DIY Network

Awesome Backpacks Pack up your trobles — and your knitting — in this knit and felted backpack. From "Knitty Gritty" episode DKNG-808

Twelve-year-old knitter Hana Gurvitz demonstrates her colorful backpack design. She knits it on straight needles, alternating colorful yarns, some double-stranded and some not. After adding in some eyelash yarn, she binds off and seams the backpack.

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	Awesome Backpack
	PDF Backpack pattern: click to download.

Materials:

1 set circular needles, US size 10/24"
1 set double pointed needles (dpn), US size 13
stitch marker
110 yards Noro Kureyon (100 percent wool): #154
2 skeins Cascade 220 (100 percent Peruvian Highland wool): #9455, #2433
1 skein (115 yds.) Knit One Crochet Too Moulin Rouge: #244
1 skein (132 yds.) Cascade Pastaza: #84
large yarn needle
pink grosgrain ribbon, 1-1/2" wide
contrasting pink yarn for sewing/reinforcing

Dimensions

Before felting: 34" circumference, 19" tall
After felting: 30" circumference, 13" tall

Backpack

Using one strand of each color of the Cascade 220, co 100, using the long-tail method (go to The Handy-Dandy Knitty Gritty Interactive Glossary and click on the second video link to see a demonstration of this technique).
Place marker to mark beginning and join in the round.
K 4 rows (figure A).

When you cast onto a circular needle, be sure that you don't let the stitches twist.

Figure A

Change to Kureyon (1 strand) and k 10 rows.
Change back to double strands of Cascade 220 and add Moulin Rouge, also double-stranded. K 3 rows.
Change back to Kureyon; k 10 rows.
Change back to Cascade 220/Moulin Rouge 220; k 3 rows.
Change back to Kuryon and k 10 rows ( if it looks like you won't have enough yarn for the next row, finish Kuryon before it runs out; do not finish off in the middle of the row).
Switch back to Cascade 220/Moulin Rouge; k 3 rows. Take out only the Moulin Rouge and leave in both strands of Cascade 200. K 32 rows; bo (figure B).
Using a large yarn needle, sew the bottom seams together, reinforcing by sewing over seam twice (figure C).

Figure B

Figure C

I-cord for strap:
Double-strand the Pastaza and co 6. Using dpn, knit until cord measures 45". Bind off.

Felting:
Felt the bag and the I-cord in the washing machine using hot water, checking every 5 minutes until it reaches the desired measurements and is fully felted. Stretch the I-cord while it's still damp.

Finishing

1. After the bag has dried, use a large knitting needle to make 11 holes, evenly spaced, 2" from the top of the backpack.

2. Make 2 more holes, 5" from the bottom, for the I-cord straps (make sure you poke through the Cascade 220).

Attaching the I-cord strap.

3. Using a large yarn needle, reinforce the holes by sewing around them.

4. Thread the I-cord through the top and bottom rows and sew securely (figure D).

5. Thread ribbon through top holes and tie it into a bow.

RESOURCES :
Noro Kureyon
Knitting Fever Inc. and Euro Yarns
Website: www.knittingfever.com

Knit One Crochet Too Moulin Rouge yarn
Website: www.knitonecrochettoo.com