One of my favorite spring wildflowers is bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis. The design on the bottom of this bag, with its asymmetrically-spaced petals and squarish shape, reminds me of that small white flower.

This lace bag, knit from the center outward, will carry yarn, a handkerchief, or other such things. The stitch pattern is based on the Arrow Pattern from Barbara Walker’s Second Treasury.

The bag also makes a fetching child’s cap without the drawstring.

Materials needed:

• I prefer cotton or linen for this bag, but those are not requirements. Knit with different weights of yarn for different sizes. Solid colored yarn is recommended, as are shaded solids, or possibly self-striping yarn with a long repeat.
• Drawstring: about one yard (or one meter) of cord, grosgrain ribbon, or braided yarn. This length allows for a loop handle for hanging the bag from a wrist.
• Balloon or large jar for blocking.

Techniques:

• You need to know how to cast on for knitting a small number of stitches in the round, knit, yarn over, decrease, and bind off with a stretchy bind-off.
• Both written instructions and a chart are provided.

Technical Editor:Stephanie Boardman

Photographer: Kathryn Walbert

Thanks to my test knitters: brncow, Harena, lenasmom, and wingedselkie.