Felted bag pattern

I've been meaning to write up some more patterns recently so here is the pattern for my little felted bag. It takes no time at all and is ideal for a last minute gift!

Yarn: Debbie Bliss SoHo (1 ball)

Needles: 1 pair 6mm for bag and 1 pair 5.5mm for handle

Other materials: Button or toggle

Bag:

Cast on 30 sts.

Knit 6 rows

K14, YO, K2 tog, K to end of row (creates buttonhole)

Continue in garter stitch (Knit every row) until knitting measures approx 26 cm or desired length. NB make sure you have enough yarn left for the strap.

Handle/strap:

Using 5.5mm needles, cast on 3 sts. Knit until strap measures approx 50 cm.

To make up:

Fold up about 10cm from bottom of bag. Sew up sides and turn right side out. Sew ends of strap
to either side of bag.


Place inside a pillow case in the washing machine with an old towel or pair of jeans. Wash on short cycle at 40 or 50 degrees. NB felting is a trial and error process! This worked for me. It left some stitch definition but made the bag much more sturdy.
Attach button when bag has dried out. I placed newspaper inside the bag to help it dry.

Variation:

The blue bag was knitted using the same pattern but I omitted the buttonhole. Instead, I added a loop afterwards and attached the button this way. I also forgot to use different needles for the strap so the whole bag uses 6mm needles.

Another one down

I'm getting into the swing of this! Another WIP has been completed. This one is another of my felted bags but in blues. Instead of making a buttonhole in the flap, I added a loop afterwards and attached the button that way.

I'm also about 10 seconds away from finishing my mobile phone case. i just need to attach the handle.


I've been in the finishing off sort of mood this week. Sometimes I just want to start new things but recently I have felt like tying up all my loose ends which is good because I would never get anything finished otherwise. I like the sense of completion but I don't think I could ever be the sort of person who works on one project at a time and doesn't start a new one until the last one is finished. Is anyone like that?

Having said all that, I couldn't resist starting one new project this week! I cast on a jumper for my son. I just wanted to see what it would be like before I decide to go ahead and knit it.

2 down, ??? to go!

My WIPs are getting silly now so I've decided it's time to finish some off. Already this morning I've finished 2. They literally took a minute each which makes it all the more silly that I haven't finished them before.

According to Ravelry I have 8 more WIPs and 5 projects that are hibernating. I should be able to finish a couple more off quite quickly hopefully. Others will take a bit more time. I finally found an extra ball of Debbie Bliss SoHo to finish my cable bag off that I started in February! If I get a few more projects finished I won't feel so guilty about starting new ones either!


Check out my gallery to see pics of my FOs.

Finally...

...I have cast on a bag for February. It is a chunky cable and moss stitch bag by Debbie Bliss from her 'Home' book. I am using Debbie Bliss SoHo which I bought in the sale after Christmas but unfortunately I have ran out and still have 1 and a bit handles to do. It is so frustrating but I think it is probably my fault for knitting a bit too loosely. Anyway, here are some photos:

Reasons to love January #2 & 3

Yes, I know it's February! Reasons 2 and 3 are now 1 year older. My gorgeous girl is 3 and my beautiful boy is 1!

Needless to say, January has been slightly busy and always will be! We have wrapped and unwrapped rather a lot of presents; put up and taken down rather a lot of cards and made and eaten quite a few cakes. I've also squeezed in working 2 and a half days a week and a fair bit of knitting (although not as much of the latter as I'd've liked).

I now need to get on with thinking about my February bag for my Knit a Bag a Month project. My Debbie Bliss SoHo is still waiting patiently to be transformed into a wonderful bag and my poor pink and red cotton bag remains squashed at the bottom of my knitting basket. I really must finish that this year.


Another idea for a bag is a laptop cosy as I now have my own brand new laptop from school! I will get thinking and hopefully make a decision soon.

The only other knitting news I have is that I have started a draught excluder! Boring to knit but very much needed as we have a large draughty window on the side of our house.

More bag pics

Here are the pictures of my January bag for the Knit a bag a month project. I used 8mm needles and 1 ball of Rowan Spray and I made up the pattern as I went along. Don't want to repeat myself so see yesterday's post for more details!

January bag(s)

Having thought for ages about what bag to knit for January for the Knit a Bag a Month project, I have finally started one (well two actually).

I absolutely could not resist 'Audrey' from issue 3 of Let's Knit. It's a cute little cable and moss stitch bag - perfect for my first attempt with cabling. I was really pleased with how the cables came out and they were really easy too. I just need to add a handle and find some sort of felted beads as suggested in the pattern.

The other bag I have started is one I have made up myself. I would say it's one of my own designs but to be honest I just picked up the needles and started knitting - there was very little designing actually going on. I used the Rowan Spray I received from my swap partner in December. Just need to sort handle/fastenings. Will post pics soon.

Knit a bag a month update

I have found some recruits for the project which is great. It's always nice to have support. I have a very kind person designing me a badge so I can set up a new group on Ravelry. If you're interested it's going to be called Knit a bag a month (funnily enough!)

As far as knitting any bags goes, I haven't got very far with that! I have thought about lots of things though. Bags I intend to make are:
1. Clementine by Emma King (have had my eye on this for ages and have plenty of kid classic to use for it). It's the one on the cover of the book.
2. Percy by Cheryl Niamath (see earlier post).
3. Finish my pink and red bag in Rowan cotton rope.
4. Felted bag from Debbie Bliss soho which I bought in the sale in John Lewis.

Lots of other ideas floating around in my head but feel I really need to sit down and start knitting instead of thinking up new ideas.

Happy 2008

Happy New Year! A little late I know but there we go.

Anyway, my knitting project for 2008? Well, I've decided to knit a bag a month. Basically it's an excuse to have something to knit each month and another excuse to make more bags. There are going to be a few rules (just a few, I promise otherwise it'll never get completed).

1. At least one bag must be completed in each calendar month.
2. At least one bag must be felted.
3. At least one bag must incorporate beads (my newly acquired skill).
4. At least one bag must be of your own design.
5. At least one bag must be cabled.

That's it.

If anyone would like to join the project, contact me or just knit a bag a month for fun! I will be posting on Ravelry about this and might even set up a separate blog dedicated to the project. I'm off to get knitting before January is over!