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Norma Bag

If you’ve been around the blog long enough you’ll remember that I went to Vermont in September 2005. While I was there I spent some time shopping with Norma and she helped me pick out yarn to make Kaleidoscope Yarn’s “Project Bag,” a rather large felted bag. The yarn had been marinating in the stash ever since but last month I pulled it out and wound it up and cast on. I finished knitting it last Friday and was anxious to felt it. But I also really wanted to take a photo that would show you just how ginormous this bag was pre-felting. Alas I was home alone and not really coming up with creative photography ideas.

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I tried draping it on the back of our computer chair. But that doesn’t really convey the feeling I was hoping for. I tried a couple of other things like attempting to get the cat to get inside or bribing the dog sit on it but none of that worked. I finally settled on this:

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Yup. I put the bag over my head and took a photo. The things I do for the blog, eh?

Once I pulled that sucker off my head, I threw it into the washing machine and set about the felting process. After a lot of hot water (sorry, Al Gore) and a bit of agitation and twenty minutes time, I had this:

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Quite a drastic difference! It shrunk up nicely and the fibers felted together and made for a very strong bag. It took from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening to dry. Technically, it was done at that point but I decided I really wanted to line this bag so I went trolling through my fabric stash to see if I had anything that matched.

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Look at that – I couldn’t have done better if I had purchased the fabric specifically for the project! And I’ve had that fabric even longer than I had the yarn – I’m pretty sure I bought it at Keepsake Quilting about 4 or 5 years ago.

Monday night I met up with Lois and she helped me make a lining.

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We started by measuring the bag and then calculating how to cut the fabric for the lining. We cut a rectangle the size of the bottom of the bag plus 1/2 inch all the way around for the seams. Then we cut a long rectangle for the sides. We seamed the rectangle into a tube and then pinned the bottom onto that. We also made a pocket for my camera and put in a D-ring for my keys. We pinned the lining in place and then turned the bag inside out to sew the lining in place – by machine, thankyouverymuch. The felted fabric on this bag is so thick that the machine stitches don’t even show. Once the lining was sewn into place, we threaded the handles through the slots and tied them in a knot. It only took about an hour to make a really beautiful lining for this felted bag.

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It’s quite large and can hold both current knitting projects along with a spindle.

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And I absolutely love it! Thanks to Norma – for the inspiration. And thanks to Lois – for the finishing details. I now have a great new knitting bag

This Post Has 65 Comments

  1. Brilliant! I still have not felted anything. (I did try, but apparently I didn’t use enough something.)

  2. Your new bag is beautiful! Isn’t felting so much fun? It’s like a magical science experiment each time!

  3. Your bag is beautiful! Obviously letting the yarn marinate for awhile in your stash was a very good idea. Now, can you send Lois here to help me with the lining for my felted bag?

  4. FElting is always a fun thing…your bag turned out great. Now, don’t get hooked, or you will have a dozen felted bags, like I do!

  5. It’s gorgeous!! Love it!! Great choice of fabric, too. Lining a felted bag makes all the difference in the world, doesn’t it?

  6. fabulous bag but the photo of it on your head should have carried a coffee warning … I nearly snorted hot beverage all over the keyboard!!

  7. Your Norma bag is gorgeous! You matched the colors beautifully together and the lining is such a good match. I love knitting with the big needles so, I love making felted bags. I have not lined any of them as I’m not good at sewing. Is there anything you would like to share with a newbie at sewing.

    Michele

  8. Hi:

    I have that ruler too! Great NZ souvenir. Now that you have a spindle habit, being able to ID those woods may come in handy…

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