There’s nothing better than a classic, timeless shoulder bag that you can wear any season. And knit chunky shoulder bags are what’s trending now! Are you wondering how to knit a bag for beginners? Today I have an EASY knit bag pattern that you can make in under 2 hours, even if you are a beginner knitter. Just grab some big knitting needles, cotton macrame cord, and let’s get started.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may make a commission at no cost to you. Please see my full disclosure policy for more details.

FREE KNIT SHOULDER BAG PATTERN

How to knit a shoulder bag

The chunky knit bag pattern is easy to work once you master a repeat of 2 rows. These 2 rows make up what’s known as stockinette stitch.

You will simply repeat the 2-row pattern many times until you reach 16″ (or your desired length if you have enough yarn). Lastly, add leather shoulder straps and a leather snap buckle for a modern look! The classic ivory color of the macrame cord is perfect for any time of year.

The shoulder bag should take under 2 hours to knit and finish as written. It will measure approximately 8″ length by 7.5″ width without straps.

You will need the following supplies to make the knit shoulder bag with leather straps:

Supplies

• Size 15 (10 mm) knitting needles
• Approx. 50 yards of (4mm) cotton macrame cord to make one bag. I used Blisstime Macrame Cord. The cord I purchased comes with 328 yards, so there is plenty for other fun projects!
• Leather adjustable shoulder straps with clips to attach
• Leather snap buckle
• scissors, wide-eyed tapestry needle
• sewing needle and thread in a complimentary color

Abbreviations

K – knit stitch                                              

P – purl stitch                                               sts – stitches

Rep – repeat

RS – Right Side (side that faces you when finished)             

PATTERN INFORMATION

Recently I began naming my crochet and knit patterns after local New England places of interest. I couldn’t help but name this classic shoulder bag after the city that I grew up near, worked in for 10 years (inside the tall Prudential building!), and where I have enjoyed many memorable experiences.

The “Boston Shoulder Bag” is named after the city of Boston, Massachusetts, home of early American history and tradition.  This city has such a rich past and pedigree, I knew the bag would fit right in. It’s a fun city to shop in, so I could imagine this bag used for a grab-n-go purse to hit the shops & cafes. The cotton cord provides interesting texture and sturdiness, while the leather straps and enclosure give it a timeless, classic look.  

I got the inspiration for my bag from THIS ARTICLE ON BAG TRENDS, specifically this knit shoulder bag with leather straps that they showcased:

To achieve the jumbo sized knitting look in this particular bag, you could probably use size 50 knitting needles and jumbo yarn instead of what I used. However, you would need to line the bag to prevent items from falling through the gaps.

My shoulder bag has smaller and tighter stitches, but they still pack a big punch!

The free pattern for my version of the knit shoulder bag is provided below.

• but you can also get the ad-free, printable pdf pattern for the KNIT SHOULDER BAG  in the ETSY SHOP!  The pdf has step-by-step tutorial photos included, which will help you work the seam and add the leather straps and buckle.

KNIT CROSSBODY BAG PATTERN

Gauge: 4″ (10cm) square = 7.5 sts by 11 rows (in stockinette pattern)

How do you make a chunky bag?

Follow instructions as follows…

Beginning with the Size 15 knitting needles, cast on 14 stitches with your MACRAME CORD.

Knit Shoulder Bag Pattern

Row 1: Knit.

Rows 2: Purl.

Rows 3-42: Rep Rows 1-2.

Your purse should measure about 16” length at this point.  Feel free to continue repeating Rows 1-2 if you would like a longer purse (more than 8” length).

Finishing the Shoulder Bag

Bind off knitwise.

Feel free to block your piece at this point if you want to straighten out the stitches and rectangle.

Seaming the Shoulder Bag

Fold in half vertically, with the right sides together.  The length should now be about 8”.

Use an edge-to-edge seam to join two sides of the purse together.

Repeat the seam steps for the other open side of the purse.

The digital pdf pattern includes steps and photos for how to work the edge-to-edge seam.

Weave in all loose ends on the Wrong Side.

Turn bag Right Side out.

Important Tips for Knitting your Bag

Some things to keep in mind as you knit the bag are:

• You may need to knit more loosely since the cord is thick.
• You should always have 14 sts per row. 
• Make sure to use a wide-eyed needle for seaming & weaving in ends, since the cord is thick.
• You may need to secure any loose threads from the ends of the cord by sewing them to the inside of the purse.

Add leather straps

Attach the leather shoulder straps to the bag by simply clipping them to stitches on the sides of the bag.

Add leather snap buckle

You may wish to add a leather snap buckle to enclose the top of the bag, preventing items from falling out.

Finished!

Wearing your Finished Shoulder Bag

Now it is time to enjoy using your classic shoulder bag!  Adjust the shoulder straps to your desired length, then simply toss the straps over your shoulder:

You could also wear the knit bag crosswise across your body for a full day on the town.

The chunky knit look is trending – I’m sure your stylish shoulder bag will attract compliments!

I hope you enjoyed learning how to knit a chunky bag with this simple FREE knit shoulder bag pattern. If you are brand new to knitting, you may be interested in my beginner knitting course. Read about it below:

——————————————————————————————————————–

——————————————————————————————————————–

Love bags? Check out these other bag ideas…

Want to save this post on how to knit a bag for beginners? Remember to pin it!