That Felt Fine (Hey! Knitting Content!)

The other day I made a quick stop at my local yarn shop, Kaleidoscope, and came away with a couple of patterns for felted bags. One of them is a real darling, and I knitted it up in a couple of evenings while watching movies.

I threw it in the washer last night to felt it. Boy, who would have expected it, but the energy-efficient front-loading washer felts approximately 47,000 times faster than the old top-loader I had. I put it on hot, on the Heavy Duty setting, and this is the second bag I've felted in one go. FABULOUS! I used to have to run the old washer through, as I say, 47,000 cycles, to get things to felt. I'm quite sure I used enough water to fill an in-ground swimming pool each time. No longer! We are not kidding about the efficiency thing. Watch out, baby, Imma comin' to felt yo' ass!

I was thrilled to use up some of my stockpile of Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool yarn, too.

"The Purse" by Janet Scanlon

Knitkit.com

 (Skein of Patons Classic Wool, for scale)

Isn't she cute?  I am allowing her to dry just round and stuffed with some tea towels, which makes her look like a coin purse, sort of. I can also envision this purse dried around, say, a coffee can, for a more barrel-shaped bag as is photographed in the pattern booklet.  

I am going to go shopping for some beads or tassels or something pretty for the ends of the purse strings. Cuteness!

This bag is just super-fun and easy to knit, and it would make an adorable gift bag, or a small project bag, or even... a purse. It could be dressed up or down and have almost infinite variations, including being knitted -- as was the shop model and the photo on the pattern booklet -- out of Manos Silk Blend for a really nice, dressier purse. I just happen to have a little Manos Silk Blend in my stash.  

Uh-oh, I feel a little purse-knitting kick settling in around here....

Comments

[Kayten]

Nice bag! I haven't felted one in about seven years. Perhaps you'll motivate me.

[Seanna Lea]

I've only made one felted bag, but I'm making a wallet right now (fabric). A bag is probably right around the corner!

[Geri]

Too cute!

[gayle]

Felting is so much fun! You can end up with a pile of bags, though, since one idea just leads to another, and it's really hard to stop...

[DebbieB]

So wee and adorable!

[Ellen]

Great bag! But I thought that white yarn didn't felt well, or at least some white yarn. Obviously it worked perfectly here, but have you found that to be true with any other white yarns?

[jennied]

Hmm, I never really caught the bug to felt or knit bags but I think this little project has just done the trick. Perhaps this year's knitted gifts for the family... Thanks!

[Patty]

Perfect. Ready for a little spring stroll!

[Carole]

So cute!

[Cheryl S.]

Obviously you and I are on the same wavelength. I just finished one, and am half-way through another.

[margene]

Darling! I never quite get around to using my felted bags.

[midj]

I do NOT need any more of her patterns, Miss Norma! I found you waaaaaay back when, during the Sophie bag craze, and purchased quite a few of her patterns. No more enabling, Missy!!

oops... I'm slipping... =-)

[Kathy]

Very cute!!

[Vickie]

What a sweet bag! Makes me want to knit and felt purses. And I thought I was SO over that!

[Cookie]

Very cute and what a great way to use up that yarn.

[elizabeth a airhart]

i like this bag for me it's the best
bag so far pretty sewn up in silk perhaps

[marianne]

Very CUTE! in fact, damned darling!