I Love This Felted Purse!

I love this bag, it may just be that I LOVE the color yarn I chose!  I have looked at this pattern for about 4 years and have had great aspirations to knit, but am just getting to it – wish I had done it 4 years ago.  I think this would also make a great Easter basket you could use over and over again and when the bunny stopped visiting your little one would have a great bag!  The bag is knitted in one piece and then you knit the handles.  May have to make another one with the top edge in a contrasting color from the main body of the bag.  It knits up fast, which is an added bonus!

Felted Bag (thanks to 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders)

Items Needed

1 – 2 Skeins wool yarn
Size 15 knitting needles
Darning Needle
4 – 1″ buttons

Gauge: 12 stitches = 4″ in stockinette stitch

Knitting the bag

1. Cast on 34 stitches.

 

2. Knit 4 rows

 

 

 

3. Work in stockinette stitch (knit a row, purl a row) until the piece measures 13″

 

4. Bind off 3 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.  You will now have 28 stitches for the bottom of the bag.  Continue in stockinette stitch until the bottom of the bag measures 6.75″.

5. Cast on 3 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

6. Knit the other side of the bag to match the first, remember to knit the last 4 rows.  Bind off.

Knitting the straps (knit 2)

 

1. Cast on 4 stitches

 

2. Work in garter stitch (knit every row) for 3″

 

 

3. Continue, but working in stockinette stitch until strap measures 18″

4. Continue strap, working in garter stitch until the strap measures 21″. Bind off

Assembling the bag

 

Pin the bag together, with right sides together, bringing the outer bottom edge points to the center of the bottom of the bag (this was very hard to photo – hope you can see what I did). Sew the bottom and side seams. Weave in ends.

 

 

 

 

Felting the bag

1. Place the purse and handles inside a pillowcase and tie closed.

2. Set the washing machine for the lowest water level, longest washing cycle and the hottest water temperature.

3. Place the pillow case, a pair of jeans and a tiny amount of liquid soap.  Start the washer.

4. Check the felting process frequently.  You may have to do the wash again. Once the item is felted to my liking, I turn the washing machine dial to rinse and spin – then I don’t have to do it – if not follow the step below. I let it go through a whole cycle and it was felted perfectly.

5. When the purse and handles get to the desired size and felting, remove, rinse in cold water and blot dry with a towel.

6. Shape the purse and stretch out the handles and allow to dry.  I placed the felted pieces on a towel and then when it was almost dry I place the purse upright with a glass inside the bag to make sure the bottom of the purse was flat.

Finishing

Measure 2″ in from the side seams and sew straps to bag with buttons (buttons will be on the outside of the bag).  Make sure not to twist straps.

 

 

 

 

Fill your purse with your essentials and you are good to go!

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