affect the finished size of the bag. The gauge is provided for reference only and is not required to match. **Difficulty: ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3.5 out of 5)** The pattern includes the following techniques: Cast on, knit, k2tog (a right-leaning decrease, how to knit: https://youtu.be/gw8wmPyvUBY), SSPK (a left-leaning decrease, how to knit: https://youtu.be/f0UzxGbX39w), Judy’s Magic Cast On, Turkish cast-on, yarn over, twisted knit stitch, I-cord, grafting a hem. Supporting videos are provided to guide you through the techniques used in the pattern.