Purple Felted Bag PICS

[dreemrytr]

Okay, I know I said I'd have this done by.... yesterday:eek but I was out of baking soda and dh and I were running around signing loan papers so I had little time anyway.

 

I DID get to it today, and it felted pretty much the way I expected it to. Originally, I'd thought the handles and tab had stretched in the fulling process, but after measuring them I found they did indeed shrink. When crocheted handles and tabs full they seem to appear longer to me, because they shrink more in width than length.

 

All images are clickable.. Here's the pre fulled front

 

 

and back, WITH my FULLED swatch laying on top, which will be sewn on after fulling to become a pocket.

 

 

The fulled bag is still wet and kind of lumpy yet, but I managed to get a couple pics... keep in mind its not the exact shape it will eventually be. Right now I just have it stuffed with plastic bags laying on a towel to get a lot of the moisture out. I will still invert on a box, once it's lost a lot of it's water weight.

 

(I just added new pics of the dry and shaped purse. All pics are clickable.)... Here it is... front...

and side...

 

and back... well, I decided I didn't like the swatch on the back as a pocket, so I deleted the picture.

 

I'll post later about the specifics of the yarn etc.... gotta go for now.

 

Debbie

[Chrome Kitty]

Too cute! Love the closure! I'm anxiously awaiting yarn info.

[dreemrytr]

Back again... just wanted to clarify the yarns I used in this bag and the pattern. The pattern was my own. I basically made a long rectangular piece in sc 15" wide and 25" long, with a 2 1/2" strip in the middle in a contrasting color (making the total length 27 1/2"), then I started a strip at the middle point the width of the 2 1/2" strip (so it basically just continued the same contrasting yarn out the side, forming the gusset). I made that the height of the bag (x2) plus 40" for the handle (a total of 65"). Then I sewed the gusset in on both sides of the purse using a slip stitch in the sides of rows. The gusset/handle/bottom of the purse were done in a very dense stitch. I don't know the name of it, but it's the stitch where you sc a row, then sc in back loops only, then on each following row you sc in the front loops a row below. I thought I'd experiment with using that stitch as the gusset and handle.

 

The yarns used on the main body were Cascade 220 (3-4 skeins!) paired with NY Yarns Pom Pom in Passion (1 fuzzy/hairy thread coupled with 1 knobby thread... the pom pom part - 3 skeins) The Pom Pom yarn I got for a steal at $1.99 a skein at my LYS. The contrasting stripe in the middle and the top of the purse were done in a super bulky, thick and thin 2-ply hand made/home spun yarn I purchased on Ebay, paired with the Pom Pom. Also, before and after the stripe in the middle I did a couple rows of Cascade 220 alone. The contrasting gusset/handle/bottom were all done in Cascade 220 alone.

 

Oh, the tab front was just a 3 1/4" wide x 5 1/2" long rectangle of sc in Cascade 220 alone, then I attached a narrow strip of sc to the bottom for the tear drop button hole (button to be attached later). The flower is just an embellishment. The swatch will be sewn in on the back side as a pocket.

 

I used a J hook.

 

This is probably W A Y more info than anyone ever would want, but I thought I'd share my simple design if anyone was interested.

 

Debbie

[Roli]

Debbie, you've designed a lovely purse. The colors are vibrant and interesting and the closure is really beautiful. I'd be proud to carry that bag!

[DesertCrocheter]

The bag is great! But whoa! Handles stretch? I just finished one of Marlo's great totes for my sister, and she had the directions on making the handles and attaching them after the directions on how to felt. I couldn't tell from the photo whether the handles had been felted or not. They are super long (I made an I-cord on the knitty knobby because I thought that might be more substantial), but I've never felted before and didn't know handles stretched lengthwise. Sis won't want a total with a 7 ft handle!! Anyone else had experience with this? Patty

[dreemrytr]

Patty,

 

Sorry for the confusion. I just measured the handles and they are 36" long, with a beginning pre fulled length of 42", so I was mistaken:confused... they DID shrink . Yesterday they just SEEMED long. .. but I hadn't measured them. And actually, the tab shrunk too... a total of 1/2" in length (and 3/4" in width). I guess I overreacted because everything gets narrower and just LOOKS longer. Today the length seems fine, I tried the purse on for size, and it's perfect. I'll have to amend my original post so I don't confuse everyone.

 

Thanks for pointing it out to me (I'm glad I measured it and can now go and set the record straight), and again, sorry. Good luck on your i-cord handle. Will you be fulling it? My first i-cord handle shrunk really well.

 

 

Debbie

[crochetmama]

Debbie, your purse is very pretty. I like the color, and it looks like it felted or fulled well.

 

And that brings me to a question, when you posted this in the Accessories Show and Tell section you called it a Fulled purse and here you called it a Felted purse. Are fulling and felting the same thing? I understand that felting is washing the wool item and it gets fuzzy so you can't see the individual stitches any more. Is fulling the same thing or is there a different look or technique?

 

Well, whichever it is, your purse is lovely, and I'm glad that you've taken the time to give us so much information. It really helps to read about what other crocheters have experienced.

 

Thanks for posting, Debbie. I hope you keep sharing such informative posts with us! BTW, I notice that you're relatively new to Crochetville. Welcome to the neighborhood!

[dreemrytr]

Hi Judy, thank you. Actually, FULLING is the proper term for washing/shrinking a knitted or crocheted item. FELTING is the washing/shrinking process of raw wool. Most people use the term FELTING only because it's more common. I use both terms interchangeably, and honestly didn't recall which term I'd used on this board or the accessories board. I didn't mean to confuse you...

 

Debbie

[C.D.]

Hi Judy, thank you. Actually, FULLING is the proper term for washing/shrinking a knitted or crocheted item. FELTING is the washing/shrinking process of raw wool. Most people use the term FELTING only because it's more common. I use both terms interchangeably, and honestly didn't recall which term I'd used on this board or the accessories board. I didn't mean to confuse you...

 

Debbie

 

Debbie,

I prefer fulling but felting seems to be more recognizable. I hope that with more fulling (crochet/knitting) done it will become more common to use fulling.

[crochetmama]

Thanks, Debbie and CD, for the information!

[christinascrochethaven]

Love this purple bag! Great job!