Bicraftual Bucket Bag Pattern

BICRAFTUAL BUCKET BAG

Kim Scheffler
BicraftualRavingsOnLife.blogspot.com


This bag starts with a crocheted circle which forms the bottom of the bag, then the stitches are picked up and knit in the round for the body. Then it's felted.

Tools needed:

U.S. Size K - 6.5 mm crochet hook
U.S. size 11 - 8 mm circular knitting needle, 24 or 29 inches long.

2 skeins color 1 wool
1 skein color 2 wool  (due to variants in felting, both colors should be the same brand, Patons or Lion Brand would be best for this project)
Of course, if you make a bigger bag, you'll need more yarn.

BAG BOTTOM:

To start - ch 4, sl st in beg ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 2 (counts as first dc here and throughout), work 11 dc into ring, join with sl st in top of beg ch — 12 sts.
Rnd 2: Ch 2, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, join with sl st in top of beg ch — 24 sts.
Rnd 3: Ch 2, 2 dc in next st, * dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st in top of beg ch — 36 sts.
Rnd 4: Ch 2, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, * dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st in top of beg ch — 48 sts.
Rnd 5: Ch 2, dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st, * dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st to top of beg ch — 60 sts.

After the first few rounds, you can pull the yarn end from the ch 4 tight to close the circle, or you can use the Magic Loop method to start.

Keep going as established until Rnd 11 is done, and you have 132 stitches around.


BAG BODY:

At the end of last crochet round, use color 2 to join to 1st stitch, cutting 1st yarn and knotting 2 yarns together.

Slip loop from crochet hook onto knitting needle, and pick up a stitch through the top of each double crochet stitch around the circle. Place stitch marker after last picked up stitch.

Knitting in the round, K 1 round with color 2. Switch back to color 1, and continue knitting in the round until bag body is approx. 14 inches, or more, tall. Put a stripe of color 2 in wherever you like. You can make it as wide as you want, even make more than one stripe. You can play with colorwork here too, if desired.

BEGIN HANDLES:

When you come to the stitch marker, slip it, then K13, BO 40, K26, BO 40, Knit 26. Take the 26 stitches that aren't attached to working yarn and put on stitch holder. You will now work back and forth to create handle. You can remove the stitch marker while knitting the last 26 stitches.

Row 1, and all odd rows, Purl all stitches.
Row 2 and all even rows, K2, K2tog, K across to last 4 stitches, K2tog, K2.

Repeat until there are 12 working stitches left. Knit in stockinette until approx. 18 inches long.

Note: Do not slip first stitch here, after felting it cups, and isn't flat. Learn from my mistakes.

Cut yarn, put these stitches on a stitch holder. Take other stitches off of holder, and work the same as 1st side, but only making it 5 inches long.

Now it's time to join the two together. If you know how to do the Kitchener stitch, have at it. I don't know how, so I did a three needle bind off, with the ridge on the underside of the handle.

Tah-Dah! You're all done with the hard part. Now, you just have to felt it. I use my washing machine, very hot water, cold rinse, with three tennis balls in for extra agitation. Some people tell you to let it air dry on its own, but I am not the most patient of persons. I throw it in my dryer, on high heat, along with the tennis balls. It will probably take more than one cycle. Although I recently discovered that throwing a dry towel in the dryer with the wet felted item totally speeds up the drying time!

When it's dry, you can use a sweater shaver to clean up the fuzz. I usually prefer to do this. I just like the way it looks, more finished, not so fuzzy.

A quick update

   I've been knitting like a woman possessed, and I've made real progress on the giant purple bag. It's gotten too large for my biggest project bag! I've transferred it to my biggest purse, the Metro Bag from Thirty One. I have it in maroon. That way I only have to carry one bag.

    According to the pattern, I'm about 1/3 of the way up the body of the bag! Yikes! I'm gonna need more yarn.....


    It made me sad, but I only got to use the inside half of that skein my good friend donated for me to use. Unfortunately, I had to throw the rest of it away, with her blessing. Hopefully I will get some more yarn today while I'm out with daughter and grandbaby, visiting my mom!

Giant Purple Bag Progress!

   It has been interesting, but significant progress has been made on the huge purple bag. It is one of the Adventure Bags from Noni, designed by Nora J. Bellows. The sizes amused me; they are listed as small, medium and huge.


   If you remember, I was only able to purchase five skeins of Patons Classic Wool in purple. Since then my good knitting friend Kim discovered one skein in her stash, and gave it to me. She's very generous that way, and a very good friend.


   The first two skeins got me as far as the entire bottom of the bag, picking up all the stitches around the other three sides, and six rounds up the body of the bag. I am seriously going to have to try and find a 60 inch size 13 circular. If anyone in my immediate geographical area has one I can borrow, give me a shout out! Crowding 208 stitches of two strands of yarn onto one 36 inch circular is a bit cumbersome. It's
 do-able, just awkward. Especially when you're trying to knit loosely.


    When I got the skein of yarn from Kim the other day, I got out the ones I was using and compared the color. You really want it to be close. In the dim light of her living room, it did not look even remotely close in color to the ones I'm using. However, once we got outside, Cherub and I both agreed that it was indeed a close match, and would not present a problem. Huzzah!

  
    I took a couple of photos, but it may not look like much yet. Once the body of the bag gets longer, it's shape should show up better. It's got stitch markers at each corner, so you can make out the long sides and the short ones.

    Someone at Noni translated the pattern into crochet, which I purchased as well. There is a big difference between the patterns, however, and it's one I am having a problem with. The knitted version of the bags has a rectangular base. The crocheted bags have a square base. I know you can make it any way you choose, but it strikes me odd that someone translating the pattern would change such an important detail. I checked, and on the pattern pamphlet, it states that the translation was done by Stacey Trock.

I am so lucky!!

    I truly have the bestest knitting friend in the world. Kim H. has gifted me with another pair of felted clog slippers. I am truly blessed! This is my third pair, I have worn through two pair already.


    I went to Stitch n Bitch this morning as usual, and when she got there, I was presented with my new slippers! They were unfelted at the time. I was too excited to take a photo of them pre-felting, I wanted to get them right in the washer! I put them in the dryer and after one cycle they were almost done. I tried a second cycle, but the stupid dryer is stopping early again. So I took them upstairs and they are drying on the baseboard heater by the front door.


    That's where I put my slippers every night when I go to bed, and in the morning they are nice and warm. I have to place a pair of boots next to the heater, and then rest the slippers between the boots and the baseboard. I've already turned them a few times.


    Here's how they look! They are so pretty!

 

    And just as I requested, they are a little big. Perfect!! I can't wait for them to be dry so I can wear them.