Heather Knitz presents... "Preppy and Sassy Knitting Patterns"
Felted Wool
POM POM WIDE
FeltedHandle
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Felted Wool POM POM WIDE felted handle TOTE bag. Hand knit from the top to the bottom!
The Knitty Details...
@ US circular knitting needles size 17—-24" length is a great length to have, 1 use that length for almost all of my kniting in size 17 and 19 needles ( I love to use Addi Turbo's-the yarn just glides right off of the needles!) $\circledcirc$ Tapestry needle $\circledcirc$ 4 skeins of Farfalla by Zitron (l used red, orange, green and blue) http://www.yarndex.com/yarn.cfm?yarn id=2923 (to see the colors available) C 4 skeins of Cascade 220 in matching colors (I used red, orange, green and blue)View the entire Cascade 220 color choices at the following website: ·http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-220.asp $\circledcirc$ Technical elements: knitting in the round, felting, decreasing $\circledcirc$ FINISHED SIZE OF LARGE TOTE: Base of bucket purse is approx. 14"”widex16"deep 1. Hold 2 skeins of cascade 220 and 1 skein of Farfalla together as one. Why, you ask? I personally do not like to line my felted purses, perhaps because I am not a professional seamstress. So, by creating a thick, well felted purse bag, there becomes no need! I felted a small swatch of Farfalla and one strand of Cascade 220--I just didn't like how it felted up. But I love how thick and bubbly it is with the three strands together. I guess it is up to personal preference! 2. Cast on 90 stitches in the round. Place marker after stitch 45 and after stitch 90. \*\*\*Do not twist the yarn in the first row\*\* 3. Work in the round for 2 rounds. (For the purse in the picture, I knit the initial 2 rounds. If you would like a wider handle at the top, knit here for some additional rounds. I would suggest a total of 4-5 rounds, not more than that.) 4. For the next two rounds, you will be binding off some stitches and then in the next round you will be casting them back on. This will create the handle for the purse. 5. Next round knit as follows: k10, bind off 25, k20, bind off 25, k10 6. (l changed color at this point to green) 7. Next round knit as follows: k10, cast on 25, k20, cast on 25, k10 8. Knit in the round for 6 rounds. 9. Switch colors to orange. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 86 stitches now) 10.Switch colors to blue. Knit for 6 rounds. 11. Switch colors to red. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 82 stitches now) 12.Switch colors to orange. Knit for 6 rounds. 13. Switch colors to blue. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 78 stitches now) 14.Switch colors to green. Knit for 6 rounds. 15.Switch colors to orange. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: - Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 74 stitches now) 16.Switch colors to blue. Knit for 6 rounds. 17.Switch colors to green. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 70 stitchesnow) 18.Switch colors to orange. Knit for 6 rounds. 19. Switch colors to blue. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 66 stitches now) 20.Switch colors to green. Knit for 6 rounds. 21.Switch colors to red. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 62 stitches now) 22.Switch colors to blue. Knit for 6 rounds. 23.Switch colors to green. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 58stitches now) 24.Switch colors to orange. Knit for 6 rounds. 25. Switch colors to blue. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 54stitchesnow) 26.Switch colors to green. Knit for 6 rounds. 27.Switch colors to orange. Knit one round while decreasing as follows: Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before marker, knit 2 together, marker (you decreased 4 stitches here to make a total of 50 stitches now) \*Now at this point it is time to start shaping for the bottom. However, if you want your striped tote to be TALLER, just add some additional rounds here keeping with the same striping technique!\*\*\* 1. Cut the yarn, leaving a $\mathbf{12^{,}}$ tail. 2. To knit the bottom and to create a thick, durable base I used one strand of 3 colors (3 total strands held together as one) of red, orange and green Cascade 220 wool yarn. 3. For the next round, PURL. This will create a ridge for the base of your felted purse and help define the bottom. 4. For the next 10 rounds, you will decrease every row as follows: \* Knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before the marker, knit 2 together, marker, knit 2 together, knit to 2 stitches before the marker, knit 2 together, marker. (you will be decreasing by 4 stitches every round) \* You will be creating an oval shaped base. 5. Cut yarn and leave about an 18" tail. 6. I find it helpful to turn the purse inside out to weave in all of the yarn ends from changing colors. Trim all ends after securing them. 7. Turn the purse right side out and you are ready to felt! 8. See my hint and tip guide for felting instructions! The purse pictured was felted about 6 times to achieve the desired size and look just to give you some context. While drying you may find it to be helpful to turn it upside down and stand it up.