After getting a sneak peek at Lion Brand’s back in February, I’ve been waiting for the day to share this super fun yarn with you! LB was kind enough to send some samples my way a couple weeks ago, so I immediately dove in and whipped up my first of many projects – the Dionne and Crossbody Purses! The knit Dionne bag takes less than a single skein of the yarn and can be completed in a single afternoon – perfect for a last minute date night! Check out the free pattern below or purchase an ad-free, printer-friendly PDF .
Looking for the crochet Cher Crossbody Purse? Click !
– the new innovative yarn from Lion Brand – is really set apart from all of the other faux furs out there! The fiber mimics long, curly wool locks so beautifully and as a jumbo/category 7 yarn, it makes projects come together incredibly fast. I wouldn’t say working with it is a breeze as there’s definitely a bit of a learning curve when it comes to knitting with yarn where you can’t see your stitches, but the end result is so worth the extra bit of patience!
Shaggy Chic comes in – a great mix of neutrals and pops of color like the Aqua colorway I used for the Dionne Crossbody Purse. Each one is really special and I have soooo many other projects planned for this special yarn. Anything that would normally be “fur” is perfect for it! Think winter accessories, home decor, and even garments! Stay tuned for everything I have in store 🙂
My design style is fairly casual but something about a faux fur yarn makes me want to get fancy! In past years I have loved working with Lion Brand’s for designs like my and . Yarns like these put me in a festive mood and instantly make me want to attend a party!
Since I had limited samples to work with, I wanted to create something small but impactful for my first designs with . These simple evening bags are the perfect project to show off this yarn, and it was such a fun opportunity to incorporate some gold hardware into a knit design! I sourced all of the hardware on Amazon and included links to several options for you in the notes below. At first I was going to give these bags a party-themed name but the more I worked on them the more I kept thinking of the iconic 90s movie Clueless and I could totally see Cher, Dionne, and Tai rocking one of these! I knew I had to name them after the characters to give them a real personality. They’re giving major Wet Seal/Contempo Casuals Clueless era vibes!
This is an easy level knitting pattern and the techniques involved are knitting, purling, working in the round, and the k2tog decrease.
MATERIALS
1 skein in Aqua (329-107T)
(jumbo, weight 7; 35yds/32m per skein)
or long circulars for small circumference knitting
1 purse chain with spring clasps (see notes below for links)
2 screw-in or spring clasp D rings (see notes below for links)
Magnetic snap closure (see notes below for links)
Needle and thread to match yarn
GAUGE
4.25 sts + 11 rnds = 4”/10cm in stockinette in the round
FINISHED DIMENSIONS
Diameter: 9”/23cm
Circumference: 28.25”/72cm
Depth: 8”/20cm
ABBREVIATIONS
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms.
CO – cast on
Dec – decrease
K – knit
K2tog – knit 2 together
P – purl
Rep – repeat
Rnd(s) – round(s)
St(s) – stitch(es)
NOTES ON HARDWARE
For the chain, 39.5-47.25”/100-120cm is ideal for a crossbody purse. The D-rings should be able to accommodate the clasps of the chain, approx. .75-1.25”/18-25mm. The magnetic snaps can be any size .5”/14mm or larger. Some larger magnetic snaps attach with prongs instead of needing to be sewn on. Note that the prongs may slightly show through to the front side of the fabric. For links to several options for each piece of hardware, visit the blog post for this pattern at twoofwands.com/blog/cher-crossbody-purse.
Visit my Amazon storefront for links to the hardware I used and several other options.
NOTES ON YARN
Faux fur yarn can be a bit tricky to work with as the stitches are not visible so dropped stitches can be nearly impossible to locate and fix. Pay attention to – and feel for – the center core of the Shaggy Chic yarn when inserting the needle to ensure you’re working into a stitch rather than just the locks of the yarn. Carefully count your stitches with each round to ensure you have the correct stitch count.
NOTES ON PATTERN
Bag is worked from the top down in the round. Use a stitch marker to keep track of the beginning of each round. Change to double pointed needles or longer circulars for small circumference knitting if and when it becomes too difficult to stretch the stitches around the cord during the decrease rounds.
PATTERN
CO 30 sts. Being careful not to twist sts, join for working in the rnd and place a marker to denote the beginning of the rnd.
Rnd 1: K.
Rnd 2: P.
Rnds 3+4: Rep rnds 1 and 2.
Rnds 5-19: K.
Rnd 20: (Dec) *K 3, K2tog, rep from * around. (24 sts)
Rnd 21: (Dec) *K 2, K2tog, rep from * around. (18 sts)
Rnd 22: (Dec) *K 1, K2tog, rep from * around. (12 sts)
Do not bind off. Cut a tail long enough for weaving in, thread onto a tapestry needle, and draw through remaining sts on the needles. Pull like a drawstring to tighten and close the hole.
Secure and weave in all ends.
FINISHING
Choose a wrong side/right side for the bag. The side that wasn’t facing while knitting the bag (technically the wrong/purl side) is likely “shaggier” than the one that was facing due to the nature of the stitches and the yarn. The sample pictured has the purl side showing on the exterior. Attach D rings to the top of each side of the bag on the interior by threading the shackle around 1 or 2 sts. Clasp the strap onto the D rings. Sew the magnetic snaps to the interior of the bag.
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