A Romantic Bag For Your True Love
Such a pretty bag for such a pretty deck. This lovely bag tells everyone that your heart belongs to tarot! A pair of lace hearts adorns the front of this bag, bringing to mind the Two of Cups tarot card—the card for love and romance. Charming details like a frilly picot edge and dangling beads give this very functional bag a romantic allure!
Too girly for you? Not to worry—this bag is handy as well as handsome! Knitted up in 100% merino wool, it is both soft and strong. A drawstring at the top keeps your deck secure. The shaping at the bottom of the bag provides the perfect fit. The bottom is stitched closed to hold your deck securely in place with no worries about the bag stretching. And the openwork hearts give you a little peek at what deck is inside. And just because I used a dusty rose color doesn’t mean you can’t knit it up in any color you like! Try it in black or even army camo!
The 200-gram hank of yarn I used would easily be enough for six or even seven bags. So pick out a big ball of yarn and knit one for you and one for everyone you love!
Download a pdf of this pattern or find it on Ravelry.
Skill Level: Easy
Finished Size: Approximately 4 3/4” wide by 7” tall—fits a standard size tarot deck
Gauge: 20 st = 4” in stockinette. Gauge is relevant but not critical.
Materials
- 33g (72 yds) Plymouth Yarns, Worsted Merino Superwash Kettle Dyed, 100% Merino Wool.
- 2-6 crow beads in contrasting colors
Supplies
- US Size 7 (4.5 mm) DPNs
- Tapestry Needle
Abbreviations
- g grams
- yds yards
- mm millimeter
- CO cast on
- BO bind off
- DPN(s) double pointed needle(s)
- K knit
- K2tog knit 2 together
- SSK slip 1 st as if to K, slip 1 st as if to K, K both slipped sts together
- YO yarn over
- Sl1-as if to K-K2tog-PSSO slip 1 stitch as if to K, K2tog, pass slipped stitch over
Two of Hearts Tarot Bag Knitting Instructions
Casting On
The picot edge is done as part of the cast-on.
CO six stitches. BO two. You now have three stitches on the left needle and one stitch on the right.
Slip the stitch on the right to the left needle. It is now the first stitch of the next set.
Cast on five more stitches for a group of six, then bind off two.
Repeat this pattern until you have 45 stitches (15 picot points) and 1 final stitch.
Distribute the stitches evenly among three needles.
Now arrange the needles to join in the round and make sure there are no twists. Knit together the tail end stitch (first stitch) and the yarn ball-end stitch (last stich). Pull tight. This reduces the total stitches to 45 and connects them neatly in the round. Now you can proceed with knitting in the round.
Channel for Drawstring (Rows 1-11)
Row 1 and 2: Knit
Row 3: K1, *K2tog, YO. Repeat from *.
Rows 4-11: Knit
Heart Pattern (Rows 12-37):
***For rows 12-37, Knit all stitches in the odd numbered rows.***
Row 12: K2, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K1, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K2; K30
Row 13: & odd Rows: Knit all sts.
Row 14: K1, K2tog, YO, K3, YO, Sl1-as if to K-K2tog-PSSO, YO, K3, YO, SSK, K1; K30
Row 16: K2, YO, SSK, K7, K2tog, YO, K2; K30
Row 18: K3, YO, SSK, K5, K2tog, YO, K3; K30
Row 20: K4, YO, SSK, K3, K2tog, YO, K4; K30
Row 22: K5, YO, SSK, K1, K2tog, YO, K5; K30
Row 24: K6, YO, Sl1-as if to K-K2tog-PSSO, YO, K6; K30
Row 26: K7, YO, SSK, K6; K30
We’re going to repeat the pattern, but start the decreases partway through.
Row 28: K2, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K1, K2tog, YO, K1, YO, SSK, K2; K30
Row 30: K1, K2tog, YO, K3, YO, Sl1-as if to K-K2tog-PSSO, YO, K3, YO, SSK, K1; K30
Row 32: K2, YO, SSK, K7, K2tog, YO, K2; K30
Row 34: K3, YO, SSK, K5, K2tog, YO, K3; K30
Row 36: K4, YO, SSK, K3, K2tog, YO, K4; K30
Decreases (Rows 38-44)
Row 38: K5, YO, SSK, K1, K2tog, YO, K5; K2tog, K26, K2tog
Row 39: K15, K2tog, K24, K2tog
Row 40: K6, YO, Sl1-as if to K-K2tog-PSSO, YO, K6; K2tog, K22, K2tog
Row 41: K15, K2tog, K20, K2tog
Row 42: K7, YO, SSK, K6; K2tog, K18, K2tog
Row 43: K15, K2tog, K16, K2tog
Row 44: K15, K2tog, K6, K2tog, K6, K2tog
Finishing
Bind off and cut the yarn leaving an 18” tail.
Stitch the bottom together with an overhand stitch.
Weave in ends.
Drawstrings
I made an 18” finger cord drawstring out of 4 yds of yarn. Alternately, you can use narrow ribbon, purchased cord, small i-cord, braided yarn or twisted cord. Decorate the ends of the cord with crow beads or other beads with a wide hole, knotting under the beads.
Make Two of Hearts Tarot Bag
Download the pdf! Add this bag to your Ravelry queue!
For previous years’ tarot bags, see Diamond Window Pane Tarot Bag and Eyelet Tarot Bag.
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© 2015 by Joy Vernon. All rights reserved. For questions, corrections or more information, please contact me.
This pattern is free for personal and non-profit/charity use only.
All commercial uses are prohibited unless specifically licensed in writing by copyright owner.
Joy has been teaching craft classes and spiritual workshops for over twenty years. She specializes in jewelry making and fiber arts. She leads the Denver Tarot Meetup, Denver Tarot Geeks, and Denver Traditional Reiki Meetup and is one of the psychics at Isis Books. For more information and a schedule of upcoming classes, please visit JoyVernon.com.
A couple comments for those who are newer to knitting.
This bag is a little more difficult than the past couple bags I’ve posted, but it’s still quite easy and goes quickly once you get the hang of it.
Just so you know, I’m not a fabulous knitter. I always try to learn something new with each project that I take on. The picot edge was my new thing this year–and mine turned out pretty good, I think.
Also, I practiced the hearts by themselves several times with some leftover yarn–once I got the hang of them, then I went on to developing/knitting the whole bag.
Check out a good book that explains knitting stitches to familiarize yourself with any of the stitches that you are less familiar with–for me, it was SSK and the initially intimidating Sl1-as if to K-K2tog-PSSO. You can also often find videos online that describe stitches if you prefer to learn that way.
The bag itself is an afternoon project, but I always knit several to give away as gifts. And even if you want to keep them all for yourself, you can knit them in a variety of colors–you know you always need more tarot bags! Putting a little effort into learning the stitches makes this bag go smoothly and quickly and then you can knit up a bunch!
Enjoy!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
–Joy
Thank you! I’m excited to make this. Have the perfect yarn. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you too, Tammy! I can’t wait to see your bag when it’s done!