Japonica Felted Tote - A verysturdy tote reinforced by bottom & handles knitted with 100% wool. Japonica is another one of my coffee/gift boutique places located at 5501 California Street in San Francisco.
December 2013 by Patty Thomas, San Francisco Knit Designer and Founder of MatureRoommates.com 4 colors: 100 grams/ 198 yds each in Chocolate & Slate in O-Wool Organic Classic Yarn/Worsted Marino Wool, plus 50 grams/98 yds of yarn in Mulberry & Dogwood in O-Wool Organic Classic Marino Wool, 1 pair of Circular US Size 9 24" Knitting Needles, Yarn Needle, Stitch Marker, 2 Double Pointed Needles US Size 10. DO NOT USE SUPERWASH YARN, PATTERN REQUIRES FELTING . Final Size after Felting: 12 inches Height x 15 inches Top Width. 100 grams = 98 yds (total yds for tote = 300 yds) Gauge: 4.8 stitches per inch x 24 = 5 inches Test Your Gauge Colors: A = Brown used for bottom and start of tote, B = Magenta, D = French Lavender Level Intermediate: Knit, Purl, Knit in the Round, Knit in back of stitch (KTBL), pick up stitches, and knit an iCord.
Tote Bottom (2 separate flat pieces )
Color A: Caste on 24 stitches (make sure to leave a 6" tail for each time a new ball is added) & knit in garter stitch (knit front / knit back sides) without joining for 9". Bind bind off each piece should measure approximately 5" x 9". Knit second tote's bottom the same way. Picking Up Stitches for Tote Bottom & Join/Knit in Round Continuing in Color A: Use one of the bottoms (save the other bottom to reinforce the tote) to pick up stitches as follows: On both short ends pick up 24 stitches and both long ends 48 stitches for a grand total of 144 stitches. Important place stitch marker at the beginning of your knitting! Knit all stitches, making sure seam is inside the tote bottom and JoiN. From this point on, you are kitting in the round. Knit until you are out of Color A, except for a small amount to use to attach bottom of tote at assembly. DO NOT END a color in the middle of a round. Always add color at the beginning of a round! Color A should be approximately 4 %" in stockinette up side of tote. Add Color B for 3 %" (save remainder of yarn to later make handles), then add Color Cfor 3" then for top; O Purl next round, Knit next round, 0 Repeat these two rounds for 1 % inches. Bind off and weave in all loose ends. Assemble Tote Bottom Place the other tote bottom on the inside of the tote's bottom and attach using your matching yarn & yarn needle. iCord Handles (2 separate pieces) Using Color B, on US Size 10 Double Pointed Needed cast on 3 stitches. Knit through the back loop on all stitches. Do not turn the piece around as you are knitting an iCord; you slide the stitches to the other end with the yarn behind and on the far left side. Knit until each piece (2) measures 60". Do not attach the handles yet as you do not want them to pucker in the felting process!
Felting
Take the tote & handles and wash them in hot water, place in dryer until dry. Good wool yarn should felt evenly. Start at the mid section of the bottom of the tote & pin in place. Bring the end over the top match evenly to each handle. Attach with yarn needle, sew the handles stitching from the inside of the tote. Make sure your stitching is invisible. Viola tout! A beautiful and strong tote bag made by you. This actually knits very fast. Please check out my other website: MatureRoommates.com a safer way to find a roommate with ID verification for babyboomers. Isn't it time someone cared!
