Boog Bag, Part 4

Done! Check it out:





And here's how I poked the holes for the strap:

Booga Bag, Part 3

Here it is, blocking. I don't have a box that's exactly the right size, so I put the (small) box that I have in the bottom and stuffed the rest with crumpled up plastic bags.

Front view:


Side view:

Booga Bag, Part 2

I've put it through the wash about eleventy-billion times now. It's looking pretty spiffy.

It's on its last go as I type. After this, I'll find a box of appropriate size, wrap the box in a plastic bag, and then stick it in the bag. That way it can dry in that shape. Drying may take a day or two.

Then I'll poke holes in it (maybe grommets?) and run the cord through it. I'll put up pics of each stage. Oh, the suspense!

Booga Bag

I recently traded a knitting book for some blue and purple wool. I don't know much about it except that it was from a local (to the person I was trading with) source. It inspired me to try my hand at this pattern: Booga Bag. I've done hand-felting before, but this is my first try at doing some in the washing machine. Here's a pic of the bag before felting...



The bag is in the washing machine right now with a couple of pairs of jeans. I'll post more pics after it's felted enough and is ready for blocking...

FYI, I did more rows than the pattern calls for just to use up the yarn. Since I don't really have any idea what size it will be when I'm done, I figured what the hell...

Update:
Ran it through the wash a few times last night - 3 or 4 times, lost count. It was getting fuzzy, but not shrinking. So I went to bed. Running it through again now. The pattern said it could take several times, so no worries yet.

More Felting & Sis-in-law's Purse

Test swatch in Paton's Classic Wool Merino, needle size US 10. Hand-felted, took forever:

Coaster in 3 colors of Paton's Classic Wool Merino, needle size US 10.5. Hand-felted, took even more forever:

Sis-in-law's cool purse (she crocheted it, not me):

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How I made the coaster:

Cast on 80 sts. in yarn color A to US 10.5 DPNs using long tail cast on method.

Cast on counts as round 1.
Round 2: P all sts.
Round 3: (K1, K2tog, K 14 sts., SSK, K1) 4 times.
Round 4: P all sts.
Round 5: (K1, K2tog, K 12 sts., SSK, K1) 4 times.
Round 6: P all sts.
Round 7: (K1, K2tog, K 10 sts., SSK, K1) 4 times.
Round 8: P all sts.
Round 9: Switch to yarn color B. Then (K1, K2tog, K 8 sts., SSK, K1) 4 times.
Round 10: P all sts.
Round 11: (K1, K2tog, K 6 sts., SSK, K1) 4 times.
Round 12: P all sts.
Round 13: (K1, K2tog, K 4 sts., SSK, K1) 4 times.
Round 14: P all sts.
Round 15: (K1, K2tog, K 2 sts., SSK, K1) 4 times.
Round 16: P all sts.
Round 17: Switch to yarn color C. Then (K1, K2tog, SSK, K1) 4 times.
Round 18: P all sts.
Round 19: (K2tog, SSK) 4 times.
Round 20: P all sts.

Bind off by running yarn through remaining 8 stitches and pull to close.

Weave in ends then felt, felt, felt. Block in spiffy octagon-ish shape.

First try at felting

I spent yesterday evening experimenting with hand-felting* while M went to see the opening of Iron Man.

I did this potholder on size 8 needles in garter stitch, with 40 stitches and about 100 rows and a crocheted slipstitch border all the way around. I can't find the yarn label right now, but I'll add that info when I do.

I haven't noticed any change in size, but maybe I just need to felt it more. We'll see how it feels after it dries. Right now it's still damp and feels very heavy and thick. It felt thick before felting, but had lots more drape.

It turns out that dark brown knitting isn't at all easy for me to photograph, but here's what I managed to get. The first photo is pre-felting, the second is post.

*Yes, I know that technically this is fulling, not felting.