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Alex’s Mardi Gras Entrelac Felted Bag

Copyright 2004 Alexandra E. Harvancik Materials: For Reg. bag: 4 skeins of Cascade 220 in choice of colors, all one color, 2 colors or your choice. For larger bag: 5 skeins of Lamb’s pride worsted, or 6 skeins Noro Kureyon For largest bag: 5 skeins Lamb’s pride Bulky, in color/s. Note: You must pick an all wool yarn, or your project will not felt properly. Avoid the color white as it has been treated and may not felt well.

Cascade 220 9” diam. x 13” tall 6 st. square

Abbreviations

St. sts. Stitch/es

S Slip

K Knit

K2tog Knit 2 together

(kb) Knit backwards

S1k1psso Slip1knit1 pass over

Needles: size 10 or 10 ½ circular needle 26” long. Gauge: Not to worry, big is better! Use a needle that is about 3 sizes larger than the recommended needle size for the yarn you use. Sizes: Reg. bag 6 st. rectangles. Slouchy bag 7 st. triangles in ( ). Instructions: Credit should be given to Janice Farrell Pea for the short row bottom instructions from The Felted Bucket Bag Pattern, free for personal use on-line at www.cu-needleworks.com. Pie Wedge Bottom: Cast on 21 sts. leaving a long tail.

Knit one row-one garter ridge formed.

Forming the pie wedges: the wedges are formed using a short row technique in garter stitch. Because the bag will be felted, it is not necessary to “wrap” a slipped stitch to avoid creating a hole when turning the short row. Row 1: k18, turn, k18. 2nd garter ridge formed. Row 2: k15, turn, k15. 3rd garter ridge formed. Row 3: k12, turn, k12. 4th garter ridge formed. Row 4: k9, turn, k9. 5th garter ridge formed. Row 5: k6, turn, k6. 6th garter ridge formed. Row 6: k3, turn, k3. 7th garter ridge formed. Row 7: K21, turn, (if using multiple colors, change now, do not cut yarn, just carry it until it is needed), K21. 1st garter ridge of 2nd wedge form. Repeat Rows 1-7 until you have formed a complete circle. Mine needed 18 wedges with Cascade 220. With a spare needle pick up 21 sts. from the cast on edge and complete a 3 needle bind-off, right sides together, from the center of the circle to the out side edge, leave yarn attached. Use the tail from the cast on to close the hole in the center of the circle using an enclosed casing technique. Go around, several times, pulling tight. Weave in loose ends if extra colors were used. Any remaining hole should disappear in the wash. The pie is done. Time for the sides.

Sides: With the right side of bottom facing you, pick up one stitch in each garter ridge around

the entire circumference with working yarn, or color of your choice, from the bind-off. That means 7 sts. for each wedge. Your final # of sts. should be some multiple of 7.

2 Base set of triangles: 6 st. triangle Row 1: k2. Row 2: (knitting backwards) S1, k1. Row 3: S1, k2. Row 4: (knitting backwards) S1, k2. Row 5: S1, k3. Row 6: (kb) S1, k3. Row 7: S1, k4. Row 8: (kb) S1, k4. Row 9: S1, k4, k2tog.* Base triangle complete. Repeat Rows 1-9 around the picked up stitches making base

triangles until you have gone all the way around. On the last base triangle do Row 10. Row 10: (kb) S1, k5. You are now set up for a right leaning rectangle *Larger, slouchier bag option. 7 st. triangle. Row 9: S1, k5. Row 10: (kb) S1, k5. Row 11: S1, k6. Triangle complete. As above, Repeat Rows 1- 11 around until last

triangle then do set up row 12. Row 12: (kb) S1, k6.

Note: if you want larger squares all you have to do is a little math. Evenly divide the # of sts. you picked up into larger divisions. (say a 9 st. square would give me 14 blocks on the original 126 sts. that I picked up.) Follow the regular instructions, repeating rows as necessary to do all the K2togs. In Entrelac you will always be doing twice the # of rows as you have sts. in your square.

Right Leaning rectangle: Change color now if desired, but do not cut old color.

Row 1: With last worked triangle/rectangle on left needle, pick up 5(6) sts. along the slip stitch edge of base triangle/rectangle on your left needle ( just like the heel of a sock) from the left needle towards the V, then, kb the 1st stitch from the right needle. Hint: The last stitch you pick up should be in the initial pick up row to prevent holes. See arrow.

Row 2: S1, k5(6). Row 3: (kb) S1, k4(5), k2tog. Repeat rows 2 and 3 until all sts. from the right needle base triangle/rectangle are incorporated into the right leaning rectangle. Right leaning rectangle complete.

Continue making right leaning rectangles round all base triangles starting with Row 1. Complete the last rectangle by a repeat of Row 2 in your next color as the set up row for next round. Note: If you don’t want to carry colors you can always clip and weave in ends later. I just hate finishing so carrying saves me time later.

Left Leaning Rectangle: Complete just like the Right leaning Rectangle only going the opposite way around.

3 Row 1: With last worked rectangle on right needle, pick up 5(6) sts. along the slip stitch edge of right leaning rectangle, then, k the 1st stitch from the left needle. Row 2: (kb), S1, 5(6). Row 3: S1, k4(5), k2tog. Repeat rows 2 and 3 until all sts. from the left needle rectangle are incorporated into the left leaning rectangle. Left leaning rectangle complete. Continue making left leaning rectangles round all right leaning rectangle starting with Row 1. End last rectangle by carrying the waiting color up behind the k2tog and finishing with the new color Row 2 as the set up row for the next round of right leaning rectangles. Continue alternating right and left leaning rectangle rounds until you reach your desired height ending with a right leaning round, making sure to do the last set up row on the last rectangle. (Remember, felting shrinks more in height than width)

Top Triangle: Row 1: With last worked rectangle on right needle, pick up

5(6) sts. along the slip stitch edge of right leaning rectangle, then, k the 1st stitch from the right needle. For all sizes, work as for a left leaning rectangle except always decreasing at the end of each row with a k2tog. I always slip and change the leading edge of the last 2 sts. on the (kb) row so my decrease looks smooth. Continue in this manner until there is 1 st. left on right needle then start next top triangle of the round.

Noro Kureyon 13” diam. x 11” tall 9st. square

Two Color I-Cord Border:

Mark six spots evenly spaced on top of bag for draw pull holes. With choice of color, pick up 1 stitch in every k2tog around top of bag. This will make for a pulled in top when felted. If you want a more straight side increase the # of pick ups per top triangle 1 or 2 sts. An exact # is not necessary!

1st Round: With working yarn cast on 3 sts to left needle. K2, S1k1psso. Slip the 3 sts. back to the left needle and repeat, pulling yarn snugly to create cord. 2 sts. before the marker stop i-cord and cast of the next 4 stitches using psso method without the working yarn. Do 4 rounds of plain i-cord then continue attached i-cord to 2 sts. before next marker and repeat draw hole. Continue in same manner around until all picked up sts. are worked i-cord. Cast off and seam with beginning stitches.

2nd Round: With next color pick up 1 st. for every row of i-cord below. Cast on 3

sts. to left needle and complete i-cord around as above. Cast off and seam to beginning. Bag is done!

Draw String: Do 2, one of each color. Cast on 4 sts. and knit at least 6 feet of i-cord. To felt: Set your washer to a small load on hot wash and cold rinse (you're not going to use the

rinse cycle though). Add a teaspoon or two of clear dish detergent or laundry soap to agitation and no lint) After about 5 mins. check on the size of your bag. If it's too large let it go a few more minutes. Keep checking often until the bag is the size you want. Front load washers may take 2 or 3 times through. Remove it from the washer (don't let it go through the spin or rinse cycles or you may get unwanted creases and felting). Rinse it in cold water (that will set the felt even more firmly) until no soap is left (the rinse-free detergent eliminates the need for this step). Push, prod, stretch and pull it into the shape you want. Roll in an old bath towel to eliminate excess water. I put mine over a popcorn tin to dry. Lay draw strings flat to dry. Once dry, thread drawstrings through holes and knot at desired length on the outside.