Can I DIY a Longchamp Bag?

The minute I saw the Longchamp Le Pliage Filet bag on an episode of Emily in Paris, I knew I needed to recreate it.

Thus followed a weeks-long attempt to DIY the bag. My final creation was not exactly a perfect match, but I liked it enough to wear it in public and to write out the instructions for you here.

Watch the full DIY Longchamp journey below:

DIY Longchamp Video

I’ve written out the instructions as I’ve knit the bag, but if I could do it again, I would have made some changes so the bag would be closer to the original Longchamp Le Pliage Filet bag:

1. I would have increased to a larger number of stitches to knit the Russian Diamond Lace. I might have increased to 70 or even 74 stitches.

2. To make the handles longer, I would have increased the number of cast on stitches to 105 sts.

3. I would have ordered leather handles that were shorter in length and matched the Le Pliage handles. I also would have tried to cut the facing for the handles and flap using faux leather instead of felt.

In spite of these errors, I’m still happy with my Longchamp dupe! Please use the below instructions as a guide. The exact number of cast on stitches will depend on the length of your leather flap and handles.

The width of the Russian Diamond Lace can be configured to your liking. Just ensure that you increase to a multiple of 4+2. That’s a multiple of 4 (ie. 8, 12, 16, 20) and add 2 to the number (So, cast on 10, 14. 18, 22)

Materials:

• 24 or 32” 3.25mm circular needles
• 6mm straight or circular needles (at least 24”)
• 3 balls Paintbox Yarns Cotton DK in color Champagne White
• 2 brown faux leather handles (mine is custom from this Etsy shop)
• 1 9x10cm brown faux leather flap with gold button (mine is custom from this Etsy shop)
• matching brown sewing thread
• sewing needle
• scissors
• 2 square sheets of brown felt

Pattern Notes:

The original Russian Diamond Lace video in Russian is here, but I’ve made my own English language demo of the trickier parts of Russian Diamond Lace:

The original Market Bag pattern is here. Please refer to this video on a demonstration on how to pick up stitches along the bag to create the handles. It will clarify the pattern a lot.

Sl1 wyib: Slip 1 stitch with yarn held in the back

K2tog-tbl: knit two stitches together through the back loop

Cable Cross: Slip next stitch onto stitch holder and keep in front, purl next stitch. Place slipped stitch onto left needle and purl it

Twist stitch: slip next stitch to right needle as if to purl, place left needle into slipped stitch from back to front, slip stitch onto left needle. This twists the stitch

Stockinette Stitch in the Round:
Round 1: knit all stitches
Repeat Round 1

Use this video for seaming stockinette stitch horizontally

DIY Longchamp Le Pliage Filet Dupe Instructions:

Cast on 44 sts with 3.25mm needles

Heel Stitch

Without joining in the round, work heel stitch as follows:

Row 1 (WS): K1, purl to last st, K1
Row 2 (RS): K1, *K1, Sl1 wyib; repeat from * to last st, K1

Repeat Rows 1-2 until piece measures 6cm or a length that is longer than the ends of the leather hands. Work Row 1 once more.

Russian Diamond Lace

Switch to 6mm needles and increase as follows:

Increase Row (RS): *K2, M1; repeat from * to last 2 sts, K1, M1, K1 (66 sts)

Work Russian Diamond Lace as follows (refer to the video linked above for a demonstration, but note that it is in Russian):

Set-up Row (WS): K1, purl to last st, K1

Row 1 (RS): K1, K2tog, YO 2x *SSK, K2tog, YO 2x; repeat from * to last 3 sts, SSK, K1

Row 2 (WS): K1, P1, *(K1,P1) into YOs, Cable Cross; repeat from * to last 4 sts, K1, P1 into YOs, P1, K1

Row 3 (RS): K1, YO, twist st and K2tog-tbl, K2tog, *YO 2x, twist st and K2tog-tbl, K2tog; repeat from * to last st, YO, K1

Row 4 (WS): K1, P1, *Cable Cross, (K1, P1) into YOs; repeat from * to last 2 sts, P1, K1

Repeat Rows 1-4 until piece measures 56 cm. Work decrease row as follows:

Decrease Row: K3tog, *(K2tog, K2) rep twice, k2tog; rep from * to last 3 sts, K3tog (44 sts)

Heel Stitch

Switch to 3.25mm needles and knit in heel stitch for 6cm:

Row 1 (WS): K1, purl to last st, K1
Row 2 (RS): K1, *K1, Sl1 wyib; repeat from * to last st, K1

Cast off and weave in ends.

Creating the Handles

Refer to the Market Bag pattern for a demonstration on how to pick up stitches for the straps.

With 3.25mm needles and right side of knitting facing up, pick up and knit every garter stitch bump along heel stitch edge.

Then pick up and knit every garter bump along the Russian Diamond Lace edge 15 times (15 sts picked up)

Pick up and knit every other garter bump along the Russian Diamond Lace edge 10 times (10 sts picked up)

Then pick up and knit every garter bump along the Russian Diamond Lace edge 15 times (15 sts picked up)

Pick up and knit every garter stitch bump along heel stitch edge.

Cast on the Top Handles

Cast on 95 sts using the backward loop cast on. These cast on sts will form the top handle.

Making sure not to twist the cast on sts, repeat the instructions for “Creating the Handles” to pick up stitches on the other side of the bag.

Then, cast on 95 sts using the backward loop cast on to create the second top handle.

Place marker on the right needle and knit into the first picked up st on the left needle to join in the round.

Knitting the Handles

Knit in stockinette stitch in the round until piece measures 3cm.

Cast off to the last stitch, but do not cut the yarn yet.

Measure out a length of yarn that is 4 times the length of the whole handle circumference. Then cut off the yarn loose and weave into the last stitch to secure.

Seaming the Handles

With right sides facing up, fold the handles in half and the seam stockinette stitch horizontally across the whole handle. Follow along with this video tutorial.

Weave in ends.

Finishing

Block the lace portion of the bag and iron the heel stitch and handles flat if needed.

Sew the leather handles and top flap to the bag, using the felt as a back facing.