I knit a bag in which to wash hand-knit sweaters by machine. It will be used similar to a lingerie bag, only it’s large to enough to accommodate a bulky sweater. This would also make a great market bag. If you plan to use this strictly for laundering, it would be best to knit the entire bag in some lace stitch. (A more open lace stitch would be best for a laundry bag.) A zipper is sewn in by hand at the top which has a picot edge. The shape of this bag was inspired by Carolyn Webb (Zsanica on Ravelry).

Bag is knit from the bottom up.

Provisionally cast on 55 sts using a 29” long circular needle.

Knit in stockinette (flat) for 19 rows. (Note that my provisional cast on was knitting an extra row and then ripping out that 19th row when it came time to knit it. Knit only 18 rows if you use another provisional cast-on method.)

Pick up and knit 15 sts on short end.

Using second circular needle (29” long), pick up the 55 provisional sts and knit them.

On opposite short end, pick up and knit 15 sts (140 sts total with 70 sts on each needle)

Now knit in the round, dividing bag as follows:

14 sts + 56 sts + 14 sts + 56 sts

The 14 sts are the ends and the 56 sts are front and back.

I knit the entire bag using two 29-inch long circular needles. However, you may switch to one longer circular needle at this point with stitch markers in appropriate places. (See below.) Knit rounds in stockinette st until work measures 2” from corners.

Lace Pattern is a repeat of 6 sts:

Row 1: ^YO, SL1, K1, PSSO, K1, K2tog, YO, K1; repeat from ^

Row 2: Knit all

Row 3: ^YO, SL1, K2tog, YO, K3; repeat from ^

Row 4: Knit all

There are 2 KNIT sts in each corner, separating lace repeats. I used markers on my two circular needles as follows:

1st needle:

K1, PM, 2 lace repeats, PM, K2, PM, 9 lace repeats, K1

2nd needle: Same

Continue knitting in the round until work measures about 14.5 - 15 inches from bottom corner.

Work 10 rounds of stockinette stitch.

1st needle holding 70 sts:
Knit 14 sts and transfer these to a stitch holder.
K1 st, then picot bind-off remaining sts using this method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf9STC2OBf0

When there is one stitch left on the needle, transfer this stitch to the second needle.

2nd needle holding 70 sts:

K2tog, K13. Transfer these 14 sts to a stitch holder.
K1 st, then picot bind-off remaining sts.

Knit the 14 sts on the adjacent stitch holder. Turn work. You’ll now be working flat (back and forth) for the handle as follows:

SL1 purlwise. Purl across. Turn
SL1 knitwise. Knit across. Turn.

Continue above 2 rows until handle measures 20 inches (51 cm).

Graft live stitches from needle and stitch holder together using kitchener stitch.

Machine wash and dry the bag BEFORE sewing in the zipper by hand. 100% cotton bag will shrink in the dryer, so you need to pre-shrink it in order to know how long to cut the zipper. Zipper is polyester and will not shrink. I cut my zipper so that the functioning part is 16 inches long (41 cm).

How I wash sweaters that are machine washable:

Place sweater in lingerie bag. Nylon mesh ones work best. Mine looks something like this:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/111465776/washing-machine-ba...

Wash in machine on delicate cycle (no hot water). Machine will spin out most water. Hang bag over basin or outside until most remaining water drips from bag. Lay sweater flat on towel or blocking pad to dry after shaping. I dry hand washable sweaters the same way after most of the water has dripped from the bag.