Free pattern: Simple shopping bag with variations

Yarn: Peaches and Cream worsted cotton
Machine: LK150 or 6.5mm machine
Tension: T5

Cast on 80 stitches using the e-wrap cast on (leave an end of about 30cm for sewing up). RC000 Knit 10 rows.
*Set machine to HOLD. Put centre 20 needles into hold, plus the remainder of the needles on the opposite side from the carriage.
Knit 6 rows on the remaining stitches, then put them in hold. Break the yarn.
Put the centre stitches back to working position using the transfer tools, and cast them off with the single transfer tool. Leave the empty needles out of work.
Put the remaining held stitches to upper working position and knit 6 rows, starting and ending in the centre of the machine.
E-wrap cast on over the centre 20 needles, knit across the remaining held stitches.*
Reset row counter to RC18. Knit to R140.
T9 knit 1 row
T5 knit to R265.
Repeat handle section from * to *.
Knit 9 rows T5. Knit 1 row T10, latch tool cast off, leaving a 30cm tail for sewing up.
Sew up both side seams, weave in ends.

Variation #2:

* Instead of knitting 10 rows before making the handle, cast on in waste yarn, knit 1 row in ravel cord, then 10 rows T5, 1 row T max, 10 rows T5, and pick up the cast on row (ie make a hem). Repeat this for the other side (where it says Knit 9 rows T5).

Variation #3:

* Drop stitch variation - cast on 81 stitches instead of 80. After making the handle and resetting to RC18, knit 10 rows. Transfer every other stitch to its neighbour, leaving the empty needles in work. Knit to RC 255, and then drop every other stitch (make sure these are the ones you transferred originally). Knit 10 more rows and complete as before. When off the machine, pull the knitting to drop the stitches completely. You may need to experiment with this and knit less than 255 rows, as dropping stitches will make the knitting expand. (If I get chance I will experiment with this myself).