Sovereign Purse

Sassy riffed on a pattern called  "A Bag for Jane" by Elizabeth Boyle. In the Regency period  sisters and friends knitted these purses to exchange as gifts.

Sassy knitted the base in a toe-up manner: cast-on 18 stitches and knit garter stitch for 24 rows. Pick-up 12 stitches on each short edge and then the cast-on 18 for a total of 60 stitches.

The yarn was a polished cotton leftover from weaving days: a weight between fingering and sport. Knit with a size six needle.

Pattern:
1. Knit
2. K1, k 2 tog, yarn over.
3. K
4-5. Purl

Repeat for 8 P ridges.

Top:
1-2. K
3. K 8, K 2tog, around
4-5. P
6. K
7. K1, K2tog, YO*
8. K
9-11 P
Bind off in P. Sassy diverged here from the original pattern which ends with several increase rows creating a deeper top band.

The drawstrings are constructed with variegated ribbon. Cut 2 lengths. 25-30 inches each. Thread one length from each side.

A thicker yarn for the drawstrings would be lovely. Perhaps crocheting several lengths of ribbon together would add substance to the drawstrings.

Since this a sovereign purse Sassy will have to find a coin to add to the gift.