First Felting Project

I've been wanting to try a felting project for some time but have never gotten around to it -- other projects always crowded ahead of it. During the fall 2008 semester I took a fabric structures class and one student chose felting for her semester project and from her work I was inspired to push it to the front of my "to do" list and give it a try.

This bag is called "Snaps" by Laura Kochevar from the book Bags - A Knitter's Dozen. It turned out "ok" but the fabric of the bag is very thick -- I felted it too much :( -- Also, the design did not have a bottom for the bag, it is just two pieces of knit fabric sewn together and because I over-felted it, this is accented even further. I love the knit design but I'm not sure when or what I'll find a use for this bag.

DETAILS:

I used Classic Wool Merino by Patons
--2 skeins - Black Tweed
--1 skein - Rich Red Tweed
Both these colors had flecks of colored yarns woven in and I had hoped that since these yarns were acrylic and not wool that they would "pop" out when felted. Unfortunately, there was no "pop" of flecks -- because I over felted I don't know if the flecks felted into the fabric or fell off.

Before felting, the bag measured 19½" across the top, 23½" across the bottom and 21½" deep.

After felting, the bag measured 15½" across the top, 16½" across the bottom and 12½" deep.

To make the handles the pattern called for knitting a strip of fabric in stockinette stitch, sewing it up and then felting it. Well, that was too much work for my taste, so I hauled out my icord spool and knit the cord around a doubled piece of twine.

My Ravelry project page for First Felting Project.