We’ll be knitting Le Tour de France bag at the same time as the fantastic bike riders make their way down Europe on a 21-day-challenge going from July 1st to July 24th.
The pattern will be released in stages, on the first day of every stage, following the dates below:
• Stage 1: from July 1st to 3rd
• Stage 2: from July 4th to 7th
• Stage 3: from July 8th to 10th
• Stage 4: from July 11th to 13th
• Stage 5: from July 14th to 16th
• Stage 6: from July 17th to 20th
• Stage 7: from July 21st to 24th
Le Tour de France bag knitting pattern
Needles: US 5 / 3.75 mm (if you follow me on Instagram, you’ve noticed that I always knit with this set from Knitter’s Pride)
Yarn: Sport – Hobbii Rainbow Cotton 8/6, MC in Royal Blue (076), CC1 in White (001), CC2 in Red (058).
Yardage: MC 48 yds / 44 m – CC1 48 yds / 44 m – CC2 48 yds / 44 m
Gauge: 18 sts x 24 rows = 4”/10cm
Abbreviations
BOR: begin of the round
K: Knit
K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together
MC: Main color
CC1: Contrast color 1
CC2: Contrast color 2
RS: Right side
PM: Place marker
RM: Remove marker
SM: Stitch marker
Sts: Stitches
WS: Wrong side
Le Tour de France bag knitting pattern Stage 7 – Theme: Paris
Facing WS, place the live stitches of the end of panel 1 into a spare circular needle, turn work.
Facing RS, with US 5 / 3.75 mm circular needles, in MC knit the 72 sts of the panel 1, then backward loop cast on 96 sts for the first strap.
Facing WS, place the stitches of the provisional cast on of panel 2 into a spare circular needle, turn work.
Facing RS, in MC, continue to knit the 72 sts from the panel 2, being careful to not twist the stitches of the backward loop cast on.
Facing WS, place the stitches of the provisional cast on of panel 6 into a spare circular needle, turn work.
Facing RS, in MC, continue to knit the 72 sts of the panel 6, then backward loop cast on 96 sts for the second strap.
Facing WS, place the live stitches of the end of panel 5 into a spare circular needle, turn work.
Facing RS, in MC continue to knit the 72 sts from the panel 5, being careful to not twist the stitches of the backward loop cast on.
Place marker for BOR and join in the round be careful to not twist stitches.
You should have 480 sts on the needle.
Round 1: Purl all stitches.
Round 2: Knit all stitches.
Round 3: Purl all stitches.
Cut MC and switch to CC1.
Round 1: Knit all stitches.
Round 2: Purl all stitches.
Repeat rows 1 – 2, one time more (total 4 rows).
Cut CC1 and switch to CC2.
Round 1: Knit all stitches.
Round 2: Purl all stitches.
Round 3: Knit all stitches.
Round 4: P 72, b off 96, p 144, b off 96, p 72, rm at the end of the row.
Facing WS, place the stitches of the provisional cast on of panel 3 into a spare circular needle.
Place the 2 needles from panels 1 and 3 with their WS facing each other, in CC2, K2tog * K2tog (1 st from each needle), bind of 1 st; rep from * throughout the end of panels 1 and 3. Cut yarn.
Facing WS, place the live stitches of the end of panel 3 into a spare circular needle.
Place the 2 needles from panels 2 and 3 with their WS facing each other, being careful to do not twist the handle, in CC2, K2tog * K2tog (1 st from each needle), bind of 1 st; rep from * throughout the end of panels 2 and 3. Don’t cut yarn.
Facing WS, place the live stitches of the end of panel 4 into a spare circular needle.
Place the 2 needles from panels 4 and 6 with their WS facing each other, in CC2, * K2tog (1 st from each needle), bind of 1 st; rep from * throughout the end of panels 4 and 6. Cut yarn.
Facing WS, place the stitches of the provisional cast on of panel 4 into a spare circular needle.
Place the 2 needles from panels 4 and 5 with their WS facing each other, being careful to do not twist the handle, in CC2, * K2tog (1 st from each needle), bind of 1 st; rep from * throughout the end of panels 4 and 5. Cut yarn.
Assembling the bag
Facing WS, place the live stitches of the end of panel 6 and 2 into two spare circular needles.
Place the 2 needles from panels 6 and 2 with their WS facing each other, in CC2, K2tog * K2tog (1 st from each needle), bind of 1 st; rep from * throughout the end of panels 6 and 2. Cut yarn.
Use the mattress stitches to seam the bottom of the bag, panels 2 and 6, panels 3 and 4, and panels 1 and 5.
Facing WS, place the stitches of the provisional cast on of panels 1 and panel 5 into two spare circular needles.
Place the 2 needles from panels 6 and 2 with their WS facing each other, in CC2, K2tog * K2tog (1 st from each needle), bind of 1 st; rep from * throughout the end of panels 6 and 2. Cut yarn.
Finishing & Blocking
Weave in all ends. Wet block to the desired measurements and lay flat to dry.