I’ve been knitting/felting (before shots)

I’ve been working hard and I have a bunch of things to talk about…  in the purse department.

First, I mentioned last week that I was going to work with some purple Lambs Pride Worsted.  I really felt like I wanted a small bag, that looked like a little basket.  I wanted a ruffle at the top, and I wanted a circular bag.  I decided that I wanted the handle to be one that ties into a knot so that you can have it hang from your wrist.  This is what 4 days riding the bus can do for you.  Ok, well three.  Friday was i-cord day, and I HATE i-cords (I didn’t finish the i-cord until late Friday night).  I felted it last night, and while it’s not as small as I’d like, it’s totally cute.  I’m going to take a trip over to TAP plastics and get something to ensure that it keeps it’s totally basket like shape.  Then, I’m going to line it with fabric so that others can’t just see in when they want to.  It will be like a bag within a bag.

Now, I have others…  Last night I went through some boxes that I had been putting knitting projects in before grad school blew up in my face last summer.  I thought I would share them, even though they are not eligible for the KAL-CAL.

This little bag was made from god, I don’t know, I felted the yarn label with the purses last night.  Can you say idiot?  I bought it at Stitches West in 2006.  I really liked the tweedy-ness of the yarn, it has little flecks of yellow, white and black throughout.  In addition, when I was knitting this one up, I ran low on yarn.  So, the handles end where it’s being held.  So, I’ve got some d-rings, and I’m going to buy a strap of leather, and use that as part of the bag.

It really felted up lovely.  I’m totally happy with the way it came out.  It’s hanging up drying in the garage right now…  Absolutely cute as can be.

I actually felted 3 purses and 5 flowers last night.  Unfortunately, there was something going on with my washer or something last night.  I had things felting for over an hour.  I even restarted the washer with fresh hot water and soap.  I had a pair of old jeans in there with the purses and things just were not shrinking the way I wanted them to.  Including this really cute bag made with Noro Kureyon.

I hadn’t realized that I had made the flap crooked… And I was really expecting it to shrink almost twice it’s size.  I’m one of those felters who really doesn’t like to see the stitches in her felting.  It came out much longer than I expected.  I may try and felt it again tonight.  I have two more bags ready to felt, including the really cute Noni purse that is technically my first KAL-CAL project.

Hopefully everything will be dry tomorrow, and I will be able to do the finishing work so that I will finally have something to officially post as a completed KAL-CAL project.

I also found this bag that needs to be felted.

Now, the purple ruffle bag, the noro bag and the tweedy bag have been felted, but they are still a bit damp.  Then…  when I was going throuh some of my boxes in the garage, i found a burgundy bag, 1/2 completed made with lions pride worsted, and then a pink and brown bag that is 1/2 completed in Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky.  So now, I feel bad starting another bag BEFORE I finish the other two.  John even told me that I needed to finish these two before moving forward.  Poop.  That’s what I say, poop.  So, it appears that I was knitting the two with the same pattern.  However, that pattern is in MY HEAD.  It shall be interesting to see if I can actually remember WHAT I was thinking.  Who knows. 

I think I will have time for more pictures tomorrow, and I’ll also be able to update the Summer KAL-CAL site, which I’m totally enjoying.  You know me, I love a good purse.

The wedding is 19 days away.  19.  OH MY GOD.  And yes, I’m allowed to buy yarn on the honeymoon.  I have permission…  Swedish wool HERE I COME!