Cabin Carry - Felted Bag Pattern

The slow color changes of this yarn and the log cabin construction technique contribute interest to the final look of this felted tote. The bag is constructed by knitting two log cabin squares from self-striping yarn and joining them together while creating the sides, bottom, and strap of the bag. There is no seaming and minimal finishing required.

Materials

Needle size: US 10½ / 6.5 mm (or size needed to obtain gauge)

Yarn: Noro Kureyon , colorway 150, 5 skeins (550 yards)

Tapestry Needle
Stitch markers
Safety pin or removable stitch marker

Gauge: 3.5 stitches per inch in garter stitch, prior to felting

Dimensions: about 18” by 16”, plus strap, prior to feltin

Front and Back (make 2)

Cast on 12. Knit 10 garter ridges (20 rows). *Bind off on right side, keeping last stitch on right needle. Rotate 90 degrees clockwise. With right side facing you, pick up one stitch for each garter ridge or bound off stitch. Knit 5 garter ridges.* Repeat from * 11 times, ending with 13 blocks total (center square surrounded by 12 additional blocks). Bind off all stitches on right side.

Strap and sides

At this point you will be joining the front and back pieces together while creating the sides and bottom of the bag. This is accomplished by picking up stitches from the front and back pieces at the end of each row of the side piece and knitting them together with the side stitches. This might be a little awkward for the first inch or two, but very soon the side of the bag will have enough structure to make it easier to handle. The sides of the bag widen slightly toward the bottom.

Setup row: Arrange front and back pieces with wrong sides together. With right side facing, pick up one stitch in corner of front piece (as if you were going to begin another log cabin strip). Using backward loop method, cast on 2, place marker, cast on 1, place marker, cast on 3. Pick up one stitch from corner of back piece. Turn.

Side Row: Knit first two stitches together (picked up stitch from previous row and first strap piece). Knit to end. Pick up one stitch from the next garter ridge or bound off stitch at the edge of the adjacent front/back piece.

Repeat side row 10 times.

Increase row: Knit first two stitches together (picked up stitch from previous row and first strap piece). Knit to stitch before first marker, kfb, k1, kfb. Knit to end. Pick up one stitch from the next garter ridge or bound off stitch at the edge of the adjacent front/back piece.

Repeat side row 15 times.
Repeat increase row.
Repeat side row 19 times.
Repeat increase row.
Repeat side row 19 times.
Repeat increase row. This is the last increase row. To mark the point on the opposite side of the body of the bag where decreases need to begin, trace a straight line across the work to the opposite edge and place a safety pin or removable marker at that spot.


Work side rows for the remainder of the side of the bag. When you reach the corner of the piece, just keep going - continue around the corner by picking up the first garter ridge/bound off stitch from the bottom edge. Continue side row for the bottom of the bag and second side of the piece until you reach your pin/removable marker.

Decrease row: Knit first two stitches together (picked up stitch from previous row and first strap piece). Knit to stitch before first marker, ssk, k1, k2tog. Knit to end. Pick up one stitch from the next garter ridge or bound off stitch at the edge of the adjacent front/back piece.

Repeat side row 19 times.
Repeat decrease row.
Repeat side row 19 times.
Repeat decrease row.
Repeat side row 15 times.
Repeat decrease row.

Work side row for the remainder of this side of the bag, which should be about 11 rows.

When you reach the top corner of the piece, knit back and forth on the remaining 7 stitches until strap is about 28 inches long. Bind off all stitches.

Finishing

Sew strap end to cast on row of side. Weave in ends. The felting process is pretty forgiving here, so don’t sweat imperfect finishing, but make sure that all ends are secure enough not to unravel during felting.

Felt. There are many, many felting tips and tutorials online. I usually toss my item in a pillowcase or laundry bag and put it through a short hot wash with a bit of detergent and a few pairs of jeans, checking it frequently and stopping before the spin cycle.

Block to the shape you want and allow to dry completely.

Perpendicular Hat Pattern

This comfy, casual hat begins with a simple strip of garter stitch. This becomes the brim of the hat when joined into a circle. Stitches are picked up from the brim and worked upward for the body and crown of the hat.

Materials

Noro Silk Garden (45% Silk, 45% kid mohair, 10% lamb's wool; 100m/122yds per 50g skein); color: 249, 2 skeins

A: Skein #1
B: Skein #2

1 16” circular US 7/4.5 mm needle or size needed to obtain gauge
Set of 4 circular US 7/4.5 mm double-pointed needles or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker
Scrap yarn (for provisional cast on)
Tapestry needle

Gauge
5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch
4 stitches per inch in garter stitch

Finished Measurements
Circumference: 21 inches
Height: 8.5 inches

If possible, measure the head circumference of the intended receipient.

Pattern
Throughout the pattern, you will be working with two balls of yarn at the same time, alternating between balls every two rows. Even if the balls are the same colorway, starting each ball at a different point in the color sequence creates a striped effect. For a subtler stripe, wind balls to begin at a similar point in the sequence. For a more striking effect, choose two complementary or contrasting colorways and use one ball from each.

When changing yarns, bring the new yarn up from under the working yarn to maintain a neat edge.


Brim
The garter stitch brim strip is worked back and forth on two of the double-pointed needles.

With provisional cast on and A, cast on 12 stitches, leaving a 12” tail. The tail will be used for joining the garter strip into a circular brim.

Row 1(WS): With A, knit across.
Row 2(RS): With B, knit.
Row 3(WS): With B, knit.
Row 4(RS): With A, knit
Row 5(WS): With A, knit.

Repeat rows 2-5 until you have 72 garter ridges and piece is about 20 inches long (or equal to desired head circumference), ending with Row 3. Do not bind off.

Unzip provisional cast on and place stitches on another double-pointed needle. Thread tail from cast-on on to a tapestry needle.

Hold the needle holding the last worked stitches and the needle holding the unzipped stitches parallel, forming the brim into a circle. Using the tapestry needle, graft the stitches on each needle together using kitchener stitch. (Note: The graft-avoidant can use a three-needle bindoff instead.)

Body

Hold brim with RS facing. With A and circular needle, pick up one stitch between each of the garter stitch ridges on one edge. You should end up with a number of stitches equal to the number of garter ridges. Place marker to note beginning of round.

Round 1: With A, knit into front and back of each stitch.
Round 2: With B, knit.
Round 3: With B, knit.
Round 4: With A, knit.
Round 5: With A, knit.

Repeat rounds 2-5 until hat measures 8 inches from bottom edge of brim.

Crown

Begin decrease rounds for crown of hat, switching to double-pointed needles when stitches no longer fit comfortably on the circles. AT THE SAME TIME, maintain the two-row color pattern. (Decrease pattern assumes that you have a multiple of 8 stitches. If that is not the case, work a setup row before the decrease sequence to arrive at a multiple of 8, decreasing evenly around the body of the hat.)

Row 1: *K6, K2tog *, repeat to end of round
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: *K5, K2tog *, repeat to end of round
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: *K4, K2tog *, repeat to end of round
Row 6: Knit
Row 7: *K3, K2tog *, repeat to end of round
Row 8: * K2 , K2tog *, repeat to end of round
Row 9: *K1, K2tog *, repeat to end of round
Row 10: *K2tog*, repeat to end of round

Finishing
Cut yarn, leaving a 6” tail. Thread yarn on to tapestry needle and pull through remaining stitches to inside of hat. Weave in all ends.