Who doesn’t have little leftover scraps of yarn from previous projects, just sitting on the wool shelf and waiting to be knitted? One idea for something to make with them is the Bag Charm from Initiative Handarbeit!

KNIT A BAG CHARM

For our version, we knitted one with one strand of SURI ALPACA.

Cast on 14 stitches with two strands of yarn.

Knit in stockinette stitch for 17 cm (knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side).

For edge sts: on right side rows, always slip the first stitch of your row with the yarn at the back; on wrong side rows, slip the first stitch with the yarn in front.

After 17 cm, finish with a wrong side row, knitting the stitches together with the stitches of the cast on row, or alternatively bind off and graft the ends together with Kitchener stitch.

When cutting the yarn, leave an end about 30 cm long. Wind the end tightly around the middle of the bow and tie it off on the back.

Finally, fix the bow directly onto the bag with a keyring or carabiner clip, or use beads to make an attachment of your own design, attach it to the bow and and hang it on the bag.

CROCHET A BAG CHARM

For our version, we crocheted one with two strands of ZEN.

Make a 20 cm chain (approximately 30 chain stitches).

Row 1: work in single crochet

Rows 2 to 5: work in double crochet

Row 6: work in single crochet.

Then crochet the ends together.

When cutting the yarn, leave an end about 30 cm long. Wind the end tightly around the middle of the bow and tie off at the back.