Waffle Stitch Origami Bags - Oh my!

We are seeing the waffle stitch everywhere we look this season and wanted to put our own spin on it. Then we saw this really fun bag that comes together by sewing a rectangle in just the right spots and we knew this was the project we wanted to use for the May Mystery Box. Michelle crocheted up a sample and Irina knitted the other- both are adorable and will be your favorite all-purpose bag for the summer! For each bag we used one skein of Lion Brand Mandala in Rainbow Falls and one skein of Lion Brand Baby Soft. These patterns are more of a guide than a rulebook- you can make your bag larger or smaller based on the rectangle that you create. Your rectangle just needs to be three times longer than it is wide and you will have the perfect base for your bag!

We used the diagram found here to fold our bags- they did a great job explaining the fold. If you need any extra help please come by the Studio to sit and stitch with us!

Knit Pattern:

On US 5 Knitting Needles:

Color A - Lion Brand Baby Soft

Color B - Mandala Baby

Color A - Cast on 85 (multiples of 4 + 5)

Color B - Row 1: k2, sl 1 wyib, *k3, sl 1 wyib; repeat from* across to last 2 sts, k2.

Color B - Row 2: p2, sl 1 wyif, *p3, sl 1 wyif; repeat from* across to last two sts, p2

Color B - Row 3: repeat row 1

Color B - Row 4: repeat row 2

Color A - Row 5: k across

Color A - Row 6: k across

Repeat rows 1-6 until your piece is three times as long as it is wide.

Bind off.

Fold according to diagram and seam edges.

Pick up and knit stitches along one side of the bag. Cast on 10 stitches.

Join in round with first picked up stitch.

Work three rounds of garter stitch starting with a purl round.

Bind off knitwise.

Pick up and knit stitches along the other side of the bag and the back of the 10 stitch cast on edge connecting the two sides of the bag.

Join in round.

Work 3 rounds of garter stitch starting with a purl round.

Bind off knitwise.

Crochet Pattern:

Use a size H (5mm) crochet hook

Color A - Lion Brand Baby Soft

Color B - Lion Brand Baby Mandala

Color A Ch 48 (or a multiple of 3)

1: SC in second chain from hook and each SC across (47)

2. Color B: SC in BLO across

3. SC cross

4. SC across

5. Color A: SC, *TC in FLO of second stitch the 4th row below (in the first section, this will be row one). Skip one SC, then SC into the next two stitches. Repeat from * across, ending with a single SC into the last stitch of the row.

   
   

   Repeat Rows 2-5 until your bag measures 3 times as long as it is wide, ending on row 5. SC in color A around the outside of your rectangle. Sittch count is not crucial here- we just want a solid border when we seam it together.

   
   

   Fold according to diagram and seam edges.

6. 
   

   From here you just need to add a handle! You can sew the two points at the top of your bag together, or crochet a small rectangle to attach at both sides. We used a piece about 12x3 SC stitches.

   
   

Happy Stitching!