shrink - shrank - shrunk
January 24th, 2007Despite not having the handles knit yet, I decided last night, to go ahead and put the bag in the washer. But before I show you the end result, I need to share the before beauty of fair isle. You know the inside, the guts, the hard work...
Look at all the ends to weave in! And weave them in I did.. meticulously, saving all of them in a little pile.
Stunning. Beautiful. I couldn't stop staring at it all day long. But despite the calls from Amanda and Richard's mom to resist the washing machine, this baby was far too big to even serve as a cozy for my Kitchen Aid mixer. Perhaps it could have been a microwave cozy? It served no purpose non-felted.
This baby lost ten inches in circumference and 6 inches in length, and is now about the right size to serve as a laptop case (too bad my iBook died!) So at this point I'm not even sure if I'll complete the straps and finish. I mean it is sturdy, and would make a nice SMALL tote bag, but all that beautiful fair isle is GONE. I swear, I checked the washer and it hadn't even started to felt with three minutes left of the wash cycle. I assumed it would need a second cycle in the washer, but left it to see if the cold rinse would help. So.. I.walked.away for three minutes, only three minutes! Peeps, this never even made it to the cold rinse. I pulled it out before. Can you imagine what I'd have it if it made it to the rinse cycle? Surely I would have a new wallet!
If I do go ahead and make another, I will definitely A) alter the charts and make them bigger B) choose my colors better and C) try not to over felt (which usually isn't a problem I encounter!)
I'm not sure if I should laugh about it, cut it up like Mia did to hers, or just cry.
Around a year ago on this day..
- Cross Post - 2008
- How Carla Got Her Groove Back - 2006
January 24th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
too freakin funny carla! It really, REALLY looked nice in the prefelt stage.. and actually.. before I read your whole post, i was going to say that YOU must have followed directions because I thought that’s how it was SUPPOSED to look
But it WAS fun to make, don’t ya think?
January 24th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
can you hear me weeping over here? i can’t believe you felted. though maybe if my color work came as naturally and looked as good as yours i wouldn’t think twice about it!
January 24th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
I would still add handles to it. Maybe purchased ones, because I know you aren’t in the mood to knit them. I am sorry that your are disapointed. What yarn did you use? I think you said on the KAL, but I don’t remember. Please post your pics on the KAL and remind us of the yarn you used and your details about the bag. You are right, your fair isle work is beautiful. You did a fantastic job knitting this bag.
It can always be donated if you don’t want to keep it.
January 24th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Carla, I’m so disappointed for you. It was so gorgeous pre-felt. I would just shove it in the bottom of the closet and not look at it again for quite awhile.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Cool - it is still beautiful - but tiny! It’s all good.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:41 am
- I think it is still pretty… but man, that fair isle before felting was so eye-catching, the colors were perfect. If it is the size of your lap-top, then it is a good size for a bag… a shoulder bag? or maybe store bought wooden handles. Since it was so beautiful before felting, i know it would be a lot of work, but would you be able to make one that isn’t felted? or only partially felted, and maybe line it? I wouldn’t toss it or cut it up… it’s still too pretty to do that.
- I just shake my head in wonder… i knit, but nothing like what you do.
hugs, ma
January 25th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Since I’m not a knitter and have no clues on felting I don’t know what this was supposed to be. I think it was gorgeous before and still very pretty after. What about making it a shoulder bag of some sort?
March 22nd, 2007 at 11:52 am
[...] In other knitting, I finally decided to finish the felted fair isle tote (remember that beast?) I couldn’t find store bought handles that I felt would fit the design of the bag, so I went ahead and knit the handles last night while watching tv. They’ll be going in the washer at some point today, then sewn to the bag. I also bought some more yarn a few weeks ago to start another fair isle tote, and I may just start it soon. I’m itching for some fair isle! [...]