Beaded silk clutch:
Yarn: pre-beaded silk from Loop, 50g
purse clasp 1
silk for lining 2, 35x40cm approx.
sewing threads in both yarn and lining colours.
Tension: 25sts x 31rows over 10cm in st-st
Needles: one pair 3.75mm
cable needle
Abbreviations: c2l – cable 2 left
Knit:
Cast on 76sts
*r1: p2, k2, (p2, k4, p2, k2) x7, p2
r2: k2 (p2, k2, p4, k2) x7, p2, k2
r3: p2, k2, (p2, c2l, p2, k2) x7, p2
r4: as r2*
r5-12: Repeat from * to *
Repeat r1&2 again.
Work in reverse st-st for 20cm
Repeat the first cable section
Cast off rib-wise
Making up:
Check the size of the knitted piece, take measurements with the rib extended to make a rectangular shape (if knitted to the tension stated this should be 30x30cm). Cut a piece of lining fabric to these measurements adding a 1cm seam allowance.
Fold the knitted piece in half with right sides together and stitch the side seams, leaving the top 7cm open (please adjust this according to the depth of your purse clasp). Repeat this for the silk lining.
Fold the top edge of the lining twice toward the wrong side of the fabric and press. Add a box pleat to the centre of each side, the depth of this pleat should be the length of the purse clasp subtracted from the length of the silk. Stitch the pleat closed for a length of 1cm.
Take care to ask when purchasing the purse clasp how to attach your bag as they do vary. The clasp used here requires stitching to attach: sew the lining to the holes in the frame first, then stitch the knitted bag to the lining using very small slip stitches from the right side.
1 Available from MacCuloch and Wallis, London.
2 Silk lining in mustard, available from Minan, Wardour Street, London.
milkbottle 