These great-looking, slouchy bags in the Hobo genre are easy to knit, felt, and finish.

With three imminently practical sizes, they are also easy to wear and use. Finish using interesting hardware that gives your finished bag a fresh look that is comfortable on the shoulder or in the hand.

I attached the handle rings to the bag with the handle tabs using four rivets, which makes the finishing quick as well as giving the bag a polished appearance. However, sewing the tabs is also a great option. The built-in zipper tabs make putting in a zipper easy and trouble-free. See the Noni Blog for instructions on how to put in the zipper: https://blog.nonipatterns.com/2012/10/12/noni-qa-insertin...

Use the small size for wallet and keys (or a great-looking lunch sack) and the medium for everyday use. The larger bag is perfect for women who find themselves gravitating toward those larger totes that allow them to carry all the essentials in one bag. A Noni Classic.

Finished Dimensions

Small Nomad Hobo
8” (20cm) square bottom
8-9” (20-23cm) wide across the front/back at bag top
8” (20cm) tall to handle

Medium Nomad Hobo
9.5-11” (24-28cm) square bottom
12” (30cm) wide across the front/back at bag top
10-11 (25 - 28cm) tall to handle

Large Nomad Hobo
14” (35.5cm) square bottom
16” (41cm) across the front/back at bag top
15” (38cm) tall to handle

Pattern Difficulty
Intrepid beginner: Requires knowledge of knitting and purling, increasing and decreasing, picking up stitches, and working in the round on circular needles.

Gauge
Pre-felted gauge for felted bag: 12-13 stitches and 16 rounds = 4” (10cm) in St st using a double-strand of worsted-weight yarn .

Gauge for knitted bag: 16 stitches and 24 rounds = 4” (10cm) in St st using a double-strand of DK-weight OR a single-strand of worsted-weight, non-felting fiber.

Materials
Yarn Requirements
Felted Small Hobo Bag: 500 yds (457m)
Felted Medium Hobo Bag: 1,000 yds (914m)
Felted Large Hobo Bag: 1,600 yds (1462m)
Unfelted Small Hobo Bag with a single strand: 340 yds (312m)
Unfelted Medium Hobo Bag with a single strand 670 yds (612m)
Unfelted Large Hobo Bag with a single strand 1070 yds (978m)
Unfelted Small Hobo Bag with a double strand 500 yds (457m)
Unfelted Medium Hobo Bag with a double strand 1,000 yds (914m)
Unfelted Large Hobo Bag with a double strand 1,600 yds (1462m)

Needles & Other Materials
Size 11 (8mm) 24” (60cm) circular needles
Size 11 (8mm) double-pointed needles (set)
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Sewing needle for finishing work
Nylon beading thread
Stitch markers to mark bag corners and round
8 double-capped or cabochon rivets
JUL Mountain Explorer
Zipper with closed ends and 2 sliders

Pictured Samples
Pictured Bags were made in Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepherd’s Wool. Small bag pictured in Lime. Medium bag pictured in Misty Blue. Large bag pictured in Lakershore.