purlJam

# Knit Felt Container: The Rustic Dice Check Bowl

**Description**
A sturdy, beginner-friendly felted bowl knitted in the round. This project uses 100% wool roving which is knitted loosely and then shrunk (felted) in a washing machine to create a thick, structural fabric. The design features a solid dark base and a classic "dice check" (checkerboard) pattern on the sides using contrasting brown tones.

**Difficulty Level:** Beginner
*(Requires knowledge of knitting in the round, basic increases, and simple two-colour knitting).*

**Finished Measurements (Post-Felting)**
*   **Diameter:** Approx. 35 cm (14 inches)
*   **Depth:** Approx. 10 cm (4 inches)
*   *Note: The item will look huge and loose while you are knitting it. This is necessary for the felting process.*

**Materials**
*   **Yarn:** Super Bulky / Roving weight 100% Non-Superwash Wool (e.g., Drops Eskimo or similar).
    *   **Colour A (Dark Brown/Base):** 200g
    *   **Colour B (Medium Brown):** 100g
    *   **Colour C (Light Brown/Tan):** 100g
*   **Needles:**
    *   8.0 mm (UK 0) Double Pointed Needles (DPNs) for the start.
    *   8.0 mm (UK 0) Circular needle, 60cm length.
    *   9.0 mm (UK 00) Circular needle, 60cm or 80cm length (for the colourwork section).
*   **Notions:** Stitch marker, tapestry needle (yarn needle).

**Tension (Gauge)**
*   **Pre-felt:** Approx 11 sts = 10 cm in stockinette.
*   *Gauge is not critical as long as the knitting is loose enough to shrink.*

**Abbreviations (UK Terminology)**
*   **k:** knit
*   **inc:** increase (knit into the front and back of the stitch)
*   **st(s):** stitch(es)
*   **rep:** repeat
*   **Rnd:** round

---

### Instructions

#### Part 1: The Base (Solid Colour)
*Use Colour A (Dark Brown) and 8.0 mm DPNs.*

**Rnd 1:** Cast on 8 sts, distribute over 3 or 4 DPNs. Join in the round, placing marker at start. [8 sts]
**Rnd 2:** Inc in every st. [8 + 8 = 16 sts]
**Rnd 3:** K all sts. [16 sts]
**Rnd 4:** (K1, inc) around. [16 + 8 = 24 sts]
**Rnd 5:** K all sts. [24 sts]
**Rnd 6:** (K2, inc) around. [24 + 8 = 32 sts]
**Rnd 7:** K all sts. [32 sts]

*Continue increasing 8 sts every other round as follows. Switch to circular needle when stitches no longer fit on DPNs.*

**Rnd 8:** (K3, inc) around. [40 sts]
**Rnd 9:** K all sts.
**Rnd 10:** (K4, inc) around. [48 sts]
**Rnd 11:** K all sts.
**Rnd 12:** (K5, inc) around. [56 sts]
**...**
*Continue this logic (adding 1 knit stitch between increases) until you reach:*
**Rnd 44:** (K21, inc) around. [184 sts]
**Rnd 45:** K all sts.

*Verification:* You should have 184 stitches. The piece should measure approx. 55-60 cm across.

#### Part 2: The Dice Check Body
*Switch to 9.0 mm circular needle. Join Colour B (Medium) and Colour C (Light). You can cut Colour A or carry it loosely inside.*

*Why change needles? Stranded colourwork tightens the fabric. Using a larger needle ensures the walls don't shrink smaller than the base.*

**Rnds 1-4:** *(K4 Colour B, K4 Colour C)* repeat around. [184 sts]
*Tip: Keep the yarn "float" (the strand running behind the work) very loose.*

**Rnds 5-8:** *(K4 Colour C, K4 Colour B)* repeat around. [184 sts]
*This offset creates the checkerboard effect.*

**Rnds 9-12:** Repeat Rnds 1-4.
**Rnds 13-16:** Repeat Rnds 5-8.
**Rnds 17-20:** Repeat Rnds 1-4.

*The wall should measure approx. 15-16 cm high at this point.*

#### Part 3: The Rim
*Switch back to 8.0 mm needles. Cut Colours B and C. Join Colour A (Dark Brown).*

**Rnd 1:** K all sts in Colour A. [184 sts]
**Rnd 2:** K all sts.
**Rnd 3:** Cast off loosely.

---

### Construction & Felting Tips

**1. Assembly and Weaving**
*   Weave in all loose ends. You do not need to be invisible with your weaving, as the felting process will lock the fibres together. Just ensure there are no large holes.

**2. The Felting Process**
*   Place the knitted bowl in a washing machine (zippered pillowcase recommended to catch loose fluff).
*   Add a small amount of detergent and a pair of old jeans or tennis balls (to increase agitation).
*   Run a hot wash cycle with a cold rinse.

**3. Size Adjustments (While Washing)**
*   **CHECK FREQUENTLY:** Check the bowl after the first 10 minutes. Felting happens fast!
*   If it is still too big (larger than 14" diameter), wash it longer.
*   If it is shrinking too fast, pull it out immediately.

**4. Shaping (Crucial Step)**
*   When the bowl reaches the desired size, rinse it in cool water and squeeze out excess water (do not wring).
*   **Block it:** Find a bowl, pot, or form that is approx 14 inches wide. Place your felted bowl over it or inside it to force it into a perfect circle.
*   Flatten the bottom with your hands so it sits stable.
*   Allow to air dry completely (24-48 hours).

**5. Common Issues**
*   *Yarn Breakage:* Roving pulls apart easily. If your yarn breaks while knitting, overlap the two ends by 5cm, wet your palms, and rub the ends together briskly to splice them back together (felt join).
*   *Uneven Felting:* If the sides are shrinking more than the bottom, stretch the sides firmly with your hands while wet.