After our visit to Bruges this summer the beautiful houses that we photographed from the canal gave me the idea to knit a house with a step gable roof. I have called this a Dutch House, so apologies to the Belgium houses that were actually my inspiration.
I started with the idea to make a model house, a bit like my Little Woollie House Pattern. Somewhere along the way I changed my mind, and decided it could become pencil case or wallet. But then thinking of our visit to the Chocolate Museum in Bruges, decided it would make a really nice gift wallet for a bar of chocolate. (You may have noticed that the chocolate is Swiss, and from my local supermarket, but I hope it gives the idea. The chocolate we bought in Bruges has long since been eaten.)
The house is knitted in red, cream and brown double knit wool. Some of the details like the black window frames and railings were embroidered on afterwards. I do enjoy stitching on knitting, which I find much easier that embroidery on cloth.
The construction is very easy. The front and back are just sewn together. I made a black felt lining, which is just oversewn in at the mouth. This is not absolutely essential, but I thought if anyone were to use it as a pencil case, it would stop anything getting caught up in the loops of wool on the inside.
My wallet has a simple button and loop fastener. A different fastener (perhaps Velcro) would be better if it were a container for pencils. My wallet is 9cm by 30cm, and the pattern is simply the chart I used for the front section, and some instructions for the back section, and making up.
I am already working on an idea for another Dutch house which will be 3-D, and a functional object. Are you intrigued? So I have decided to put the pattern for this one on as a free pattern. It is available on ravelry, Craftsy and Loveknitting.
