I came, I saw, I felted!!

I did it! My felted purse is all done! Finally, I actually made something for myself -- and I love it!

Ever since I first saw the pattern online I have wanted to knit the Booga Bag. I finally got started this week, and felted it last night.

Here's the finished bag!




I took some step-by-step photos since this was my first felting project. :)





~Here's the bag and I-cord handle when I was all done knitting. It took forever to make 6 feet of I-cord, but it was worth it!~





~I didn't have a pillowcase with a zipper, so I put the purse and handle into a pillowcase and shut it tightly with several large rubber bands~




~Then it was into the washer for wash #1 -- hot water wash/cold water rinse. I put it into the wash with several towels and a pair of my son's jeans because I have read that makes felting work better. The dye bled slightly with the first wash, but not too badly. The pattern said it would take 2-3 times through the washer to felt all the way. I checked it after each cycle to see how it looked.~

~Here is is after wash #1. A bit of shrinkage, but the stitches are still visible. Back into the washer!~




~Wash #2. Getting closer -- the stitches are disappearing and it's looking more fuzzy. Back into the washer!~




~Wash #3. I think we've got it by jove! Nice and fuzzy!~

~The trashcan I wanted to use to dry the purse was too large, so I used an empty baby wipe box to make the bottom flat and to give it an interesting shape. Then I turned it upside down and sat it on top of an old PC speaker. It sat overnight under a ceiling fan and in a nicely air conditioned room. By late this morning, it was dry.~

And that was all there was to it! After it was all dry, I poked holes into the bag with double pointed knitting needles and threaded the handles through according to the pattern, and it was all done! I just love it!

I have enough Noro yarn left to make a matching coin purse, so that will be my next felting project. I'm going to just make up a pattern of my own for the coin purse, so I'll be sure to post it here when I'm finished.

I saw this quiz on Karla's blog today. Here are my results:



create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.