First Felted Tote

[cherokee]

Here is a 100% wool tote I crocheted and then felted in the washer. It is about 11" wide and 12" tall. I am very proud of how it turned out. It feels really nice on my shoulders which is a plus. Not sure if the picture will show the true colors but it is mostly brown with off white and blue stripes.

I first had trouble getting it to felt but then after reading about needing to have the water very hot, I retried the felting by setting a pot of water on the stove so that it could get hot as the washer filled up, when the agitation began in the washer I poured the hot water in with the tote. It felted in 15 minutes after that and I did not loose any color. The water never reached boiling by the time the agitation started in the washer but it was very very hot, scalding hot in fact.

 

I forgot to add that I used Lions Brand wool that I bought in Walmart. It felted up very fast once I used the hot water.

 

I can't decide whether to line it with cloth or not.....what do you all think? I need some suggestions, eager to start showing it off.....

 

[kimbo]

Beautiful job:clap ! Your tote is gorgeous! I wouldn't line it, it looks like it felted nicely and should be good and tight.

Kim

[yarn_monkey]

The tote is great! I love the color combo! As for lining, I probably would because I always seem to wind up with little bits of trash in the bottom (too hard to pick out with the felted wool, I would think). Plus, I always have lids on lip balms coming off and I get balm in my fibers and fibers in my balm! So IMHO, I vote line, even though I know you're totally anxious to show it off!

 

I've never felted anything, so I have few questions, if you don't mind... How big did you have to crochet it to get it that size after felting? And how much yarn (skeins of what, or yards or whatever) did it take to get it that size? I totally need to learn to do this!

[caitlinsmom]

Looks fantastic. I've never felted anything but I want to. Where did you get the pattern? I would be anxious to show it off too!

[cherokee]

The pattern is from here http://marloscrochetcorner.com/Round%20Winter%20Purse.html it is the Round Winter Purse but just made it taller and wider by adding more rows and increasing the size of the bottom in diameter taking in consideration loosing inches after felting.

I crocheted it until it was double the width I wanted and I stopped once it got around 16" tall. It would have been a little bigger than it is now but I ran it through a 2nd cycle to shrink it a little bit more, if I had settled for the size after 1 cycle through the washer it would have ended up being 14" tall and 13" wide. It is hard to guess how big to make it so I figured I would loose 5 to 6" so I made it according to that but then if I had settled for the first cycle I would have only lost about 3". This is my first felting so I will know now that I will not have to loose that many inches. I will just make it according to only loosing about 3" and running it through 1 cycle in the washer. I found felting to be very rewarding.

I used about 5 skeins of Lions Brand Wool from Walmart. 3 of the brown, 1 of the off white and 1 of the blue. I was very happy with this yarn. The tote turned out very sturdy.

I used 1 cup of baking soda, some laundry detergent and very very hot water. I did not loose any color at all after using the very hot water. I know some said you might loose color that way but I did not.

Thanks for the compliment, folks here on Crochetville are so sweet and encouraging.

 

Yarn Monkey.... you are welcome to ask any questions on felting by sending me a private message. I recommend you giving it a try, you will be addicted after your first one. I am already working on another.

[lis]

Wow, your bag's gorgeous! I generally don't really like how felted bags look but yours is great! Love the colour combination too!

[SPRAT605]

It is cool! You did a great job!

[cherrypicker]

thats a really great bag! I love felting, its great isnt it!

[bobwilson123]

i really want to try felting !!! but i looked the yarn the other day and it is gona be a big dollar adventure, so i am going to save some penies

[bobwilson123]

oh and i forgot .....love the bag it looks excellent !!!

[Mrs. Principal]

This is a great bag! I really need to learn how to do this and give it a try.

[matyson5]

Great Bag! I totally have to try this felting thing!!!

[misssmaggie]

Oh how pretty !!! Thanks for sharing!

[lhasaapsolady]

I think it looks terrific the way it is, very pretty.

[cherokee]

Thank you all for you nice comments.....I am flattered.

Anyone that has not felted I must say TRY IT!!!! I love the results and my purse feels so good when I tote it.

Someone said something about it being expensive to make....I have about 25.00 in this purse. I purchased the yarn at Walmart for 4.97 a skein and I bought about 5 skeins to make this. I would not be able to buy this tote for 25.00 from a seller so I think I came out pretty good.

[copchic905]

beautiful job

[cmg123]

Wow! That is one of the nicest felted bags of seen.

[hooked2]

Your tote is gorgeous!! And I love the colors.

 

I vote for a lining: it will make it easier to clean out debris at the bottom of the tote, add to the lifespan of the tote, and add some great color/pattern as a special little secret for you every time you look inside. A lining would also allow you to add a cellphone/IPOD/? pocket.

[cherokee]

Thanks for all the suggestions..... I may not be able to use my tote, the day after I used it for the first time, I awoke and my eyes were swollen and red. I am guessing it may be the wool. I put the tote away for a few days and will get it back out and use it and if my eyes swell up again I will know then it is the wool. I sure hope not because I love this tote better than any purse I have owned....It feels so good on my shoulders as I carry it.

Funny it did not seem to bother me as I crocheted it but now that it is felted and fuzzy it does.