Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook (40 page)

ABOUT MEEMA

I’m a television and radio documentary maker and a third-generation (at least) knitter living in Brooklyn. I grew up in Maine, where my crafty mother taught me to knit when I was a kid. It took three times, several pairs of socks, and an ugly blue garter-stitch sweater before it really clicked in. Besides experimenting with felted bags of all shapes, sizes, and colors, I love making (and occasionally designing) sweaters for myself, and endless baby booties, hats, and sweaters for friends. My television and radio documentaries have aired on HBO, PBS, and NPR, but this is my first published pattern. A million thanks to my mother—a wonderful guide in knitting and in life.

HEATHER BARNES

Monkey and bunny characters by Adrienne Yan

After a lot of measuring up and unraveling, I came up with this design for a backpack. Except for the intarsia knitting, it’s pretty easy to make—all you’re doing is stitching together knitted squares, then throwing in a zipper and some straps. The bag’s big enough to fit things that wouldn’t usually fit in a purse but small enough and soft enough to take to crowded places. Mine’s even accompanied me to a few mosh pits.

S
IZE

Finished measurements: 9½" wide by 12½" tall by 3½" deep

M
ATERIALS

Brown Sheep Company
Lamb’s Pride Worsted
(85% wool/15% mohair; 4 oz/190 yds)

MONKEY

MC:
2 skeins #M120 Limeade

A:
1 skein #M13 Sun Yellow

B:
1 skein #M175 Bronze Patina

C:
1 skein #M05 Onyx

D:
1 skein #M34 Victorian Pink

BUNNY

MC:
2 skeins #M13 Sun Yellow

A:
1 skein #M105 RPM Pink

B:
1 skein #M05 Onyx

C:
1 skein #M52 Spruce

US 6 (4mm) knitting needles, or size needed to obtain gauge

1 yard cotton lining fabric

9" nonseparating zipper

Sewing needle and thread

G
AUGE

18 sts and 26 rows = 4" in St st

D
IRECTIONS

LOWER FRONT (MONKEY)

With MC, CO 45 sts. Beg with a p row, work 25 rows in St st.

Work 30 rows of monkey chart (including MC rows).

Work 10 more rows in St st.

BO.

LOWER FRONT (BUNNY)

With MC, CO 45 sts. Beg with a p row, work 5 rows in St st.

Work 55 rows of bunny chart (including MC rows).

Work 5 more rows in St st.

BO.

UPPER FRONT

With MC, CO 45 sts. Beg with a p row, work 20 rows in St st.

BO.

BACK

With MC, CO 45 sts. Beg with a p row, work to 13" in St st.

BO.

GUSSET

With MC, CO 18 sts.

Work in St st (or, optionally, in garter st) until piece is 44½" long.

BO.

STRAPS (MAKE 2)

With MC, CO 13 sts.

Work in St st until piece is 16" long.

BO.

LINING

From lining fabric, cut the following pieces (see cutting diagram at right):

Back: 10½" × 13½"

Front top: 10½" × 3¾"

Front bottom: 10½" × 10¾"

Gusset: 4½" × 45"

F
INISHING

SEW BACKPACK TOGETHER

With RS facing, fold straps in half lengthwise and use mattress stitch to sew center seam.

With RS together, use backstitch to seam narrow ends of gusset piece, ¼" from edge.

Pin straps to top and bottom of back piece, RS together, 1" in from either side edge.

Pin gusset around outside edge of back piece with RS together, with the center seam of gusset at center bottom of back.

Use backstitch to seam ¼" from edge, sandwiching the straps between gusset and back piece at the same time.

Pin lower front to opposite edge of gusset with RS together, and attach gusset to side and bottom edges of lower front, using backstitch to seam ¼" from edge.

Pin upper front to gusset with RS together, and attach gusset to side and top edges of upper front piece, using backstitch to seam ¼" from edge.

Bottom edge of upper front piece and top edge of lower front piece should meet in center. Turn backpack right side out.

SEW LINING TOGETHER

Fold gusset lining in half with RS together, seam narrow ends together ½" from edge.

Pin gusset around outside edge of back piece with RS together, attach gusset to back piece, seam ½" from edge.

Fold bottom edge of upper front piece over ½", WS together, and press.

Fold top edge of lower front over ½", WS together, and press.

With WS of both front pieces facing up, pin zipper, RS up, to folded edge of upper front piece and folded edge of lower front piece (see diagram). Sew zipper in place.

Pin front piece (with zipper sewn in) to opposite edge of gusset, RS together, and attach gusset to front piece, seam ½" from edge.

SEW LINING TO BACKPACK

Insert lining into backpack so that WS are together and zipper is centered at opening. Pin bottom edge of upper front and top edge of lower front to top and bottom of zipper, and hand-sew zipper into center of opening with sewing needle and thread. With short piece of yarn, graft seams on either side of zipper.

The print edition of this book includes charts for
Punk Rock Backback
.
Please download a PDF of these charts here:
workman.com/ebookdownloads