HIGHLAND WOOL FELTED BAGS, PLAIN AND FANCY designed by ScullyKnits Materials elann.com Peruvian Highland Wool: Main Color (MC) 1 ball, Contrast color (CC) 1 ball Size 10, 16-inch circular needle Gauge Final gauge and bag size is determined by felting and yarn color. Approximate before-felting gauge is 16 stitches for 4 inches on size 10, 6mm needles. Knitting should be very loose for best felting. Make swatch using both colors, felt, check to see if chosen colors felt at same rate. Felted size is approximately 2 x 5 x 6 inches. Instructions Plain Bag (Pictured in Ruby and Charcoal) With MC Cast on 24 stitches Knit garter stitch for 12 rows (6 ridges) Now pick up stitches all around as follows: place marker (PM), Pick up and knit 1 stitch in each ridge on the side(6); PM; then 24 stitches along the cast-on edge; PM; followed by 1 in each ridge (6) on the final side – Total 60 stitches Mark beginning of round - Knit in the round for 8 rows. Add CC and follow mosaic chart – Repeat charts 3 times (total of 36 rows) Knit 6 more rows with MC Bind off 24 stitches, place next 6 on holder for strap, pearl 24 stitches for flap, place final 6 stitches for flap on holder. Using MC Knit the 24 flap stitches stockinet for 20 rows bind off. Using MC Pick up 6 stitches on holder. Knit back and forth in garter stitch until handle is half desired length (allow for a few inches of shrinkage). Repeat on other side. Graft together. Fancy Bag (Pictured in Aubergine and Grape) Using CC cast on and knit bottom piece and first 2 rows after picking up all stitches. Switch to MC and knit 6 rows. Begin chart and follow instructions for plain bag. Switch to CC for binding off, and knitting flap and handle. Complete 16 rows stockinet then switch to CC: K1*sl 2 wyib, K2* end last repeat K1 P1* Sl2 wyif, P2* end last repeat P1 Using MC knit 2 rows and bind off. Finishing: To felt bag, place in washing machine using warm water and a low water level, a little soap, and a couple pairs of jeans. Watch process carefully. Each bag took about 10 min, though, as with many wools, they went from not felted to very felted in a matter of 30 seconds or so. Rinse by hand in cold water. Roll in towels to remove excess water. Stretch over a box or book of appropriate size (protect box with a pastic bag). Allow to dry, then remove from frame and allow inside to dry a couple days. Add snap under flap, or decorative button with elastic loop for closure. Comments on mosaic charts worked in the round: the chart is worked starting in the lower right corner. Only the odd rows are shown. Even rows are worked exactly as the previous row. (Thus each chart row is worked twice). On the Chart, the MC is represented by the white squares The MC is slipped on the first stitch. Then knit with CC, slipping the MC wyib Basic Fretted Band over 6 stitches, 2 repeats shown Chart adapted from Barbara G. Walker, A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, Schoolhouse Press Edition, 1998. Please note this pattern is copyrighted material and the entire contents of this pattern are copyrighted as a collective work under the copyright laws of the United States. You may print a copy of this pattern for your own personal use and enjoyment, but editing, publishing, transmitting, e-mailing, posting it to a list service or database, or otherwise commercially exploiting this pattern is strictly forbidden. ScullyKnits, Texas, USA