Friday 27 July 2018

THE FELTED PURSE - FELTING PROCESS

Yesterday I taught a fantastic class for the Alberta Quilt Study Society
on Knitting a Felted Purse.

Please see the LINK HERE for the purse pattern.

In the felting process I used 2 wash cycles on my front load machine.
Today I experimented with the hot water temperature and was very pleased with the results.

The 1st wash was done with the regular hot water setting on a normal cycle.   It did an ok job for the 1st round.   The 2nd wash was done with the hottest water setting, which in my machine heats the water to almost boiling.  It really did a fantastic job on the felt and I will use this setting from now on. 


In the photos below you will find more information about the felting process. 



http://quiltersenjoycolor.blogspot.com/2018/07/knit-felted-purse-pattern.html

Enjoy your knittin'
...Melanie

Tuesday 24 July 2018

KNIT FELTED PURSE PATTERN


Finished purse is approx. 10 1/2"H x 9"W x 9"D




 

SUPPLIES:

2 balls - Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool (100% wool / 227g / 425m) in contrasting colours
OR
4 balls - Patons Classic Wool worsted (100% wool / 200g / 192 m) in 2 contrasting colours. 
OR
3 balls - Cascade 220 - 100% Wool (NOT superwash)  


8 or 9mm circular knitting needle (80cm). 

Stitch markers and a safety pin.  
 


Note: You will be knitting with 2 yarns held together.  

For Your Wool - Decide on Colour A and Colour B, rolling additional balls if needed



INSTRUCTIONS:


With 2 yarns held together, using Colour A, co 25 stitches. 

Knit back and forth in garter stitch until you have a square.  

Pick up and knit 25 stitches (evenly) on each of the remaining 3 sides of your square.  100 stitches.   

Place marker.  

Optional: Mark corners after 25, 50, & 75 stitches as you come to them on the next row.  Make sure your beginning row marker is a different colour from these markers.  

Knit 1 row and purl 1 row to create a bead edge.  

Knit in stockinette stitch for 2",  measuring from bead edge.  
When you reach the beginning marker change to Colour B.   

Continue in stockinette stitch until work measures 11" from bead edge.  

When you reach the marker change to a heather combination  (one yarn of each colour) of Colour A and Colour B. 

K 1 row. 
P 1 row. 
K 1 row.
P 1 row.  

Handle bind off row:  
K 3. BO 19.  K 31. BO 19. K 28.  Note: the last bind off counts as the first knit. 

Handle cast on row:
P 3. 
Turn work to have inside facing you.  Loosely CO 19 (using cable cast on method - video below #studioknit).  
Turn work to outside.   P 31. 
Turn work to inside. Loosely CO 19. 
Turn work to outside.  P 28.  

Cable Cast On Video  #studioknit :  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3xRrTJDWf0E

Mark 1st stitch with a safety pin and remove marker. 

Continue with 11 rows in Jogless Garter Stitch (special instructions below), starting on a knit row.  On the last row knit around only to the safety pin line.  

Bind off, removing markers as you go.  Weave in ends of the last yarn.   The remaining yarns can be simply cut off after felting.
 

Ta da! You have a massive bag!  
At this stage your bag will be approx. 15"H x 17W" when it lays flat.  




Felting Instructions:   I'm an Earthy Girl who likes to save water and time.  Hey, I can felt a purse and wash a load of towels together!  Fun stuff.  This is how I like to felt my projects and it produces great results.  Felting requires a lot of agitation in the hottest water.  Towels are perfect for agitation. 

Wash your knit purse with a load of towels in hot water with your regular detergent (no bleach).   Remove from washer.  Cut off loose yarns.   Shape and stuff with newspaper.  Dry overnight.  Some washers will require 2 felting cycles.  




JOGLESS GARTER STITCH in the round:

Using a safety pin mark the first stitch and remove marker.  
*
Slip 1 stitch purl wise.  Note: slip this stitch before moving yarn to the back of the work for the knit row. 
Place marker. 
Move yarn to the back of the work.  
Knit 1 row up to marker.  
Purl 1 row up to marker.  
Remove marker. 
*
Repeat from * to *. This combination counts as 2 knit (garter stitch) rows.  

Note: the marker will keep moving over.  The safety pin will mark the actual beginning of your stitches.  

Helpful Hint for counting rows in garter stitch:  1 ridge = 2 rows. 
 

Printable Pattern: KNIT FELTED PURSE by Melanie Rudy 

Please see more information 
on the Felting Process Here 
 


Have fun knitting, people!
...and always, thanks for checking in on my blog.
Melanie

Sunday 15 July 2018

QUILT DOCUMENATION & GENEALOGY

I belong to a quilt association in Calgary called the Alberta Quilt Study Society.   One objective of this group is to document quilts for genealogy and providence purposes.   I am finding the quilt history to be an extremely interesting and valuable learning experience.   The fabric designs, batting, threads, and construction methods all lead to such exciting quilt stories. 



Please find more information here: 
and


Quote: "The Alberta Quilt Study Society aims to promote an understanding, appreciation
and knowledge of quilt making and its heritage in Alberta and beyond. "



Here are the first 3 quilts of mine that I have had documented.  
Photo credits: Katherine Murray 


 
3-0368




3-0369




 
3-0370