Key to this project is to cast on an odd number of stitches and then make same odd number of stripes. One stripe is two rows of garter stitch. I suggest you make a swatch. I thought I was knitting a large bag (about the size of a pillow case--it was not so large after felting…(fold pillow case in half.) You need 22 squares that can be knit by themselves (like coasters) or a new square can be picked up stitches from preceding square. I made 25 stitches 25 stripes on US#8. Prefelted 6” square-Post felt 4.5”

Great easy project. I’m teaching how to make this bag at my local yarn store Millicent’s Yarn and More in Cumberland Maryland. Wednesdays afternoons at 2 September 21, 28 and October 5. Millicent’s has my version of the pattern with a chart - free. Please come visit. We are making the bag with Cascade worsted weight in class - 2 skeins of each color.

Looking for a photo of layout of squares. I forgot to take a picture of mine. Look in my Related (to the right of this column) for Maegrettes Seamless Garter Stripe Bag. She has a picture of the bag laid out before sewing. I used it as a guide but did not follow her alphabet guide. I knit from the top to the bottom left to right and right to left. I always picked up stitches from a completed square, only casting on the first. I sewed the sides of my squares as I went. Sewing in loose ends as I had seams to sew them into. There are four per square. 88 total loose ends to sew in at the same time can drive you to drink. I made my purse flat not in the round as she suggests as I wanted to make tracing for the fabric lining and then I sewed the hips then the sides closed.

I made a 4 stitch I-cord along the 8 sides of the “triangle teeth” then Kitchner stitched the two ends together.

I did not make an I-cord button loop or straps.

July 22 Finished sewing lining in the bag during Free-Range Knitting at Millicent’s. I bought their brown leather purse handles $19.99. I had trouble sewing them on so they looked straight. (all those diagonal lines) So I sewed them around the I-cord on the side. Now they look fantastic. Very professional.

Lining made July 17th. Stayed up until 1 am. Still need to tweek it so that it fits well on the inside. I put darts on the interior “hips”. Lined bag with cotton tree patterned fabric. Used black iron in interfacing to reinforce the lining before cutting it out (Thanks for suggestion Ping).

July 16th finished knitting. Treated my bag in the exact way I had washed my swatch. So Upset! The wool shrunk almost to half it’s size! My swatch only shrunk by a third.

Research Note: Friction of the large bag rubbing against itself was a factor in the increased felting that took place. A old pair of jeans washed with the swatch would have helped stimulate felting and made the the swatch size more accurate.

I had a problem with the fisherman’s wool with over felting (the fuzzed up knotty look) I gave my bag a buzz cut using a electric barber hair trimmer and it looks great. The fibers that stuck out and looked like they would form pills are all gone and the stripes are clearer. This “haircut” won’t affect the bag as the felt “fabric” is already bonded by the heat/friction. Thought I’d pass the tip along.