I only have 7 more days until my sweet, darling, little boy is on summer vacation.  I am not looking forward to the extra dishes in the sink or my house looking like a toy store exploded when I get home.  He’ll be going to camp 3 days a week.  I chose a mainly academic camp, with sporting activities in the afternoons.  When doing my research, I found so many cool camps! Sports, acting, farming, and knitting! Unfortunately, I don’t meet the age requirements for any of them.  Yes, I know I can take a class but there’s something about these camps that just sounds so fun.

I wanted to share some of the links I found about kids knitting camps all over the country.  I’m trying to talk the boss into letting me review each one in person, individually.  I don’t think he’s going for it! After the links, check out a free pattern for a one ball purse in Boku.  A popular pattern for workshops and classes.

The Whole Nine Yarns, Woodstock, GA

Baskets of Yarn, Charlotte, NC

Kids Knitwork, CA

Stitch House, Dorchester, MA

Knit Picky, Winston-Salem, NC

Pattern F184 PDF Download

Pattern F184 Boku 1 Ball Purse

Pattern F184 Boku 1 Ball Purse

BOKU
Small 1-Ball Felted Purse

Size: Approx. Finished Measurements (after felting): 6” wide x 7” tall
Materials: Boku (shown in color 2): 1 – 50g ball
Gauge:  14 sts = 4” on a US 10 needle over stockinette st before felting.
Needles: US 10, or size necessary to obtain given gauge.  Small amount of Galway for sewing needed.
Note: Use a flat wool yarn such as Galway to sew purse together.

With size 10 needles, cast on 30 sts.
Rows 1-8:  Knit 8 rows.
Row 9:  K7, bind off 16 sts, K7.
Row 10:  K7, turn and using cable cast on technique, cast on 16 sts, turn back and finish knitting the row: 30 sts.
Row 11-16: Knit 6 rows.

Begin working in stockinette st: work 15½-16” in st st, leaving enough yarn to finish the handle at the other end.  End st st section with a purl row.

Second handle:
Rows 1-6:  Knit 6 rows.
Row 7:  K7, bind off 16 sts, K7.
Row 8: K7, turn and using cable cast on technique, cast on 16 sts, turn back and finish knitting the row: 30 sts.
Row 9-16:  Knit 8 rows.

Bind off.

Fold in half & sew up side seams using a flat wool yarn. (Use the Galway Worsted).  Felt.

Felting:
Set the washer to hot wash, cold rinse, and lowest water level.  Add a small bit of soap.  Place purse flat in mesh lingerie bag.  Do not put anything else in the machine.  Check on the purse every 5 minutes.  Felting could take 20-25 minutes or so.  Keep setting back the timer to make the wash cycle longer.  When desired felting is achieved, rinse and lightly spin.  Excessive spinning can set in creases.  Remove purse, lay flat and block out to a nice finished shape.  Straighten handle section.  Let dry.  With scissors or a razor remove any excess fuzz.

©2006 Plymouth Yarn Company.  Design by JoAnne Turcotte. All rights reserved.