Entrelac Felted Bag

Entrelac Felted Bag
January 25, 2008 Copywrite Cora Shaw

Materials:
· Paton’s Classic Wool (100% Pure New Wool) 223 yds/204 m
o Black: 2 skeins
o Retro (variegated): 2 skeins
o Peacock: 1 skein
· Crochet Hook I/5.5mm
· Circular knitting needle: 9/5.5 mm
· Stitch markers: 3 in one color or design, 1 of an alternate color or design
· D shaped hardware for the handles
· Handles of your choice. (I used 2 leather handles)
· 9 sheets of Plastic Canvas for lining. (I used black)

Abbreviations:
PM-place marker
K2tog/P2 tog- Knit or purl 2 stitches together

BOTTOM
You can knit the bottom, however I wanted to have felt more width wise than length. Crochet does this.
With crochet hook and black, chain 43.
Row 1: sc in the second chain from hook, sc across the chain (42 sc)
Rows 2-48: sc across
Pick up 42 st, pm, pick up 48 st, pm, pick up 42 st, pm, pick up 48 st, pm, join and knit one inch in k2, p2 rib.

Now to set up the entrelac:

BASE TRIANGLES:
With right side and continuing with main color, pick up 6 stitches, * P2tog, p1, turn. K2, turn. P3, turn. K3, turn... continue in this manner until you get to p6 * - don’t turn, repeat from * to * across all sts. You’ll have a bunch of weird looking things hanging on your needle.

FIRST SET:
Change to 2nd color and turn, wrong side facing, pick up 6 stitches along the edge of the triangle. Turn.
Purl the 6 stitches just picked up. Turn
Knit 5 stitches, knit 2 tog, turn

SECOND SET:
Change to 3rd color and turn, wrong side facing, pick up 6 stitches along the edge of the triangle. Turn.
Knit the 6 stitches just picked up. Turn
Purl 5 stitches, purl 2 tog, turn

THIRD SET:
Change to 2nd color and turn, wrong side facing, pick up 6 stitches along the edge of the triangle. Turn.
Purl the 6 stitches just picked up. Turn
Knit 5 stitches, knit 2 tog, turn

FOURTH SET:
Change to 3rd color and turn, wrong side facing, pick up 6 stitches along the edge of the triangle. Turn.
Knit the 6 stitches just picked up. Turn
Purl 5 stitches, purl 2 tog, turn

FIFTH SET:
Change to 2nd color and turn, wrong side facing, pick up 6 stitches along the edge of the triangle. Turn.
Purl the 6 stitches just picked up. Turn
Knit 5 stitches, knit 2 tog, turn

FINISHING TRIANGLES:
Change to Main Color, pick up 6 stitches.
Knit the 6 stitches just picked up, turn.
Purl 5 stitches, purl 2 tog, turn
Knit 5 stitches, put yarn in front, slip the last stitch, move yarn to the back, slip the stitch back on the right hand needle.
Purl 4 stitches, purl 2 tog, turn
Continue until all the stitches have been wrapped.
Continue around. You should have the same amount of stitches that you started with.

Now you will continue in the round. Work one inch in K2, P2 rib. Cast off, leaving 4 sections with 6 stitches this is where you will work 4 inches of I-Cord to put the hardware.

FELTING
You can put the bag in a pillowcase or large mesh laundry bag. I don’t as I find that it doesn’t agitate as much.
Watch the washer, as some can felt the first time around or it could take longer.
Make sure it is in a small load, on hot for the wash and cold for the rinse.

Attach that handles, and you are done.

ALTERNATE HANDLES:
I-Cord –Cast on 6 stitches, don’t turn, knit the stitches across. Continue until you have 6ft of I-cord, Cast of and felt it. Once it is felted you can cut it in half. Sew through the hardware.
Crocheted- Using a double strand of yarn and a size K/8mm crochet hook, make a chain about 6 feet (approx 2 meters) long.
Row 1: Starting in second chain from hook, single crochet in each loop of chain. Chain one, turn.
Row 2: Single crochet in each single crochet. Cut yarn and pull thru loop to fasten off.
The handle strap will be cut to length after felting.

FINISHING
After felting the bag, you will want to line it.
Cut the plastic canvas to fit the bottom and sides.
Bottom Piece: 70 holes by 78 holes (Cut 2)
End Pieces: 70 holes by 53 holes (Cut 4)
Sides: 78 holes by 53 holes (Cut 4)
Sew the pieces together to form a box. You can encase it in fabric or leave it as is, especially if it closely matched to the colors that have been used in the bag.

Cora