Finished Size:

(After felting) about 30 cm (12") wide,

by 25 cm (10") tall, not including the
straps.

Two Measures of Joy

by Elizabeth Mamo
A simple striped tote becomes
something special for musicians,
dancers, or anyone with a song in their
heart. Easy embroidery transforms this
bag with two measures of Beethoven's
Ode to Joy. This bag is constructed by
knitting the >-< shaped handles first,
then joining and knitting in the round.
The bottom is mitered into four corners,
and finished with a flat bind-off. This
gives the maker the option of a flatbottomed bag, or a U-shaped bag
(shown). Instructions are provided to
line the U-shaped bag.

Materials:
Worsted weight pure, untreated wool
(19-20 sts to 10 cm/4") that is suitable
for felting, as follows:
- 200 m (218 yds) color A (salmon)
- 100 m (109 yds) color B (natural)
- 100 m (109 yds) color C (black)
Sample was knit in elann.com Peruvian
Highland Wool (worsted weight 100%
wool, 100 m/ 109 yds per 50g ball).
- One circular knitting needle (24"or
29") size 5.0 mm (US 8), and a straight
needle in the same size to bind off.
- to finish, three skeins of black
embroidery floss, a crewel needle.
- for lining the U shaped bag-3/8 yard
lining material, interfacing and a snap, if
desired.
- nice to have: scotch tape and a few
quarters for note layout.
Note: You will need the entire ball of
color B, but only a partial ball of color
C. Select a muted light to medium color
for color A, because the embroidery
should stand out.
Gauge: not critical. About 4.5 stitches
per inch.
Note: when working on a flat piece,
garter stitch is worked by knitting every
row. Working in the round, garter stitch
is worked by knitting one round, and
purling the next. In the round,
stockinette is worked by knitting every
row.
TECHNIQUES USED:
Temporary (or Provisional) Cast-On

(Crochet Cast On):

With crochet hook and waste yarn
(preferably smooth cotton), loosely
chain the number of stitches needed,
plus a few extra chains. Cut yarn. With
larger circular needle and main yarn,
pick up and knit 1 stitch into the back
bump of the first chain. Continue,
knitting 1 stitch into each chain until you
have the required number of stitches. Do
not work into leftover chains. (When
ready to work stitches in the opposite
direction, transfer stitches to a needle
and remove the waste yarn by pulling
the tail of the chain.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Using color A, circular needles and a
provisional cast-on, cast on 50 stitches.
Knit one row.
Right side-begin decreases. Slip one,
k2tog, knit across until three remain on
the needles, k2tog, knit one. Turn, slip
the next stitch, and knit across. Repeat
these two decrease rows until 10 stitches
remain, ending with a wrong side row.
Continuing in garter stitch, knit 46 rows,
slipping the first stitch of every row,
finishing with a wrong side row. (This is
easier to keep track of if you mark the
first row.)
Increase by slipping the first stitch, knit
into the front and back of the next stitch.
Knit until 2 stitches before the end of the
row, knit into the front and back of the
next stitch, knit the last stitch. Knit the
next row. Repeat these two rows until 50
stitches are on the needle, finishing with
a wrong side row. Break yarn.
Undo the provisional cast-on, (be very
careful not to twist the handle), and slide

half the stitches to one needle, and half

to the other.

Place a marker (PM) to mark the

beginning of the round. Work 12 rounds
in garter stitch (knit one row, purl one
row.) You will probably need to purl the
first row to stay in pattern. Break yarn
and begin color striping in stockinette
stitch with color B.
Color B - On the first row only, knit 20,
make 1 (M1) stitch. Repeat 4 times (105
stitches total). Knit three rows plain.
Color C - 1 row
Color B - 6 rows
Color C - 1 row
Color B - 6 rows
Color C - 1 row
Color B - 6 rows
Color C - 1 row
Color B - 6 rows
Color C - 1 row
Color B - 4 rows. Increase in the fifth
row. Knit 21, make 1. Repeat all the way
around the bag. (110 stitches on the
needles). Knit one more row plain.
Change to color A. Beginning with a
knit round, resume garter stitch for 14
rounds. Increase: (K27, M1) four times,
end K2 (114 stitches). Staying in garter
stitch, work for 6 additional rounds. The
next round should be a purl row. (If its

not, knit another round, and get to one.)

Set up to decrease-work 13 stitches,
place marker. Work 31 stitches, PM.
Work 13 stitches PM. Work 13 stitches,
PM, work 31 stitches PM, work 13.
Bottom flap (work in stockinette,
knitting every round):
Row 1 - **K5, slip 1, Knit 2tog, pass
slipped stitch over (PSSO) knit 5 ** (one
corner established). Knit 31. Repeat
from ** to ** twice (slipping markers as
you come to them), knit 31, and repeat
** to ** once more. All four corners
established (106 sts).
Row 2 - Knit one round plain.
Row 3 - **K4, slip 1, K2tog, PSSO, knit
4**. Knit 31. Repeat from ** to ** twice
(slipping markers as you come to them),
knit 31, and repeat ** to ** once more
(98 sts).
Row 4 - Knit one round plain.
Row 5 - **K3, slip 1, K2tog, PSSO, knit
3**. Knit 31. Repeat from ** to ** twice
(slipping markers as you come to them),
knit 31, and repeat ** to ** once more
(90 sts).
Row 6 - Knit one round plain.
Continue decreasing in this manner until
one stitch remains between each set of
markers, and you have worked the plain
row. Carefully turn the bag inside out.
Fold your work so that half of the bag is
on one needle, and half is on the other
(the excess circular loop will hang out at
the other side.) Using a spare needle,
knit together one stitch from the front of
the bag, and one from the back. In this
manner, bind off all stitches using a
three-needle bind-off.

Embroidery: All embroidery is

accomplished with 6 strands of floss in a
chain stitch. Treat each side of the bag as
a separate measure of music. Referring
to the music and photos, embroider in
the staff and time signature. Then, using
the Scotch tape and quarters, mark out
the note layout. Lay the quarters out,
then put a piece of tape on the bag to
mark placement. Notes are worked in a
spiral fashion, starting in the center,
using the quarter as a size template. Do
not embroider tightly, or your notes will
bulge. It may be helpful to slide a
paperback or magazine in the bag, so
you dont accidentally sew it shut while
you embroider it. Use the quarter to help
gauge the length of the notes stem.

Protect your embroidery by lining your

bag. Use interfacing to provide body to
the bag. To line a U-shaped bag-lay the
bag out as flat as you possibly can. Trace
the shape carefully onto scrap paper, and
cut out two pieces of interfacing and
fabric. Placing right sides together, sew
the edges using a quarter inch seam. (If
pockets are desired, now is the time to
add them. Trim the seam allowances
very carefully. Turn the top hem down,
and press. Add snap if desired. Sew into
the purse.

Trim and tuck in all loose ends. Felt the

bag. Trim any hangers-on and fluffies.

Alternate color placement suggestionsyou may make this bag using two colorsthe base color and staff color, and
embroider with bright or metallic
embroidery floss. Consider black or
admiral blue bag with a light grey
heather staff, and metallic silver
embroidery. Mocha Heather, Mocha
Cream, and copper colored floss would
be elegant. The sky is the limit, but you
MUST provide high contrast between
the score and the background.

Variations: this bag should be

customized. Get inspired! Consider
school fight songs, recital pieces, or
hymns.
Choosing alternate music:
- Be creative.
- KEEP IT SIMPLE. I chose the music
written with a bass clef because it is easy
to embroider, and avoided sharps and
flats.
- Look for music that has quarter and
half notes. Eighths and sixteenths are
tricky to fit in, especially in the first
measure. If you use them, make the staff
narrower (between the black lines) and
use a smaller coin as a size template to
space the notes properly.
- Try to select music that fits in the main
body of the staff. Higher or lower notes
will require an additional ball of color B,
and require extra rows (multiples of your
note size) to accommodate them.

Abbreviations: k knit, k2tog knit 2

together, m1 make one, pm place
marker, psso pass slipped stitch over.
Please note this pattern is copyrighted
material and the entire contents of this
pattern are copyrighted as a collective work.
You may print a copy of this pattern for your
own personal use and enjoyment, but editing,
publishing, transmitting, e-mailing, posting it
to a list service or database, or commercially
exploiting this pattern is strictly forbidden.
You may not use this pattern to make or have
made for you items for any commercial
purposes, including sale, consignment, and
donations in which you receive a monetary
payment in exchange.

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