lrocknits!
Felted Apple/Strawberry Bags (Purse and Tote Size)
By Cori Eichelberger
Yarn:
Tote size: 1200 yards of red, (MC) and 200 yards of green Purse size: 900 yards of red (MC), and 200 yards of green in a wool yarn that felts easily and will give a gauge of $31/2\textrm{-}4$ to the inch. (Optional 240 yards of green, black or yellow yarn for seeds if making strawberry bag) The bag pictured was knit with Cascade 220 #8895 red (MC) and #8893 green (CC). Needle: Size $10\,\,1/_{2}$ $(6.5\;\mathsf{m m})$ 30 inch circular needle Optional size $10\,\,1/_{2}$ (6.5 mm) straight or double pointed needles to knit handle Notions: 8 markers (1 in different color) 1 button for felted closure tab (optional) Gauge: Loose! The gauge doesn't have to be exact since you are felting. 16 sts and 22 rows $=4^{\mathfrak{s}}$ (10 cm) in St st.
Finished Measurements:
After felting: tote size: approx. 18" tall and $30^{\circ}$ circumference Purse size: approx. 14" tall and $26^{\mathfrak{s}\mathfrak{s}}$ circumference Notes: All decrease stitches, in this pattern, were made by K2tog. All increase stitches (M1: make one) in this pattern were made with a reverse loop over the needle (or thumb loop.) However, since the bag is to be felted, the knitter may use any increase or decrease method as the stitches will not show. Purse pattern: Base of the bag is an octagon shape. Cast on 10 stitches. Knit 1 row. K1, inc1 at beginning of each row 20 times. Knit plain for 20 rows (10 ridges). K1, K2tog at beginning of each row 20 times. Cast off 10 stitches. Do not cut yarn. Pick up and knit 80 stitches around alleight sides of octagon base. (10 stitches per side. Place 8 markers, one at each corner.) Round 1: Knit Round 2: Knit Round 3: increase to 120 stitches $^{\star}\mathsf{K}2$ ,M1\* around Round 4 & 5: Knit Round 6: $^{\star}\mathsf{K}8$ , M1 \* around (135) Note: To make strawberry seeds on bag, knit with two colors (red and black or dark green or yellow depending on your color preference for seeds) on rounds 7, 13, 21, 29, 37, 45, 53, 62, 70 & 78. You will want to knit with two strands of seed color in order for seeds to show up better after felting, they have a tendency to get lost in some places. Another option would to be to knit 2 sts for seeds instead of 1. You may want to highlight these rounds on your pattern. Follow the previous increase pattern for accurate number of stitches. (Example: Row 7 follows row 6 for placement: $\mathbf{\nabla\times}\mathbf{K}\mathbf{8}$ red, K1, black\*. Then, Row 13 follows row 12: $\star|K|\,0$ red, K1 black\*) Round 7 & 8 & 9: Knit Round 10: \*K9, M1 \* around (150) Round 11 &12&13:Knit Round 14: \*K10, M1\* around (175) Round 15-24 Knit Rounds 25: \* K11, M1\* around (190) Round 26-32: Knit Round 33: \*K12, M1 \* around (205) Round 34-49: Knit Round 50: \*K13, M1\* around (220) Round 51-59: Knit Round 60: \*K14, M1\* around (235) Round 61-75: Knit Round 76: \*K15, M1 \* around (250) Round 77 & 78: Knit Round 79: \*K16, M1\* around (265) Round 80: Knit Round 81: \*K17, M1\* around (280) Round 82: Knit Round 83: \*K8, K2tog\* around (252) Round 84: Knit Round 85: \*K7, K2tog\* around (216) Round 86: Knit Round 87: \*K6, K2tog\* around (180) Round 88 & 89: Knit Round 90: \*K5, K2tog\* around (144) Round 91: Knit Round 92: \*K4, K2tog\* around (108) Round 93 & 96: Knit Round 97: \*K10, K2tog\* around (99) Change to CC1, knit 4 rounds. Cast off 83 stitches. Leave 16 stitches live to begin handle of bag. Tote pattern: Base of the bag is an octagon shape. Cast on 15 stitches. Knit 1 row. K1, inc1 at beginning of each row 30 times. Knit plain for 30 rows (15 ridges). K1, K2tog at beginning of each row 30 times. Cast off 15 stitches. Do not cut yarn. Pick up and knit 120 stitches around all eight sides of octagon base. (15 stitches per side. Place 8 markers, one at each corner.) Round 1 & 2 & 3: Knit Round 4: \*K10, M1\* around (132) Round 5&6&7:KnitRound 8: \*K11, M1 \* around (144) Note: To make strawberry seeds on bag, knit with two colors on rounds 9, 17, 25, 33, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101 & 111. You may want to knit with two strands of seed color in order for seeds to show up better after felting, they have a tendency to get lost in some places. You may want to highlight these rounds on your pattern. Follow the previous increase pattern from previous round for accurate number of stitches. (Example: Round 9 follows row 8 for placement: $\star\kappa_{11}$ red, K1, black\*. Then, Round 17 follows round 16: \*K13 red, K1 black\*) Round 9& 10& 11:Knit Round 12: \*K12, M1 \* around (156) Round 13&14&15:Knit Round 16: \* K13, M1\* around (168) Round 17-23: Knit Round 24: \*K14, M1 \* around (180) Round 25-31: Knit Round 32: \*K15, M1 \* around (192) Round 33-39: Knit Round 40: \*K16, M1\* around (204) Rounds 41-54: Knit. Rounds 55: \*K17, M1\* around (216) Round 56-69: Knit Round 70: \* K18, M1\* around (228) Round 71, 72, 73 & 74: Knit. Round 75: \* K19, M1\* around (240) Round 76, 77, 78 & 79: Round 80: \*K20, M1\* around (252) Round 81, 82, 83 & 84: Knit. Round 85: \*K21, M1\* around (264) Round 86, 87, 88 & 89: Knit. Round 90: \*K22, M1 \* around (276) Round 91, 92, 93 & 94:Knit. Round 95: \*K23, M1 \* around (288) Round 96-109: Knit Round 110: \* K10, K2tog\* around (264) Round 111 & 112: Knit Round 113: \* K10, K2tog\* around (242) Round 114: Knit Round 115: \*K20, K2tog\* around (231) Round 116: Knit Round 117: \*K5, K2tog\* around (198) Round 118: Knit Round 119: \*K4, K2tog around (165) Round 120: \*K13, K2tog\* around (154) Round 121 & 122 & 123 & 124: Knit with CC1 around Cast off 138 stitches. Leave 16 stitches live to begin handle of bag. For purse and tote handle: Knit these 16 stitches in garter stitch for approximately 25 inches. (80 ridges or 160 rows) Pick up and knit with CC, 16 stitches in exact center of opposite side of bag (1 row). Immediately bind off handle stitches together.\* \*Hold needles with the right sides of the knitting facing together. Insert another needle into the first stitch on each of the left hand needles and knit them as one stitch. Knit the next stitch the same way. Pass the first stitch over the second stitch. Repeat until only one stitch remains on the right hand needle. Cut the yarn and pull the tail through the Iast stitch. Weave in all ends.
For leaf pattern:
CO 4 stitches. K1, M1, K2, M1, K1 Knit K1, M1, K4, M1, K1 Knit Continue in this pattern (with increase after $1^{\mathrm{st}}$ stitch and before last stitch and one row plain knit in between) until 16 total stitches. For purse size: Knit 12 rows plain For tote size: Knit 18 rows plain K1, K2tog, K10, K2tog, K1 K1, K2tog, K8, K2tog, K1 Continue in this pattern (with decrease after $1^{\mathrm{st}}$ stitch and before last stitch and one row plain knit in between) until 4 stitches remain. K2tog, K2tog. Bind off. Weave in ends. Attach leaf to handle on either side of bag with an overhand whip stitch.
For felted tab closure: (optional)
Pick up 12 stitches at the direct center between the handles of the bag. Knit 40 rows garter stitch. (2 ridges) Make buttonhole: (depending on toggle size) K2, bind off 6 (8) stitches, K2. K2, cast on 6 (8) stitches, K2. Knit 3 rows plain. For flat end - Bind off. For angled end - K1, K2tog, K6, K2tog, K1 K1, K2tog, K4, K2tog, K1 K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1 Bind off Note: The knitter may choose to make a 3 stitch I-cord approximately 12 inches long and felt as part of closure tab for vine symbol.
Felting Instructions:
(Optional: Place the knitted bag in a mesh style lingerie bag or a zippered pillow protector to protect your washing machine from excess lint). Set your washing machine on medium load, hot water and cold rinse. Add laundry soap, the bag and a old sheet or pair of jeans to balance the load and to help with agitation. Run one complete cycle. The first cycle won't do much as felting takes more than one cycle. After each cycle, shape the bag with your hands a little. Even though it will unshape in the next cycle. After the last cycle, shape carefully with your hands and allow to dry completely. After the bag is completely dry, use a disposable razor to shave off excess lint and fuzz.
Abbreviations:
$\mathsf{M C=}$ main color CC - contrast color $\mathsf{S S K=}$ slip, slip, knit $\mathsf{M}\mathsf{1}=$ make one stitch (any variety, see notes) Kudos! This apple pattern was test knit by Idonis McMullin, a "Thursdays at Four" knitting group member who enhanced our group with her great sense of humor and whom we will forever call Idonit! which is short for I do knit! The strawberry bag was knit by Bev Hawkins another "Thursdays at Four" knitter who figured out that the seeds on the strawberry pattern really do just disappear if you knit them in yellow yarn with only one strand. Thanks a bunch! $\@artriangle{\odot}001$ All rights reserved. This pattern was written for personal use, please honor the copyright. Irocknits! Designed by Cori Eichelberger 8595 Kelzer Pond Drive Victoria, MN 55386 rossandcori@earthlink.net
