My husband is big into DND. He needed a bag that could hold his dice and keep them separated by set or type. (Rav link) I freehanded the following pattern to accomplish this, but keep in mind this is an intermediate to advanced pattern. Read it completely before starting and reference the pictures that are below the instructions.
Yarn: Any superwash fingering weight yarn, two colors
- 60g MC (280yd) Leading Men Show Stopper Darkest Hour (Black)
- 20g CC (80 yd) Leading Men Show Stopper It’s Cold Outside (Blue)
Notions:
- 2 16” circular needles
- Stitch markers
- Darning needle
- Crochet hook for picking up stitches (optional)
- DPNs (optional)
Gauge:
- 8 sts/in
Can be knit with 6, 8 pockets. 6 pockets will be larger pockets than 8 pockets, but 8 is obviously more pockets.
Start with base:
- Step 1: Cast-on 9 sts using Emily Ocker’s Circular Cast-on and join to work in the round.
- Step 2: Knit around.
- Step 3: *K1, inc 1; rep from * around. (18sts).
- Step 4: K around for 3 rounds.
- Step 5: Rep step 3 (36 sts).
- Step 6: K around for 6 rnds.
- Step 7: Rep step 3 (72 sts).
- Step 8: K around for 12 rnds.
- Step 9: Rep step 3 (144 sts).
- Step 10: K around for 10 rnds. (You can keep going around for up to 24 rds, but this will make a more sack like rounded bottom instead of a flat bottom.)
Starting the sides:
- Step 11: Using a second circular needle, *pick up 1 st in each st using CC in FRONT of next 24, 18 sts, then in BACK of the next 24, 18 sts, rep from * around (3, 4 sections in front, 3, 4 in back). (See first picture below of all the yarn on two needles, with some in front and some behind.)
- Step 12: Using MC, *P 24, 18 behind CC, K 24, 18 in front of CC around. Rep from * around. When you get to the section where CC is over the needle (second picture below), make sure you let it fall between the MC needles (third picture below). As you change from front to back, the MC will cross over the other needle – you’ll let it drop when you continue in step 13 the same way you are allowing CC to drop here.
- Step 13: Pick up CC, K 24, 18 in front of MC, P 24, 18 in back of MC, around.
Rep steps 12 and 13 for 3 inches. It might be helpful to not complete full rounds, but instead do a partial round, ending 1 or 2 sections before the one set of needles would meet the other. Then just continue doing partial rounds of each color before finally finishing both at the 3 inch mark.
- Step 14: Using MC, ** *(k1, p1) for 24, 18 sts (the inside), K 24, 18 rep from **
- Step 15: Using CC, **K 24, 18, *(k1, p1) for 24, 18 sts (the inside) rep from **
Rep steps 14 and 15 for 1 inch.
- Step 16: With both needles at the beginning of the round, use MC to knit the first 24, 18 sts of the outside of the first pocket (first picture below). Then switch needles and use CC to cast off the first 24, 18 sts of the inside of the first pocket (second picture below). On the next pocket, repeat by using MC to knit the outside, and CC to cast off the inside (this will mean that all the inside pockets are cast off in CC). Repeat around, until all inside pockets are cast off and the remaining needle is all MC.
If there is a large gap of yarn between where your needles crossed, you can use a crochet hook to pick up an extra stitch to tighten it up.
Knit around for 2 inches.
Folded brim:
Separate the stitches so that the first half of the round (72sts) are on one needle, and the other half are on a second needle.
Knit flat on the first needle for 1 inch. (Knit across, turn, purl across). After finishing a knit row, knit on the wrong side, then return to stst by knitting again on the outside of the bag and purling on the inside for another inch. Finish with a purl row.
Cut a 36” tail. (Enough for 72 wraps times 2). Fold brim over so that both stockinette sides are showing and the single row of purl bumps forms the edge. Taking a darning needle, thread the tail and start sewing the live loops onto the back side of the fabric.
You’ll do this by threading up into a purl bump, then (almost like kitchener), you’ll put your darning needle through the next live stitch as if to knit it, slip it off, then put your darning needle through the next stitch as if to purl, and thread into the next purl bump. Do this across all your live knit stitches, then cut yarn and weave in ends.
Alternatively, you can pick up stitches on a DPN and bind off one stitch from each needle together (3 needle bind off).
Repeat the steps for the other knitting needle.
Cords:
Make 2 36” i-cords in CC. Weave the cords in so that one cord goes through one side and then through the other side, and the other cord does the same but with the ends on the opposite end. Knot the matching ends together.
If anyone knows anyone that could help me turn this into a published pattern (or at least find someone to draw the instructions), I’d be stoked to know. Contact me.