Now For Something New!

Something new also happens to be the Challenge this week over at Linda's alphabet challenge....not sure if this counts though....it's not a papercraft...but it is a craft and it is my first attempt at it, so maybe it will count.

Back in August I met the wonderful Bev Beattie at the NEC Quilt Show where I fell in love with her felted bags. She had just bought out a book full of fab patterns and promptly sold out at the show so I had to wait for a few weeks before I could get hold of a copy! I'd never tried felting before, but it was something that I have fancied trying for a while now.


I started knitting my first bag last Wednesday (couldn't justify starting it until I finished the piece of knitting I already had on the go, incidentally started 2 years ago I think...oops!) while the girls were doing Syncro training. It grew very quickly especially as once started I found it rather hard to put down....it even went with me in the car so that I was clicking and clacking while waiting for the girls to come out of school.

At first the bag looked rather like a string vest (see above and right) or as Bev says an ugly duckling.

At this stage I would have been very worried that I had gone totally wrong, but luckily Bev showed me a bag at the NEC that was ready to be felted so I knew what to expect!

Once felted, the bag is totally transformed. I'm really pleased with the result...I didn't do it exactly as per the pattern in the book, I phoned Bev and she was right there with lots of help and advice! If you fancy seeing Bev's work why not pop over her web site www.knitting4fun.com











These last two pictures show my finished bag complete with beaded centres for the flowers....so what did I do differently to the pattern?...well I wanted knitted handles instead of plastic ones and the large flower has a smaller one as its centre.

I've spent far too long on the computer this morning...I really should be off now!

Sue
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