Market Tote Bag

This is my new favorite pattern. I'm making another one in brown and natural combination. Once it's done, both bags will be felted. I can't wait to see how they will turn out.

French Market Bag Redux

I finished knitting these two French Market bags more than a month ago, but since I don't have a washing machine at home, it took a while before they could be felted.

Last week-end, I had a chance to use my sister's washing machine so the two bags were finally felted. In the end, I realized that I used a gray non-felting wool yarn for the bottom of the red-and-blue bag that no matter how long I felted it, the holes on the bottom of the bag would not disappear. I have not figured yet how to remedy the obvious error.

Vietnam Bag

This is one of my favorite bags. My sister bought it when we went to Vietnam a few years ago. The bag's a bit worn out but I like the shape so much that I thought about knitting a similar-shaped bag for quite some time now.

The other week, I set out to make a bag based on a pattern I found on the web, but somewhere along the way, I decided to make my own pattern based on the Vietnam bag. When I finished the bag, the strap was curving inward and was thinking about how to fix it when I remembered the worn-out bag. I decided to take the bag apart and use the materials for the knitted version of it.

This is how the bag looked after I sewed the handle in. The original handle was longer than the knitted version. I think things worked out perfectly - at least when it came to the handles. I still have to figure out how to sew the lining since I haven't done anything like it before. I also have to decide if I should put a zipper or just add a flap or button. The zipper might be too much for me to handle.

Crafts Day

Yesterday was craft's day at home. I just finished - okay, half-finished, knitting another bag the other day. It's half-finished because I plan to put a lining and maybe a zipper to it. It's my first time to do this so I don't know how long it will take.

While waiting at a doctor's office yesterday, I started crocheting a multi-purpose bowl. I could have finished it in one day, but I wanted to work on it while I'm outside the house - in the car while caught in traffic perhaps, or spending my lunch break in the office. This yarn and crochet hook is what I used in learning how to crochet in the round from my son's Handwork teacher and classmate.

I remembered my unfinished Waldorf doll, which I had to stop working on when we moved. I was able to start sewing the arms to the back of its neck while there was natural light. This is how it looked when I did the head, which I found out is too big for its body. Note to self: Next time, work on the body first before the head.

After dinner, while I was waiting for the brownies to bake, my son, his nanny and I started making needle-felted dolls. We first did a couple of these dolls in Chicago which we gave to my nephew and niece. The doll on the left was made my son (a baby with a messenger bag), while the one on the right was made by his nanny.

Another French Market Bag

This is one of my favorite patterns. There are thousands of felted bag patterns online, but I find myself doing the simple, basic designs. I don't really go for complicated felted bags. I like clean lines, whether they be bags, shoes or clothes.

I had a hard time starting this pattern because I had to use 4 needles with only 2 stitches in each needle and I kept getting an unsightly and unneeded hole in the middle.

It took me several tries before I could get it right. Next time, I will use a technique I learned recently which will allow me to use a circular needle instead of double-pointed needles in knitting small round items. I also used kitchener stitch or grafting in joining the handles. The first French Market Bag I made had ugly handles because I used a simple stitch which turned out too bulky.

I don't have a washing machine yet, so felting this bag will have to wait.

From Cloche to Bowl

What was originally a cloche pattern ended up as bowl after I felted it too long and became too small for my head!

One-Skein Bag

This is my latest project. It's a small bag, obviously. I felted it for a short time because I didn't want it to be smaller than it already was.

Fake-a-Gamo bag

I made another version of the Fake-a-Gamo bag. This time I knitted it in the round so I don't have to sew the bag panels, something I prefer not doing. The bag is a request from my mother-in-law. She wanted it in black and gray. I'll probably do one again using the same method, but using a brighter color. It will have to be on my to-do list as I'd like to work on another felted bag. I made a cloche hat a few weeks ago and that's waiting to be felted.

Same Yarn, Different Outcome

I used the same yarn for these two bags, but I prefer how the yarn turned out on the French Market Bag (left). I have a similar yarn in different shades of pink which I plan to use for another Market Bag.

Finished Projects

I made another Buttonhole bag, but this time I made the bag longer, much like a bag that I really like which I got from Vietnam.

Here's the bag before felting. I forgot to take its dimensions. Oh well.




Here's the bag after felting. There seems to be a crease on this side, which I hope I can still fix.


I also made my very first French Market Bag. I don't really like the color of this yarn, but it's in my stash so I wanted to use it for this bag because I wasn't sure how it will turn out.


Here's the bag after felting. I found the perfect box to use for shaping it. I just hope the bag will stand on its own and will retain it's boxy shape once it's dried. If it does, then I'd like to make another one.

Fake-a-Gamo bag

I finally finished the Fake-a-Gamo bag, but didn't follow the pattern when it came to the handle. I am thinking of adding a lining to the inside of the bag.

Waldorf Doll

I just ordered a Waldorf doll kit and have started working on the doll's head before I realized I didn't have everything I need to complete it, such as pins and a good pair of fabric scissors. After making this, I hope to make more using other materials from the book I purchased recently.

WIP: Fake-a-Gamo Bag

I am taking a break from making felted bags by working on this bag, which is supposed to be a knock-off of a crocheted Ferragamo bag. We'll see how this turns out.

Hobo Bag with Flap and Pocket

Before felting

After felting

Inner pocket

I altered the pattern of the hobo bag by adding a flap and an inner pocket. Next time, I will try to add the pocket after felting because sewing it before felting made the back part of the bag uneven.

Sandwich Bag

Here's a before and after photo of a felted sandwich bag. I still can't decide what closure to use - magnetic clasp or a button.

WIP: Messenger Bag

This messenger bag is not quite done yet. I might add some trimmings on the flap so it's not too plain and will felt it some more as I'd like it smaller than this.

Multi-Colored Button Hole Bag

Here's a before and after photo of the Button Hole Bag. I used a multi-colored yarn by Patons and I made the bag taller, but it still needs some tweaking. I'm not happy with the shape, but I am learning new things as I work on different bags.

Red Bag

I felted the red bag twice, because after the first run, the stitches were still visible (left).

Finished projects

I finally finished the wavy scarf yesterday. I did not knit during the holidays and I was bent on getting it done soon so I can start on another project.

The bag on the left was done in early December, but it has yet to be felted. I am working on a lunch bag and will felt both together.