Zahira Zebra is a very roomy bucket style bag with a flap.

Zahira means ‘shining or luminous’ just like a zebra herd when viewed through the eyes of their predators. The stripes make it difficult for other animals to see the individuals in the herd.

The main bag is worked in stranded colour work in the round from the bottom, the lining is knit in stocking stitch from the bottom in a lighter weight yarn and all pieces are joined in the knitting, except the strap which is knit and sewn on at the end.

The pattern is charted in three parts, the base, the sides of the bag and the face.
The face/flap is worked in double knitting showing the main image on the front side and a negative on the reverse side.

Abbreviated written instructions for the main bag and flap, with charts for the colour work design. The lining and tail are written.

Yarn requirements
DK/8 ply weight yarn 200m/220 yards each of 2 colours for the main bag
Fingering/sock/4 ply weight yarn 300m/330 yards for the lining

Needles
3.5mm (US4) and 3mm (US2.5) for working in the round, including beginning with a small number of stitches
3mm (US2.5) straights or your favourite needle style for working the double knit face flat

Other requirements
Beginning of round stitch marker, extra stitch markers if you like to mark pattern repeats
Approximately 50cm/20 inches of 13mm/0.5 inch piping cord or plastic tubing for lining the handle
Crochet hook for attaching mane fringe

Finished bag size approximately 50cm/20 inch circumference
Height of sides 20cm/8 inches

Techniques used
Casting on a small number of stitches for working in the round using one of the following magic circle, knit on, or bellybutton
Stranded colour work, Double knitting, increasing in colour work pattern, increasing in double knitting, attaching pieces together in the knitting, working in the round, decreasing

Optional decorations including the tassel on the end of the tail/handle and the hooked fringe on the mane