This is the bag that I assembled for the Learning Tree post-guild meeting demon-stration last Saturday. For this, I was running out of yarn so held two strands together for a 3-stitch i-cord on the handle. They were two different yarns and I like the result - click for big. I think about 30 people stayed and I was surprised at the animated interest.
My interest in felted bags started with one that appeared in Sara Lamb's blog a couple of years ago, but she started from the top and went down. I phished for ideas because I wanted to start from the bottom and go up, like a sock where you're not sure how much yarn you have.
This is the bag I'm trying to finish and felt since I still have to present a program to the library's knitting club this Sunday. I was able to use up a total of six partial balls in this bag. I love the palette that I get with different colors and different wools.Stephanie asked me about my pattern, and it's nothing more than knitting a box, starting with a rectangle base. For that base, whatever stitch you chose, slip the first stitch of each row so you can pick it up stitches later. I do the base in garter, but slip stitch would be good too. I cast on between 30-36 stitches and knit between 17 to 20 rows. How many stitches you cast on determines how wide your bag will be and how may rows you knit determines how broad it will be. Pick up stitches all the way round. I don't like to go too big because bags sag. How many rounds you knit after picking up stitches will determine how tall your bag will be. I tend to think I'm done at around 13" measuring all the bag, from the folded base up. Handles are i-cord. You can do 4-5 stitch i-cord, or hold two strands together for 3 stitches i-cord which is my favorite. Knit at least 6' and even more if you want long shoulder straps.
IMPORTANT: Put into a zippered pillow case cover before submitting to the rigors of your washing machine. This was Sara's lesson learned. Felt lint is hard on washing machine pumps.
It's your bag - you decide. You have to have scrap wool around, just begging you to make it beautiful. Go forth and do beautiful~
9 comments:
Pretty, but not as pretty as mine, I don't think... And certainly not as pretty as that little grandaughter - what a cutie!
Anyhow - just stopping by to say Happy Valentine's Day! T.
Oooo, are it big enuf fur a kitty to fit? Happy Valentines Day!
hi sharon-thanks for the pattern!
Inspiring!
Catzee has the right idea! My cats would insist it be catsize and Ziggy weighs in at 20 lbs.!
Happy Valentine's Day, Sharon!
Wow, when you biggify that top picture, the bag is so vibrant it glows -- absolutely gorgeous!
Lovely bag in yummy purples!!! It's so much fun to create a felted piece. You've inspired me to do some more felting once I get some other projects done.
Such excellent advice for making felted bags! I like the tweedy effect you got on the scrap straps. Happy Valentine's Day to one of my favorite bloggers.
This is my first time visiting your blog. I love your bags! I'm making my first one now and you've inspired me to do more when that's done....
Sharon, every time you post photos of your bags I absolutely love them. Thank you so much for that pattern, it is very clever. I really like the way the colors worked out in the i-cord handle.
My only question is, what size yarn do you usually use?
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