I promised a picture of my side by side Modular Totes and voila:
I now love my new purse ;). Felting is an amazing phenomenon — it transforms an ugly duckling into a relatively ::beautiful:: swan! Even DH said he had held out little hope for the purse and now thinks it’s great.
Lettie wants to use it as a knitting bag for smaller projects:
The original pattern can be purchased as a pdf download hard copy to be mailed* from the Yarnery for $4.50. The changes I made to transform the large tote into a purse are written in this file: Modular Purse Modifications, which can be found in our Free Patterns section — upper righthand corner. You will need to buy the original pattern.
June asked what I did in the blocking process to prevent the flap from getting “wavy” — answer: nuthin. I think the firm i-cord edge may have prevented the ruffling effect, but other than that I did nothing special. Now, I will go forth and use my lil spring-colored bag — woo hoo!
*Please note correction! The Yarnery will send you a hard copy of the Modular Tote Pattern, not send an electronic pdf.
It’s just gorgeous! Both of them are, in fact. I agree: felting is a little bit of magic.
Comment by Karen B. — November 25, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
I wish I had read, and followed, your Bohus advice before starting my Forest Darkness. The change from the yoke, where I was working with multiple yarns and only knit stitch on circular needles, to the body, where I switched to one color only and to both knit and purl stitches on straight needles, caused my gauge to become so much looser that the sweater actually RUFFLES where the body joins the yoke. SOB! The thing looks just bizarre. It’s UNWEARABLE! I’m heartbroken! I have spent dozens of hours on this damn thing, and I followed the pattern meticulously, and I wound up with something that’s unwearable. After all that work. This is the third knitting project in a row I’ve done that has had to be tossed out. The other two were my fault, because I either didn’t check my gauge ahead of time or I tried to modify the pattern, but this one really wasn’t my fault. I followed the pattern to the letter.
Comment by victoria — November 25, 2007 @ 5:02 pm
Susan, I don’t know how to reach you with a question about the mitered sweater class. Can you e-mail me, please? Thanks. Desyl
Comment by Desyl — November 25, 2007 @ 5:30 pm
What is the sweater Lettie is modeling with the finished bags?
Comment by Jewel — November 25, 2007 @ 6:36 pm
Thanks for the feedback! It really does look great!
Comment by June — November 25, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
Your bags are lovely! I might have to try the smaller one for myself.
Comment by AuntieAnn — November 25, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
Niiiice! They’re both great! Everything is lined up perfectly!
Comment by Carol — November 25, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
The sweater Lettie is wearing is an Adrienne Vittadini pattern. Specific information on that pattern can be found here: https://theraineysisters.com/index.php?s=vittadini.
I’ve made the same sweater; it’s lovely and simple and very wearable.
Comment by surly — November 25, 2007 @ 9:18 pm
As the grandkids, and my secretary, would say the bags are “sweet”, meaning just cosy little happy making things. I’ve got to download that pattern from the Yarnery. I probably have the ingredients or most of them in my stash. I may have enough time to do one for the Christmas knitting. I have 15 to knit for and still have some folks with no FO’s by their name. Thanks, again Susan. You guys always have such great things. I just can’t keep up. I have still to buy the yarn for the Roslin hoodie, but it is in my queue as soon as the Christmas gifts and a couple of UFO’s are done.
Comment by Marcy — November 25, 2007 @ 11:32 pm
I love your blog and many of your works. I never leave a comment because i’m french and my english is so bad.
But today, i want to say that your 2 purses are marvellous and the pullover too.I ordered the pattern and i’ll make one soon.
A BIENTOT
Véronique
Comment by Véronique — November 26, 2007 @ 2:19 am
I keep saying that I have never felted anything intentionally. You beautiful bags are enough to make me change my mind. By the way, your new decrease instructions for Roslin worked perfectly! Even the center stitch came out exactly where it should. Now I’m ready for the next step.
Comment by Astrid — November 26, 2007 @ 8:34 am
Love both bags. I’m so addicted to throwing knitting into the washing machine, it’s frightening! Off to order the pattern. Thanks for the links and the great pictures.
Comment by Wendy O — November 26, 2007 @ 9:22 am
Husbands- pfffft! such little faith in your prowess with the knitting needles.
My only thing is, the bigger the bag, the more crap I seem to stuff in there.
The current vogue for suitcase size handbags hasn’t done my back any good.
They’re quite lovely.
Comment by Lorraine — November 26, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
I just love all the projects you both do, even the ones you’re not too happy with. I am in awe of all you and your
sister do. How did you learn to make all these modifications to patterns? Is it just years of experience or is there
a really good book to learn these things from? I made my son Galway from the Celtic Collection but I don’t really
like the neck on the sweater (too loose) but I don’t really know where to go to learn how to make changes. Maybe, its
just trial and error? Any advice would be appreciated.
Comment by Maureen Jones — November 27, 2007 @ 11:12 am
It’s PERFECT. One day I shall get around to knitting one but I only have a front loading washing machine and I think that is what is putting me off. Did you just put it into the machine and leave it alone, or did you take it out every now and again to see how it was doing? If it was the former then maybe there is hope for me!
Comment by Mindie — November 27, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
The totes look wonderful. Very perfect.
Comment by Kris — November 29, 2007 @ 2:07 am
Very nice!
Comment by Octopus Knits — November 29, 2007 @ 12:16 pm