It’s In The Bag……..Dec.12,2004

Life has been pretty busy over the last week.  Between breeding the dogs, working on the kichen and attending Christmas concerts, there has not been alot of time for blogging.  Of course, given that I can’t show much yet…………..blog material has been dry.

Last week when I was surfing blogs during my morning coffee time, I came upon this blog entry from Norma.  I loved that little bag so much that I immediately emailed her about the pattern.  Too cute!  So off to the LYS to find these goodies: Black Cascade 220, a Fibertrends pattern, some big addi turbo needles and some "bling, bling"……Berroco Lazer FX.  Isn’t this just yummy!! 

I loved working with the cascade.  Doubled up, it was sooooo soft and cushy.  Here a picture of the bag before it was felted.  The pattern called for a little more yarn than what is in a single skein of Cascade, so I made the little loop with some black Peace Fleece that I had kicking around.

  After it was felted, you could not tell the difference between the cascade and the peace fleece.  Isn’t this a fun little bag?  I know a few girls that would love to have a bag like this.  Just big enough for a cell phone, some lipstick and a small wallet.

Thanks Norma!!  It was a nice, easy knit!

I have not done too much felting…….but it is fun.  I made this bag earlier this year.  I hated the way the dog came out on it, so thankfully I have enough yarn to make another flap.  I think that I will just skip the dog and put a cool button on it instead.  This bag was knit from a pattern from the book "Simple Knits for Sophisticated Living"
I used Mountain Colors for the body of the bag.  I can’t remember the name of the sage wool that I used….but it felted up nicely.  This pattern had a cute little pocket that you sew inside.  I guess that I will get the needles out and get the flap redone……..poor bag has been hanging off the side of my loom for months waiting for it’s new flap…

The only other bag that I have felted is this one……and it is my favorite so far.  I did this bag differently.  This was wet felted from rovings that I had prepared and dyed.  I felted this using a small hand held palm sander.  I designed the pattern on thin cardboard and then laid the wool over it on both sides, working it until it was felted enough to cut.  Because I it came out a wee bit thin in spots and I wanted it to be sturdy, I lined it with this fabric.  I couldn’t
believe how well it matched.  It looked almost exactly like the outside!  What a lucky find in the local fabric store that was!

I really really love this type of felting, because it allows so much more for creativity.  After the madness of pre-Christmas knitting is finished and the holiday is behind us, I hope to do up a few more of these bags.  I won a really cool book on ebay this week, with lots of neat ideas.  It is written in Japanese…LOL……but I am sure that the diagrams will explain themselves.

"Tis the Season"

This time, I am talking about the Christmas Season….haha!  Christmas is my most favorite time of the year.  I just love it!  I love the decorating, the Christmas carols , the baking and the smells of Christmas.  There is NO better time of the year. 

Sometimes we tend to get to wrapped up in the business of the season, but this year, I have vowed to keep sane and really enjoy the Holiday with my family.