Free Pattern - Felted Bee Bag

Bee Felted Bag

Please note, this bag may be used for personal use only.

Items made from this pattern may not be sold!!

© Marigolds' Loft

All rights reserved

Materials:

150g Drops Eskimo 74 – Dark Yellow (*)

200g Drops Eskimo 02 – Black (X)

150g Drops Eskimo 24 – Yellow (O)

100g Drops Eskimo 53 – Light Grey (I)

Drops Eskimo is 100% Wool – Super Bulky and ideal for felting. Do not use wools that are „Superwash“ as these will not felt.

Abbreviations:
k - knit
k2tog - knit 2 together
ssk - slip, slip, knit

Needles: Circular Needle size 8mm (US 11mm). To knit the straps, you will also need DPNs size 8mm.

Gauge: approx. 11sts x 15rows, because you are going to felt this project gauge is not that necessary.

Chart: Download the Colour Chart HERE

Using circulars cast on 95st in (*). Place a stitch Marker and join in the round and work through the pattern chart (knitting all the way:)).

Begin following the chart from the bottom right corner (Row 1) and work your way across each row and up (return to the right side of the chart for the beginning of each row).

The chart is a 19st repeat, which means that the pattern repeats itself every 20^th st. (= 5 repititions in the round)

Be sure to watch your tension with the colour-work. 

For tips on how to have the best tension for colour-work you can watch my video on Colour Work.

In the image: 1. - This is how your colour work should look from behind.
Other images - how the bee should look once knitted.

Once you have finished the chart, your work should measure approximately 65cm.

On the last row of the pattern: k47, k2tog, k till end

Finish off the bag by sewing the bottom closed with Kitchener Stitch. (This stitch is also explained on my blog HERE).

To begin the Kitchener stitch, divide your stitches evenly on to the two sides of your circular, placing a stitch marker in the middle.

Now turn the bag so that the bottom is at the bottom. You are now going to create a I-Cord edge to the top of the bag to finish it off nicely. 

On your circular needle, pick up one half of all of the cast off stitches and leave on the needle. Using 2 strands of black cast on 4 stitches onto your DPNs.

°Now knit 3st as an I-Cord, then ssk (slip the next st and slip a stitch of the cast off edge of the bag, knit these 2st together). Pass the I-Cord stitches back onto the front of the left circular, so in front of the cast off edges stitches°. Now repeat °-° until the end. When complete, bind off. Sew in any loose ends.

Straps:

Using one strand of black (X) and one strand of yellow (O), cast on 4 st and work an I-Cord until your piece measures 100cm without stretching. Bind off. Repeat for the other strap.

Felting.

Place the bag and straps into a pillowcase and wash on a normal setting at 40°C, without prewash.

After the spin cycle remove the bag and stretch into form, preferably leave it to dry and form over a cereal box covered in a plastic bag. Stretch the I-Cord and allow to dry separately.

Finishing:

Once pieces are dry, use your DPNs to push holes through the top of the bag. 

If you have eyelets on hand you can now insert these and hammer closed. Thread your I-Cord through the holes and there you have a sweet, springy Bee Bag :)

For the felted Bee on the front – I will be showing you how to make the bee on this weeks' Tutorial Thursday Linky Party

I hope you enjoyed this project and if you do make the bag, I would love to see some of your finished projects.
x

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