How to knit your Lil’ Hold Tight Clutch

We’re casting-on for our very first knitalong this weekend – join the WATG team and knit your very own Lil’ Hold Tight Clutch. You’ll be inseparable.

WHAT’S A KNITALONG?

It’s simple – it’s a group of people getting together to knit a project, to share their experiences, and to help each other along the way. Sounds great, right? As our Gang are spread across the globe, we’ll be coming together online. You can join in on FacebookInstagramTwitter and Ravelry - our hashtag is #knitwiththegang.

The WATG team are kicking off this weekend and our knitters represent a pretty broad selection of skill levels – right through from knit-virgin to yarn-goddess. We’ll be posting our progress online (dropped stitches and all) as we go. The knitalong runs through to the end of March, and all you’ll need to get started is a Lil’ Hold Tight Clutch Kit - be sure to order a pair of 10mm needles if you don’t already have them in your stash.

We’ve got the key techniques you’ll need to make your lil’ one covered in our shiny new video tutorials. If you need a little more help with the basics, scroll down to the bottom of the page where we’ll enlighten you.

To join in, just order your supplies, wait patiently for them to arrive, then knit along! Share your journey on social media – our favourite knit journal will win a Hold Tight Clutch Kit in a colour of your choice. Just tag any posts with #knitwiththegang so we see how you’re getting on. If you’re sharing on a blog, pop the URL in the comments below.

Help…I need somebody!


Has the cable cast-on got your needles in a twist? Look no further than our video.
New to stocking stitch? Check out our tutorial here.
Need help increasing stitches? Check out this video.
And decreasing at the other end? You’ll find that here.
All finished? Now cast off.

Need more help? Leave a comment below or email [email protected].

39 Comments

  1. Great tutorial…step by step easy to follow even though I hold my needles and yarn a different way. I never have to lift my right hand to catch the loose yarn. It is held woven through my left hand. I don’t know what style it is called. Thank you.

    • Thanks Dorothy! It sounds like you’re a continental style knitter :)

  2. Just found this and it looks so awesome! I ordered my kit but I don’t know when it will get here. I hope it won’t be too late to join in!

    • Don’t worry, Sarah! You can #knitwiththegang until the end of the month. We’ll be posting an update on the blog soon.

  3. Any hints or tips on how to loosen off my woven stitch? It’s driving me slightly bananas!!!

    • Yeah, you have to keep it as loose as possible otherwise it’s a struggle to get those needles in! Try to loosen your tension if you’re a tight knitter – don’t wrap the yarn too tightly, and make sure you’re knitting on the thicker part of your needle, not just the tips. And avoid watching in front of the new series of House of Cards – or anything else too tense ; )

  4. hi, I have just received all the stuff to knit the little clutch. When I go to the website to look for a tutorial for the woven stitch the video says it private. Please help! Thanks x

    • Sorry about that – we had to take it offline to fix a couple of glitches – it should be back later today!

  5. thank you for videos but ı can not watch the first video? can you help please?

    • Sorry about that – we had to take it offline to fix a couple of glitches – it should be back later today!

    • I’m afraid we had to take it offline temporarily to fix a couple of glitches – it should be back later today!

    • For the Lil’ Hold Tight Clutch it’s just one strand of yarn, however the Hold Tight Clutch should be knit with two strands held together.

  6. I am seeing the video says private when I try to watch the how to knit a woven stitch….?

    • Sorry about that – we had to take it offline to fix a couple of glitches – it should be back later today!

  7. Hi!ive done the first row of woven but now the video won’t play 🙀 can someone tell me if for row two and every other alternate if you need to carry on same of do you switch to a pearl version? Thanks!

    • Sorry about that – we had to take it offline to fix a couple of glitches – it should be back later today!
      You do a purl version. Slip the first stitch, then skip to the second stitch on your needle and do a regular purl stitch, then purl the first stitch on your needle and slip them both off the needle as you did on the knit row.

  8. I’m trying to view the woven stitch video and it says it’s private and I cannot see anything but static?

    • Sorry about that – we had to take it offline to fix a couple of glitches – it should be back later today!

  9. I’m having trouble understanding the casting off step. My pattern says to add in the extra strand of yarn while casting off, but the video on his page adds in the strand after casting off. ??

    • Hey Rachel,
      When you get to the cast-off step after the decreases, you should add in a new strand of yarn – this is the 2m long piece of yarn you cut before starting to knit. If your yarn is super-chunky you may find you get a good result without adding in this extra strand.
      What you’re seeing on the video is the method for picking up the stitches after casting off.
      WATG x

      • Hi guys, I’m also a bit confused on this step. Do you mean that I should cast off using the yarn on my needle and the extra 2m yarn at the same time?

        • Yes, you should add in an extra strand of yarn (the 2m you cut before starting to knit) and knit with this held alongside your working yarn – so you are casting off using two strands of yarn.

  10. I just tried my first hold tight clutch. I think it would be alot helpful if you have step by step videos for each items. Because since I am a real beginner, I couldn’t figure out how change color to color (duo clutch) and when I need to add braid, etc. After all, I finished my first clutch but it doesn’t really look good like others put on Facebook or instagram so I want to start over again and I am also ready to try some other bags and sweater too. I am so in love with WATG!

    • Thanks for your lovely comment. We would love to have step by step videos for every technique! If you ever need any help with our patterns or kits you can email use at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to get you back on track!

  11. I am making foxy red and love it!! The army green was really thick and I had to tear it out :( I may have to try my bigger needles to make it? It was a much thicker jersey. Love this pattern!!

    • Ah, the Jersey Be Good really is #madeunique and some of the colours behave better than others. You could try using bigger needles, or casting on fewer stitches, as your knitted piece needs to be just under the width of the snap clasp. If the yarn is too chunky it can be a bit of a struggle to close the clasp. Hope the Foxy Red is behaving better : )

  12. I forgot to cut the extra strand of yarn :( I guess I’ll just unwind a whole bunch and cut a piece leaving hopefully enough to finish knitting. I did it with the thicker portobello I had abandoned.

  13. I have just found this page, would this be something for a beginner? I am currently working on a full bed size quilt I must get done by May. Once it is done I am making myself sit and really learn how to knit. I love the knitted bag. Have seen people with them and I love them! Thank You!

    • It’s an intermediate pattern, but we had some absolute beginners joining in on our knitalong and they knitted up a treat! You may want to try something a little simpler for your first project – or you could join in with our NEXT knitalong which will start in May. Good timing!

  14. The pattern says to begin the woven stitch with a wrong side row… But when I do, I end up with the “right side” of the woven stitch on the same side as the “wrong side” of the stocking stitch (ie, the knit based sides and purl based sides should be on the same sides, but they are not). What did I do wrong?

    • Did the instructions mean to say that I should start the woven stitch with the wrong side (ie purl stitches) of the woven stitch pattern.. Not start the woven stitch from the wrong side of my stocking stitch?

    • Hi Kiley. Your stocking stitch section should start with a knit row and end with a purl row. Your increase row is then on a knit row, so you should start your woven stitch on the wrong side, and follow the instructions in the pattern for Row 2 (WS) of the woven stitch technique.

  15. I just did the cast off row and added in the extra 2m strand. There is a lot left of that strand (1m400) and I am confused about what to do with it. It doesn’t look like the extra is used for anything else. Should I just cut it off? Why is it so long?

    • Hey Debbie – as the Jersey can be quite different in terms of thickness, we’ve gone with the longest possible length you might need. The extra strand is just for the cast-off braid, so any excess can be woven in and trimmed. Be sure to #shareyourknits!

  16. Hi
    Please please please add video tutorials for the crochet items. I’ve just bought the crochet version, and I’m struggling! I’m
    Not a beginner either. Pictures with the instructions may have helped.
    Thanks x

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