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Sunday, April 18, 2010

Finished and Felted: French Market Bag

Since I think of my projects by their Proper Names, a good pattern title can suck me in immediately...it's kind of its chance to make a good first impression. I saw this cute little felted bag pattern in a back issue of Knitty, and was entranced by the idea of it. A bag for the French market! How quaintly chic. Had it been called the Schlepping Stuff to the Library Bag it wouldn't have had nearly the same effect on me.

No, I want to imagine myself in my ballet flats, tiny Audrey Hepburn bangs, and striped t-shirt, wandering among the flower stalls in Paris with a baguette peeking out of my French Market Bag.



But since nothing about that scenario is actually going to happen--especially the very short bangs part, eek! Not a good look for me--I decided to enlarge the bag and give it the ability to close. Which makes it eminently more practical for schlepping stuff to the library, n'est ce pas?


But sigh, it was not to be. As I gleefully modified the pattern on the fly as I knit, I had more confidence in the felting process' ability to cover a multitude of sins than was, perhaps, warranted. When I finished felting I had a floppy, disproportionate bag unworthy of its name. I was about to say as much when my darling daughter caught sight of it and gasped, "Mommy! It's beautiful!!" So of course, I said, "I'm glad you think so! I made it for you!"

She will use it as a Moses basket for her dollies, but her little brother discovered its true function:



7 comments:

  1. Wow! SO impressive. I'm the same way about titles. I currently have five books waiting for me at the library--including Couture Crochet, European Crochet, and various other ones about modern, chic crochet!

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  2. Do you have a Ravelry account? There are so many awesome free patterns on there. (They cover knit and crochet, too).

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  3. awww, sorry it didn't work out amy...but its current function is quite nice. hey just throw a baguette in there with the cute kiddo anyways!

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  4. Haha...he would love that, I am sure!

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  5. Thanks for the tip! I will check it out!

    I found a blog called notmartha.org and she has knitting stories, as well as links to alot of projects.

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  6. Love that the kids can enjoy it!!!
    I think the colors are great!

    Are you going to try again?

    AM

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  7. Yeah, probably--but not right away. I love cardigans too much right now. :)

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