Question-Finishing a felted handbag

foothills · 03-18-2005, 04:32 PM

Hello 2nd family

I have just finished knitting a felted handbag out of Galway and Pouf! and the pattern tells me to felt the bag, which I haven't done yet, and then once dry, fold the bag sides in half (pleat) and using a strand of Galway, tack in place. Does this mean to tack in one place and do I do it on the inside of the work? Since I don't have a picture of the finished bag, I can't figure out exactly how to interpret this direction. I saw a smaller version of the handbag at the lys, but I do not recall a pleated side. Any ideas? I've attached a photo of the pre-felted bag. Thanks!

Joyce

KellyK · 03-19-2005, 04:11 PM

I think that means to take your tapestry needle & sew one strand of thread through each pleat (all 4 layers) & tie it tight so that the pleat stays in place while drying.

foothills · 03-19-2005, 04:56 PM

That is what I thought until I carefully read the directions...The pattern for the totebag that I did a couple of weeks ago had you pleat and finish the bottom BEFORE felting, the instructions for this handbag have you fold the bag sides in half and tacking in place AFTER felting, which seems odd to me. Thanks for your thoughts!

foothills · 03-19-2005, 05:00 PM

Kelly, I meant to say that it tells you to tack in place AFTER it has air dryed.

happenin · 03-20-2005, 04:59 PM

For a little more detail on how to finish the handles, check out the bags on KH's free patterns page. There's a link to the Booga Bag which goes into more detail on finishing after felting and installing the handles without tacking/sewing.

foothills · 03-21-2005, 02:48 AM

Here's a photo of the air drying (via a trash container!) handbag I finished today. I decided to change the insertion of the i-cord to the sides of the bag because I wanted the handles to be longer rather than 2 short handles. I didn't have a photo of the finished bag, so wasn't sure how it was supposed to look. The lys owner told me that she slit a buttonhole into the bag after it was dry but I failed to ask her what she "slit" it with...any ideas?!!

KellyK · 03-21-2005, 02:51 AM

JOYCE, IT LOOKS GREAT!!!!!

foothills · 03-21-2005, 02:55 AM

Thanks Kelly! I'm about to begin a Booga bag (or my interpretation of the pattern!) for my daughter-in-law...the pattern calls for twisted stitches...how do you intentionally twist stitches?!!

KellyK · 03-21-2005, 06:05 AM

I THINK you knit into the right side of the front of the st's, but I am NOT sure.....I just know that that's the way you knit with the "combined" method, and that produces twisted st's. I think you better wait for others to confirm or deny my theory here.

happenin · 03-21-2005, 08:10 AM

Lucky, Lucky, you foothills,

As a reforming combi knitter by nature, I can tell you that you have 2 choices.

As Kelly said, and probably the easiest.....instead of knitting from the left in the usual manner, do it from the right side of the loop...approaching the back most part of the loop from right to left. (the opposite of the usual, proper way). See Amy's Combined Knitting video and/or explanation for more info.

Alternately, you can do a combined purl, which you can see in Amy's video on the topic of Combined Purl if you're interested.

I'd recommend the knit stitch though.....as I think the purl stitch twists and tightens things up so much that you'll find it hard to work your proper knit stitch in the follow up row.

Try them both and see which way works best for you. But do not stack one row of Combined Knit with a Combined Purl in the next row....or you'll have created "proper/untwisted" stockinette, thereby defeating what you're looking to do.

Keep it simple and then forget it as fast as you can after you're done with the project. Trust me, you don't want to pick up this bad habit! LOL