The inspiration for this handbag came from this website: http://www.tinkknit.com/Silver%20Leaf%20Satchel.html At the time of planning this project, the bag showed at this link was on sale for about $150 USD. I thought… certainly, I could make one for much less.

Then, I began reading Susan Guagliumi’s “Hand-Manipulated Stitches for Machine Knitters” book and was introduced to the Fish Scale Stitch. This stitch was done in machine knitting, and in somewhat resembled the crocodile crochet stitch. Due to a disability, I no longer able to crochet extensively. Thus, I was thrilled to have found this similar stitch pattern for machine knitting.

The fish scales on this handbag was 5 times larger than of S. Guagliumi’s instruction. I also figured out how to machine knit the half scales at the sides of the handbag. These half scales were seamed together to make complete ones.

After the knitting and seaming was completed, I felted the handbag. It shrunk down to the size that I had projected. Unlike the swatch I made, it seemed that the stitches on the handbag were still showing a little after the felting. I was told that perhaps, the handbag was too large. Nevertheless, I was very pleased with how it turned out.