Knitty: Summer 2006

Knitty: little purls of wisdom

© Knitty 2002-2006. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. This means you.

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Knittyspin> Festival survival guide2006 Spin Out Coiled yarnpattern: Booze bag

By Pippikneesocks

This pattern is a good example of how your 'average' readily available commercial yarn can be commingled with some 'out there' art yarn. It also answers the question "what to do with only 10 yards of supercoil yarn?" A very functional item, perfect to bring for all your hostess' mid-afternoon patio cocktail parties.

SIZE
Large (Because if you bring the small bottle, you won't be invited back.)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Before Felting:
Length: 20 inches (including points)
Circumference: 18 inches
After Felting:
Length: 16 inches (including points)
Circumference: 16 inches

MATERIALS
[MC] Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky: [85% Wool, 15% Mohair; 125 yd/114m per 4oz/113g skein] color M-65 Sapphire; 4 Skeins
[CC]: Pippikneesocks Handspun Super coil, X-Bulky 4 WPI [95% Wool 1% Hemp, 1% Silk, 1% Alpaca, 1% Mohair, 1% Nylon; 10yds/9.144M per 1oz/28.34g]

1 set US #10.5/6.5mm double-point needles
1 US #19/15mm straight needle
1 16-inch US #10.5/6.5mm circular needle (optional)
safety pin
1 blunt tapestry needle
1 sharp sewing needle
1 spool of sewing thread

photos: Symeon North & Matthew Belizi

GAUGE

11.75 sts/16.75 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

If you are unfamiliar with the Knitted Cast On, instructions can be found here: http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/FEATsum05TT.html

DIRECTIONS

Note: When casting on stitches in Rows 2, 3 and 4, use Knitted Cast On.

Using 2 strands of MC held together and double-point needles, CO 1 st.
Row 1: K 1.
Row 2: CO 1, k to end. 2 sts.
Row 3: CO 1, k to end. 3 sts.
Row 4: CO 1, k new st, [k1, m1] twice, k1. 6 sts.

Divide sts evenly between three double-point needles (2 sts on each needle) and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. Place safety pin in work to indicate beginning of round.
Rounds 1, 3, 5: K all sts.
Round 2: [K1, m1] to end. 12 sts.
Round 4: [K1, m1] to end. 24 sts.
Round 6: [K1, m1] to end. 48 sts.
Rounds 7 and 8: K all sts.

Note: Rounds 9 and 10 are worked in Seed Stitch, to mark the border between the bottom and side edges. If you prefer, these rows may be worked in reverse stockinette stitch, or any other stitch pattern you like!

Switch from double-point needles to circular needle at this point, if desired.

Round 9: [K1, p1] to end.
Round 10: [P1, k1] to end.

K 3 rounds.

Eyelet Round: [Yo, k2tog] to end.
K 10 rounds.
Work Eyelet Round.
K 2 rounds.
Repeat these 14 rounds 4 times more.

Points:
Row 1 [RS]: K first 16 sts of next round onto one double-point needle. Turn work. First point will be worked back and forth on these 16 sts; leave remaining sts on hold on needle(s).

*Row 2 [WS]: P to end.
Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1, k1, psso, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. 2 sts decreased.
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 six times more. 2 sts remain.

Next Row [WS]: P2.
Next Row [RS]: K2tog. Break yarn, draw through last st and pull tight.*

K next 16 sts onto a double-point needle, and work from * to * as for first point.
Repeat for remaining 16 sts.

Cord:
Using 1 strand of MC, CO 3 sts.
Work I-Cord for approx. 24 inches, or until desired length. Cord is not felted.

FINISHING

Sew up the small hole at the bottom of the bag. Weave ends slightly, to secure; it is not necessary to weave in the ends completely, as they may be trimmed after the bag is felted.

Felt Bag:
Set washing machine to hot setting and fill for small load.

Place bag in machine with a small amount of detergent, and an old pair of jeans (or some other heavy article of clothing), to help provide agitation for felting process.

Run through cycle, checking intermittently until bag reaches desired size.

Remove from machine and rinse. Place a wine bottle in the bag and allow to dry completely. (If the wine bottle still has a label on it, you may wish to place it in a plastic bag before placing it in the felted bag.) Trim all ends.

Weaving:
Before you begin weaving, use the US size 19/15mm straight needle to open up the eyelets.

Using the blunt tapestry needle, and using the photos as guides, weave CC through eyelets as shown. Yarn will not be woven through every hole; it will run along the inside of the bag between two adjacent holes, then along the outside of the bag for twice this distance, skipping a hole, before being woven back to the inside of the bag.

Do not weave CC through the second eyelet row from the top of the bag; instead, weave the I-Cord through each hole in this row, with its ends to the outside of the bag.

When weaving is complete, use sewing thread to secure ends of lengths of CC to inside of bag.

[inside of booze bag]

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Symeon lives with her family in the wilds of Vermont. By day she runs her online yarn shop, whist performing jobs such as short order cook, story teller, nurse, judge and jury, teacher, juggler and all round corraller of children. By night she has been known to drink beverages of fermented grapes and lift elephants over her head.

You can visit her blog where she documents it all.

© 2006 Symeon North.