My design inspiration for the vertical ruffles was the extravagant ruffles on Latin dance costumes.  The ruffles on these bags become quite sculptural once felted. The pack comes in two sizes, child and teen/adult.  The straps have two button holes, which if paired with multiple buttons makes it adjustable.  Adjustability allows for multiple wearers or one wearer that is growing.

Size

Child- Before felting:  L 12” x H 12” x W 8” or L 30.5 x H 30.5 x W 20.25 cm (at base) Strap length: 28” / 71 cm

Child- After felting: L 9.5” x H 8” x W 5” or L 24 x H 20.5 x W 12.5 cm (at base) Strap length: 22.5”/57.25 cm

Teen/Adult- Before felting: L 16” x H 16” x W 10” or L 40.5 x H 30.5 x W 25.5 cm (at base) Strap length: 36 “/ 91.5 cm

Teen/Adult- After felting: L 12” x H 10” x 6.5” or L 30.5 x 25.5 x W16.5 cm (at base) Strap length: 29.75”/ 75.5 cm

Yarn

MC – body Cascade 220 (100% Peruvian Highland Wool, 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams): Color number 8762(8906) 3(4) balls

CC – ruffles Noro Kureyon (100% Wool, 110 yards [100 meters]/50 grams): Color number 319 (367) 3(4) balls

Needles

Size US 15 (10 mm): 32 (40)” circular and dpn(s)

Notions

Removable markers (3 MCM, 1 CCM), tapestry needle, sewing needle, matching sewing thread, large button (1” or larger) for flap closure (samples used Dill buttons (390145/color 22 –pink & 390247/color 16- blue), 6 -14 smaller shank buttons for adjustable straps (samples used Favorite Findings-Blumenthal Lansing Company – # 1149-Butterfly Dreams and Dress It Up-A Jesse James Company – # 4824 – Fab Flops)

Gauge

10 sts and 15 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st before felting

Abbreviations

Please see our list of standard abbreviations

I-cord BO –   I-cord bind off

MCM – Main color marker

CCM – Contrasting color marker

Pattern Notes

The base on this pattern is knitted flat on a circular needle.

This pattern is worked in the round from the bottom up, after picking up stitches around the rectangular base.

This pattern is worked with all yarn double stranded.

The base, body, flap and straps are worked in the solid color (MC) and only the ruffles are knit in the self-striping (CC).

The pattern uses an I-cord bind-off for durability.

The stitches for the ruffles will be picked up vertically down the front of the pack.

There are two buttonholes in each strap to allow them to be adjustable.

Shank buttons are suggested for the strap, as the shank accommodates the thickness of the strap.

See our photo-tutorials on picking up sts vertically and working I-Cord.

Bag

Base

CO 30 (40) sts onto circular needle with MC.

Row 1: Knit

Rows 2-31(41): Sl st wyb, k rem sts, pm (MCM) at end of 31^st(41^st)row.

(Photo-tutorial for picking up stitches on slipped edge & cast on edge)

Pick up 15 (20) sts along left side of base, pm (MCM).

Pick up 30 (40) sts along CO edge, pm (MCM).

Pick up 15 (20) sts along right side of base, pm (CCM) to mark beg of rnd. 90 (120 sts) total.

Body of pack

K 28 (36) rnds, sl all m until instructed otherwise.

Dec rnd:  K3, k2tog.  Rep to end of rnd.  72 (96) sts rem

K 14 (18) rnds, sl all m until instructed otherwise.

Binding off in I-cord

(Photo tutorial on I-cord bind off)

K to first m (CCM) past beg of the rnd.

CO 3 sts onto left needle.

* K first 2 sts, k2togtbl (in effect, binding off a st), return 3 sts back to left needle from right needle; rep from * pulling the working yarn snuggly across the back of the work until the dec has been worked 12 (16) times.

Pm to mark right front corner of pack to use for placement of ruffles.

BO 24 (32) sts (to next m) using the above method. Pm to mark left front corner of pack to use for placement of ruffles.

BO last 12 (16) sts using the above method.

BO rem 3 CO sts using a traditional bind off, cut yarn and pull through rem st. 24 (32) sts rem.

Flap & button loop

Flap is knitted flat on rem 24 (32) st in rev st st.

Row 1 and all odd number rows:  Sl st wyib, purl to end of row.

Row 2 and all even number rows: Sl st wyib, *k2, ssk, k to last 4 st, k2tog, k2.

Rep above 2 rows until until 6 st rem.

(Photo tutorial for knitting I-cord)

BO 3 st, sl rem 3 st onto a dpn.  K 3 st, do not turn the work. Slide 3 st to right end of dpn, pull working yarn snugly across back.  K 3 st, cont until

24 (28) rows of I-cord have been completed.  Cut yarn and leave 8 “ (20 cm) tail.  Use tapestry needle to pull tail through st to fasten off. Use tail to sew end to 3 st BO st.

Use extra MC yarn to sew edges of I-cord BO to edge of first row of flap to provide extra durability at these stress points.

Straps

(make 2)

(Photo tutorial for two-row buttonhole)

On back of the pack, pick up 6 (8) sts starting at the corner of the flap. K each row until the strap reaches twice the length of the body of the pack before beginning buttonhole rows.

Example: Body of pack is 12 (16)” or 30.5 (40.5) cm before adding buttonhole rows, then straps should be 24 (32)” or 61(81) cm to allow for maximum adjustability after felting.

Two-row buttonhole

K 2 (3) sts, sl 3^rd and 4^th (4^th and 5^th) st pwise onto right needle, then pass 3^rd over 4^th (4^th over 5^th) st to bind off one st.

Rpt step with next st, binding off 2^nd st, place rem st onto left needle to create bottom of buttonhole.

CO 2 sts, using backwards loop, knitted CO or cable CO, k rem sts on row.

Turn work, k back.

K 8 rows, rep two-row buttonhole instructions

K 2 rows, BO and weave in ends.

I-cord strap guides

make 2

Using a dpn, CO 3 st, leaving a tail (8” [20 cm] for sewing the cord near base of pack), k in I-cord for 14 (18) rows.

Cut the yarn and pull tail through st and fasten off, also leaving long tail for sewing other end of cord also.

Use tapestry needle to sew cords along the edge of the base, starting 2 sts from corner of long side of base.  Sew other end 8(10) sts further along from corner, repeating procedure at opposite corner with other cord.  Weave in all ends.

Ruffles 1-6

(Photo tutorial of picking up stitches on vertical row in middle of knitting)

Ruffle 1

From the M at the front left corner of I-cord BO, count to 2^nd st, follow the line of sts below it to the 4^th (6^th) st below. Pick up 36 (44) sts down the vertical line of sts.

Row 1 and other odd number rows (WS): P

Row 2 (RS): *K1, kfb, rep from * to end of row; 54 (66) sts

Row 4: *Kfb, rep from * to end of row; 108 (132) sts

Row 6: BO

Ruffle 2

From the M at the front left corner of I-cord BO, count to 6^th (7^th) st, follow the line of sts below it to the 10^th st below. Pick up 30 (40) sts down the vertical line of sts.

Row 1 and other odd number rows (WS): P

Row 2 (RS): *K 1, kfb, rep from * to end of row; 45(60) sts

Row 4: *Kfb, rep from * to end of row; 90 (120) sts

Row 6: BO

Ruffle 3

From the M at the front left corner of I-cord BO, count to the 10^th (14^th) st, follow the line of sts below it to the 18^th st below. Pick up 22 (32) sts down the vertical line of sts.

Row 1 and other odd number rows (WS): P

Row 2 (RS): *K 1, kfb, rep from * to end of row; 33 (48) sts

Row 4: *Kfb, rep from * to end of row; 66 (96) sts

Row 6: BO

Ruffle 4

From the M at the front left corner of I-cord BO, count to 14^th (19^th) st, follow the line of sts below it to the 18th st below. Pick up 22 (32) sts down the vertical line of sts.

Row 1 and other odd number rows (WS): P

Row 2 (RS): *K 1, kfb, rep from * to end of row; 33 (48) sts

Row 4: *Kfb, rep from * to end of row; 66 (96) sts

Row 6: BO

Ruffle 5

From the M at the front left corner of I-cord BO, count to 18^th (26^th) st, follow the line of sts below it to the 10^th st below. Pick up 30 (40) sts down the vertical line of sts.

Row 1 and other odd number rows (WS): P

Row 2: *K1, kfb, repeat from * to end of row; 45(60) sts

Row 4: *Kfb, repeat from * to end of row; 90 (120) sts

Row 6: BO

Ruffle 6

From the M at the front left corner of I-cord BO, count to 22^nd (30^th) st, follow the line of sts below it to the 4^th (6^th) st below. Pick up 36 (44) sts down the vertical line of sts.

Row 1 and other odd number rows (WS): P

Row 2 (RS): *K1, kfb, rep from to end of row’ 54(66) sts

Row 4: *Kfb, rep from * to end of row; 108 (132) sts

Row 6: BO

Using any tails or matching yarn, tack the short vertical edges of the ruffles to the body of the pack.

Felting & finishing instructions 

Place the pack into a large lingerie bag (fine mesh) or pillow case with zipper.  Use a top loading washer (if possible), set for heavy duty cycle, lowest water level and hot wash/cold rinse.  Add a few drops of liquid laundry detergent or wool wash and a pair of old jeans to help increase agitation. Check on pack after 10 minutes of agitation, then every 5 minutes until it is the desired size, the stitches are obscured and the fabric is firm.  Reset the agitation cycle as necessary.

Turn washer to delicate to spin out water.  Partially fill washer tub with cold water and agitate for a few minutes, then spin out water.  Repeat as necessary to completely rinse the pack.

Form and stretch pack to shape while damp.  While it is damp, you may also adjust strap lengths to match if necessary.

If you feel that the pack is too fuzzy, you may shave it after it is dry using a disposable razor.  Be extra careful and use a bed of newspaper to catch the shorn fuzz and protect your work surface.

Sew the large button between the center ruffles, within reach of loop. Thread the straps down and through the strap guides. The buttons for the adjustable straps should be sewn on at intervals matching the distance between the buttonholes on the straps.  You may sew as few as 6 buttons to make the strap length adjustable or as many as the straps will accommodate to make the maximum adjustability due to growth or multiple wearers.  Shank buttons work the best, because the shank on the back of the button accommodates the thickness of the strap.