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

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This Post Has 65 Comments

  1. When I saw Norma’s a few years ago I knew I wanted to make one. Still in the thinking process on colors. The lining is a good idea- less pilling in the inside and more functional. Love the colors!

  2. Oh, oh, oh, OHHHHHH, I love it. LOVE it, and now I’m totally jonesing for a LINER for my bag which is still very pretty and functional, after all these years. Your lining is beautiful.

  3. The bag is great, and I like that you put the magnet board inside – it gives a good sense of scale. That’s a nice big size!

  5. What a great bag! Looks like one I’d happily buy:)
    I’m “collecting” yarn to make one. You’re so silly trying it on first~snort~ I love the befores stage of felting, it’s such a fun process.

  7. that bag is gorgeous! I haven’t felted yet and I’ve just been surround lately by lots of great felted bags… i must make one!

  11. Wow – you just *happened* to have fabric that matched? Love the bag and the lining tutorial. Of course it would be easier to just send things out to you but I’ll fuddle through it out here…

  12. It came out great – and you are right about the fabric; it looks like you bought it JUST for that project. It’s a perfect size too.

  13. Beautiful bag and I love the colors. If you are ever in the mood for another ginormous felted bag, try out My Constant Companion, http://www.knitkit.com/MyConstantCompanion.htm. It looks to be similar in size. If you look at my blog on 2/11/07, you can see that I opted out of the lining but added pockets instead. I will say I gave up firmness but the pockets are convenient.

  15. The colors are great and I love the fabric you found for the lining.
    But, you know…if you just cut holes in it instead of felting it…you might just have the answer for those bad hair days. 😉

  17. It turned out great – love the lining. But, um, where is our post-felting over-the-head picture for scale?! 😉

  19. Awesome! I just love felting.. the only time it’s ok to shrink something. Great photo of bag on head, but the details about the lining are a real gift. I lined a bag earlier this year and am sold on the fact that it will greatly extend the life and usefulness.

  24. The bag looks great! I would never have chosen those colors but they really work well. You have a great eye. You were so lucky to have the liner fabric in you stash.

  26. Oh I love that photo of you! How creative;-0
    The bag is more than wonderful! I’m a little covetous (my naughtiness showing through). I need help with lining my LTL Bag…wish you were closer!!

  27. Very nice! I have a felted bag that could use a lining. I’ll have to take a look-see and figure out if I have any lining fabrics in the stash.

  30. I’m sure someone may have already pointed this out, but if you were going to do a *true* comparison of before and after we need a pic of it on your head after felting too. 😉 It looks great either way! I’m glad there are some in this world that do not fear the sewing machine like I do. 🙂

  31. I love it! The colors are fantastic and it felted beautifully. I keep meaning to make a bag, and every time I see one finshed (and lined!), I want to stop what I’m doing immediately to make one myself. You’ve passed along the inspiration!

  33. It’s awesome. I love those colors. I still haven’t sewn the lining into my ginormous Noni bag, but I believe you may have inspired me to dig everything out and give it a whirl. I’ve been really interested in felting lately (maybe I should try those clogs again).

  34. It’s awesome. I love those colors. I still haven’t sewn the lining into my ginormous Noni bag, but I believe you may have inspired me to dig everything out and give it a whirl. I’ve been really interested in felting lately (maybe I should try those clogs again).

  36. Wonderful bag, and I’m so glad you lined it! Bags just work much better with lovely pockets and hiding spaces for all your stuff, don’t you think?

  37. Well, the bag over your head may not be the right look for you. 😉 But the finished felted bag is certainly a fabulous look! The lining really makes it even more special.

  40. Absolutely fabulous! The fabric lining is a particularly nice touch!! I can see lots of great projects coming out of that bag.

  43. What a GREAT bag! I think I just might have to see if I can buy the pattern – I LOVE IT! I especially like the posed picture 🙂

  44. Oh WOW! You’re so right about the lining–it’s a PERFECT match! (I really like that fabric, too!)

    Looks like the finished bag is a very useful size–it shrunk down nicely, but not so much that you can’t fit a decent-sized project in it. Very nice!

  48. That is so perfect (the fabric) for the bag. And really without the bag on your head, at least from the other picture, I couldn’t tell just how big the bag was pre-felting. Thanks for the bag over head shot. The bag turned out very nicely and the fabric again looks great as the lining.

  49. That’s a lovely bag. I can’t believe how huge it was pre-felting, though. It’s like you knitted a whole poncho, minus the hole.

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