How a knotted bag actually carries
Cotton cord gives under weight and then settles back, so a macrame bag looks compact empty and still swallows a water bottle, a paperback and a phone. Open-net knotting, like the crochet-stitch cotton shoulder bag, shakes clean after a day at the shore instead of holding on to sand. Tighter square-knot panels behave more like a conventional purse and keep small items from working their way through the mesh. Cord runs from 1 mm up to 5 mm across the range: fine cord for the small crossbody styles, heavier cord where a beach or market bag needs to hold its shape.
Handles, straps and closures
Some pieces finish with a wooden handle, some with a leather strap, some with a knotted cotton drawstring. A wooden handle keeps a round bag open and upright when you set it down. A long cotton strap crosses the body and leaves your hands free. The handwoven cotton holder is a slim sleeve for a bottle or a phone rather than a full bag. Width, height and strap drop appear in inches on each product page.
Keeping the cotton looking new
Most marks come out with cool water, a little mild soap and a damp cloth. Blot instead of rubbing, reshape the bag by hand while it is still wet, then leave it flat until dry; a hot wash shrinks cotton and a spin cycle drags the knots out of alignment. If a strap has stretched after a heavy load, hang the bag empty overnight and the cord draws back. The same cord and the same knots run through our hand-knotted cotton belts.