felted bag

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This past month hasn't exactly brought lots of opportunities for projects.  I've still been cleaning out my craft room and instead of my 'to do' pile shrinking, it has actually doubled in size.  And, um, I haven't had a lot of time to work on it because I'm taking a community ed knitting class and the teacher LOADS on the homework!! I've taken a couple of classes with these ladies in the past and had a really hard time keeping up. This time, though, has been really enjoyable, probably because of improved skill and speed and plenty of down time. In fact, in the last three weeks, on top of the projects that we are working on, I've also finished the projects that I hadn't finished from the other classes as well!

One of the projects that was killer from the last class I took (two years ago...) was a double handled felted bag. Because it is felted after it's knitted, it has to be knitted three times the size that it's going to be.  The thing's like a sleeping bag when it's done!  Well, I got all the way through the body of the bag and then got confused with the handles so it sat unfinished for two. not kidding. years. During Christmas break, my friend was over visiting and offered to take it and finish it for me so I (gladly) gave it to her.  The next week she and I started the class, only to find out that the first project was the Very Same Felted Bag...

for reference, the tiles underneath are 20"

I was positive it was my curse for not finishing the first one and decided that I was going to make this one work.  I had some fun lime green yarn in my stash that I decided to use. (it has to be 100% wool to felt) In two weeks, the bag went from first stitch to felted!! My friend had straightened out my first bag and I swiped it back from her (since she had her own to do!) and finished it as well.  So, one bag took two years, the other two weeks? Yep.

This time, I had a lot of fun with the bag.  The body of the bag is where most of the time is, and because it's on circular needles, it's just knitting the same stitch around and around and around.  Totally mindless, perfect for good winter movie watching...  I also think this one went faster because I changed up the pattern and instead of knitting 110 rows of solid (brown-ugh!) like the first one, I added in lots of different sizes of stripey rows.  I actually like the finished bag better!

 Our Princess is working on some big knitted squares during her spare time at rehearsal that we will felt to make some fun flowers to go on the bags, we'll update when they are finished.  I've decided it's a good thing there are two of the bags because she's already claimed one...


It took me a while to find it, but if you are interested, you can purchase the pattern here for $8.

Happy Crafting!