Pattern details:
PDF file of 6 pages with detailed instructions, 7 photos, and 7 supporting videos. This bag is a fun and interesting project, worked from the bottom up. You’ll learn several new knitting cast-on techniques, including Judy’s Magic Cast-On and the Turkish Cast-On. You can knit this Christmas Tree Bag in just a couple of evenings.

Finished Size

Approximately 14 cm (5½ in) wide at the widest point and 14 cm (5½ in) tall, including the trunk.

The bag can easily be made in any size by adjusting the number of cast-on stitches and the length.

Yarn

Yarn in three colors: dark green, brown, and beige. Cotton yarn or wool-blend sock yarn with a yardage of approximately 350–400 m (383–437 yd) per 100 g (3.5 oz) works well, although other yarn weights can also be used.

Yarns in Sample One: Gazzal Baby Cotton 3463: 14 g, 3446: 2 g. YarnArt Jeans (for the trunk) 40: 2 g.

Yarns in Sample Two: Drops Nord (Lemongrass Mix 10: 13 g; Chestnut Uni Color 22: 2 g), Drops Safran 64: 2 g.

The finished bag weighs approximately 16-18 g (0.6 oz).

Needles

Circular knitting needles with a cable at least 80 cm (32 in) long for knitting with the Magic Loop method. Choose a needle size appropriate for your yarn, following the yarn manufacturer’s recommendations.

I used 3 mm (US 2½) needles. You can use smaller-diameter needles to knit the laces for a neater result—for example, 2 mm (US 0) needles—but you can also knit them using the same needles as for the bag.

Other tools and materials

• Scissors. Locking stitch marker (optional).
• Blunt-tipped tapestry needle for sewing.
• Sharp-tipped needle (for weaving in yarn ends, optional).
• 2 mm (US B/1) crochet hook for making the laces (optional; you can also make the laces using the same needles you used for the bag).
• 2 mm (US 0) double-pointed needles for knitting the laces (optional; you can use the same needles as for the bag).
• Safety pin for threading the laces through the drawstring casing (or use a locking stitch marker instead).
• A 40 cm (16 in) length of contrasting yarn (optional).

Gauge

When knitting in the round with 3 mm needles, Gazzal Baby Cotton produces a gauge of approximately 2.85 stitches and 3.8 rounds per 1 cm (28.5 stitches and 38 rounds per 10 cm / 4 in). Gauge is not critical for this project, but it will affect the finished size of the bag. The gauge is provided for reference only and is not required to match.

Difficulty: ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3.5 out of 5)

The pattern includes the following techniques: Cast on, knit, k2tog (a right-leaning decrease, how to knit: https://youtu.be/gw8wmPyvUBY), SSPK (a left-leaning decrease, how to knit: https://youtu.be/f0UzxGbX39w), Judy’s Magic Cast On, Turkish cast-on, yarn over, twisted knit stitch, I-cord, grafting a hem. Supporting videos are provided to guide you through the techniques used in the pattern.