FiBERSPRCE
Corduroy Felted Bag P-53
Doubled yarns worked in garter stitch create the corduroy look of this bag. The flap curls back on itself and is designed to hide the exposed hardware of magnetic and friction clasps. After felting the bag is embellished with easy to crochet flowers made of sock yarn. The handles are finished with decorative buttons. Dimensions before felting: 161/2" at widest point x 12", handles 18". After felting: 1112" at widest point x 8", handles 15".
Materials
Bag 3 (100g/245y) skeins Brown Sheep Co NatureSpun Worsted (100% wool) in French Clay Flowers 1 (50g/215y) skein Brown Sheep Co Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn (75% washable wool 25% nylon) in Brown Sugar Handpaint Size 11 US straight, 24" circular, and double pointed needles, smaller spare circular for picking up stitches Stitch holder (sm), split ring or locking stitch markers (4) SizeD crochethook Magnetic or friction clasp Decorative buttons (2) Gauge: approx 3 sts/inch in st st before felting
Techniques
Inc - increase, a.k.a., k1f&b: Knit in the front and the back of the stitch. SSK - slip, slip, knit: Slip the next two sts knitwise, one at a time. Insert the left needle from left to right through the slipped sts and knit. Picking Up Stitches: Insert spare circular needle through outer edge of st, working across designated area. For best results, pick up the same part of each st around, either the “bump" on the garter ridge or the “valley" between the ridges. Pick Up And Knit: Insert needle under st on outer edge of RS and wrap yarn knitwise around the needle. Draw the yarn (the stitch) through and leave it on the needle. Cable Cast-on: \*Insert right needle knitwise between last two sts on left needle. Wrap yarn around right needle as if to knit. Draw yarn (the st) through, slip the new st onto the left needle.\* Repeat \*\* for required number of sts. Applied I-Cord: (3 st version) With dpn, cast on 3 sts. \*Slide the 3 sts from dpn to circular. Knit 2, k2tog tbl (through the back loop)\*. Repeat\*\* until all sts on circular needlehavebeenworked. dc - double crochet: Loop yarn over hook. Insert hook into st. Loop yarn over hook. Draw yarn through st and loop yarn over hook again. Draw yarn through 2 loops. Loop yarn over hook. Draw yarn through 2 loops on hook. tc - treble crochet: Loop yarn over hook twice. Insert hook into st. Draw up loop. Loop yarn over hook and
draw through 2 loops. Loop yarn over hook again and draw through last 2 loops.
Bag Front
With straight needle and double strand of NatureSpun, CO 27 sts. Rows: 1-4: Knit. (Row 1 is RS - right side, mark RS). Row 5: Inc, k to last st, inc. Rows 6-8: Knit. Repeat Rows 5-8 until there are 43 sts and Row 8 is complete. Decreases to Lower Bag Row 1: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, ssk. Row 2: Knit. Repeat Row 1 & 2 until there are 27 sts and Row 2 is complete. Mark each end of last row.
Bag Bottom
Knit10 rows. Mark each end of last row. Increases to Lower Bag Row 1: Inc, k to last st, inc. Row 2: Knit. Repeat Row 1 & 2 until there are 43 sts and Row 2 is complete. Knit 2 rows. Decreases to Flap Row 1: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, ssk. Rows 2-4: Knit. Repeat Rows 1-4 until 27 sts remain and Row 4 is complete. Mark end of last row. Knit 18 rows (9 ridges from last m). FlapDecreases Row 1: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, ssk. Rows 2-4:Knit. Repeat Rows 1-4 until 21 sts rem and Row 4 is complete. Then, repeat Rows 1 & 2 until 5 sts rem and Row 2 is complete. Break yarn and place sts on holder.
Gussets & Handles
Gussets and handles are worked in one piece that is knitted on to the RS of the Bag Front. The left side begins with the handle cast on, then gusset sts are picked up along the front edge. The right side begins with the gusset pick up, then the handle sts are cast on. For best results, pick up gusset sts through the “bump" on the garter ridge. Left: With double strand of NatureSpun and circular, loosely CO 40 sts. With RS of bag facing, pick up and knit 27 sts from cast on edge on left side to marker at Bag Bottom. (67 sts) Knit 6 rows. Bind off loosely, using larger needle, if necessary. One gusset and handle complete. Right: With RS of bag facing, double strand of NatureSpun and circular, pick up and knit 27 sts from marker at Bag Bottom to cast on edge. Loosely CO 40 sts using the Cable Cast-on method. (67 sts) Knit 6 rows. Bind off loosely, as above.
Assembly
Sew each gusset to corresponding bag back, matching garter ridges and shaping. Work in tails.
Flap Trim
With spare circular and RS of flap facing, pick up 24 sts around edge of flap beginning near gusset, transfer 5 sts from holder, pick up 24 sts around opposite edge, ending near gusset. (53 sts) With dpn, double strand of NatureSpun and single strand of Wildfoote, CO 3 sts. Work Applied I-Cord loosely across flap sts. Bind off. Work in cord edges and tails. Remove markers.
Felting
Set washer for heavy-duty cycle, low water level and hot water. Add a few drops of liquid laundry soap to the water. Place bag in a zippered pillowcase and drop in the washer. Agitate. Check on bag after 5 minutes of agitation. Keep an eye on the handles and straighten, if necessary. Check progress often until bag is desired size. Reset the agitation cycle as often as needed to accomplish this. Continue with either method listed below to finish the felting process. "Faint of Heart Method": Remove bag from washer. Squeeze out excess water - do not wring. Place in tub or basin of cool water and rinse by hand. Squeeze out excess water, shape and let dry. "Living Dangerously in the Spin Cycle Method": (Disclaimer: Do not attempt this method while talking on the phone, polishing your nails or disciplining children. Your undivided attention is an absolute necessity!!) Let washer proceed to rinse cycle. Agitate bag for 10-20 seconds. Stop washer. Reset washer to pump out water and spin. Once spinning begins, spin for about 20 seconds. Stop washer. Position bag in tub so that it is flat against the tub wall. Spin for another 20-30 seconds. Most of the water will be spun out and there should be no unsightly creases. Shape and let dry.
Crochet Flowers
(Modified from A Treasury Of Crochet Patterns, Liz Blackwell) Make as many flowers as desired. Try different sizes for variety. Rnds 1-7 = 3" flowers, Rnds 1-4 = 2" flowers, Rnds 1-2 = 1" flowers. With size D crochet hook and Wildfoote, ch 4, join with sl st to form ring. Rnd 1: (RS) \*1 sc in ring, ch 3; repeat \* 5 times more. Join with sl st to first sc. (6 ch-3 loops) Rnd 2: \*1 sc under next ch-3, under same ch-3 work (ch 1, 1 dc) twice, ch 1, 1 sc under same ch-3: rep from \* 5 times more. Join with sl st to first sc (6 petals) Turn work so ws faces you. Rnd 3: From WS work 1 sc around bar of first sc of Rnd 1, \*ch 5, 1 sc around bar of next sc of Rnd 1; rep from \* 4 times more, ch 5. Join with a sl st to first sc. (6 ch-5 loops). Turn work back to RS. Rnd 4: From RS, \*1 sc under next ch-5, (ch 1, 1 dc under same ch-5) 3 times, ch 1, 1 sc under same ch-5; rep from \* 5 times more. Join with a sl st to first sc. Turn. Rnd 5: Rep Rnd 3, working around base of sc on Rnd 3. Rnd 6: 1 sc under first ch-5, ch 5, \*1 sc under next ch-5, ch 5; rep from \* 4 times more. Join with sl st to first sc. Turn. Rnd 7: 1 sl st in each of first 2 ch of next ch-5, 1 sc under same ch-5, \*ch 1, in next sc work (1 tc, ch 1) 4 times, ch 1, 1 sc under next ch-5; rep from \* 4 times more, ch 1, in last sc work (1 tc, ch 1) 4 times. Join with sl st to first sc and fasten off.
Finishing
Attach clasp. Sew curled back section of flap down to cover clasp. Conceal stitches by sewing part way through the felt and not entirely through to the right side. Attach flowers where desired. Overlap handles approx 2" and secure with two decorative buttons, stitching tightly through both layers.
P-53
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