Thirty projects from 23 countries offer a worldwide representation of bags, from Asia and Africa to Europe and the Americas. From the fish-shaped Japanese felted bag to the Persian carpet-inspired handbag, each bag is a product of its cultural history. Each pattern begins with a brief history describing the source behind these contemporary interpretations of folk designs. Folk stories also accompany many projects. Included are designs for bags for work or play, and bags of all shapes, colors, textures, and sizes. Using this collection, knitters can create bags for children, for market, for everyday, or for a special evening event.