- 1). Cast 16 stitches onto a US size 6 double pointed needle and begin knitting the first strap. Work in rows of knit one, purl one until the piece measures six inches from the cast-on edge.
- 2). Begin increasing. Knit the first stitch, make one stitch. Slide your right-hand needle under the bar of yarn that extends from the just-knit stitch to the next stitch, drape the bar of yarn over the left-hand needle and knit into it as you would any other stitch. Knit across the rest of the row until one stitch remains. Make one stitch and knit the next stitch.
- 3). Purl across the next row. Continue working in the established pattern, alternating between knit rows and purl rows. When working a knit row, make one stitch after the first stitch in the row and before the last stitch in the row. When you have 40 stitches on your needle, end with a purl row and break your yarn. Leave the live stitches on your needle and set the strap aside.
- 4). Knit a second strap in the same manner of the first. When you complete the second strap, don't break the yarn. Instead, use it to cast 40 stitches onto a US size 6 circular needle. Knit the stitches from the first strap onto the needle, cast on 40 more stitches and knit the stitches from the second strap.
- 5). Slide a stitch marker onto your needle and continue knitting in the round. Work knit stitches across every round until your piece measures four inches from the cast-on edge.
- 6). Begin decreasing in the following round. Knit 57 stitches, knit two together, knit two, knit two together, knit 74 stitches, knit two together, knit two, knit two together and knit the remaining 17 stitches. Knit the next round even.
- 7). Continue working in the pattern, decreasing every other round. In each subsequent decrease round, reduce the number of stitches between each decrease sequence. For example, in the second decrease round you will knit 56, knit two together, knit two, knit two together, knit 72, knit two together, knit two, knit two together and knit the remaining 16 stitches. In decrease round three, knit 55, knit two together, knit two, knit two together, knit 70, knit two together, knit two, knit two together, knit 15.
- 8). Bind off when 60 stitches remain on the needle. Break your yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail and turn the back inside-out, so the purl side is facing outward. Thread the tail through a yarn needle and sew the bound-off edge closed. Sew the tops of the straps together and weave in any loose yarn to complete your knitted hobo bag.
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