Dunce; tiny Lion brand felted purse probs

#1

I feel like a complete dunce. Many of my pals have been busily making Booga bags, but I wanted to do a small project before potentially ruining a lot of yarn. Found this free pattern at the store for a small felted bag. Got the supplies and started.
1st, casting on 30 stitches onto a circular needle: Will these cast on stitches be going around the circle or staying on one needle?
Then you knit 4 rows, pick up 8 stitches along short side, 30 stitches along cast on edge and 8 stitches along other short side.

With only 4 knit rows on the base, I’m having issues picking up 8 stitches and it’s feels nearly impossible to pick up all those stitches all the way around. Am I just circle needle, bag making impaired? LOL

#2

could it possibly be knit 8 rows and pick up 4 on each side?
more than that WOULD be crazy making

ecb

#3

Or is it knit 4 ridges of garter stitch, which would be 8 rows…

sue

#4

It says to knit 4 rows. I did frog it, go back and knit 8 rows to see if that would work better and I’m still getting a teensie little base to start off with considering that the felted finished base says it will be 2 inches.

I’m going to try to work with it and see what happens. :shrug:

Thank you for the suggestions!

#5

Do you know if there’s a link to the pattern? I thought it might be on the site, but couldn’t find it. Perhaps we can see if something’s missing…

sue

#6

I checked the site and they don’t have it on there. :?? The name is “Lion Brand Lion Wool Felted Bag” number 60411-K.

I’ll give a brief summary of it. After felting, it should be 8x7.5x2in.
Gauge: 12 stitches+15rows=4in.
Base: Cast on 30 stitches. Knit 4 rows, Pick up 8 stitches along short side of piece. Pick up 30 stitches along cast on edge. Pick up 8 stitches along remaining short side-76 stitches around base.

Sides: Place marker for beginning of round and join being careful of twisted stitches. Knit every round until bag measures 10 inch from base.

#7

Thanks for typing out the pattern. There’s a few things that don’t make sense about it… For instance, if 4 rows are 1¼" by the gauge, and you knit 4 rows for the bottom which is supposed to be 2" wide after felting, and felting shrinks it…??? How does that happen? I think 4 rows is a typo.

I’d knit at least 8 rows for the bottom, pick up 8 along the edges and carry on with the rest of it. I don’t felt, but it sure doesn’t seem like those 4 rows are going to be 2" after felting.

sue

ETA: I just had a thought… is the bottom supposed to be flat, or does it just grow out like a V ? Like this —

| | or this | |
|_| \ /

If it looks more the V shape, then yeah, do the 4 rows, picking up 2 for each row.