Early nineteenth century knitted purses and bags were usually produced on very fine steel needles, exquisitely knitted in silk and cotton, or even straw, and some incorporate beads that were threaded onto the yarn before knitting. Some present a completely dense surface, with one bead for each stitch worked, enabling complex images to be depicted. These were very popular in the 1830s. Many purses survive from these hours of work, in which the full creative possibilities of fine knitting have been explored with different attractive textures and raised work, beautiful colours and inventive patterns and stitches.