Purses, Bags & Totes Project of the Month: November

Anemone Felted Bag

Design by Angela Slaughter

Felted accessories continue to be hot fashion favorites, and this lovely bag, with its exceptional detailing and eye-catching floral display, captures the beauty of felting at its best.

Skill Level
Easy

Finished Sizes
Unfelted: 6 1/2 x 10 x 11 inches, excluding handles
Felted: 6 x 8 1/2 x 11 inches

Materials

• Brown Sheep Company Lamb’s Pride bulky (chunky) weight wool yarn (4 oz/125 yds/113g per skein): 3 skeins #M07 sable
• Brown Sheep Company Lamb's Pride medium (worsted) weight wool yarn (4 oz/190 yds/113g per skein): 1 skein each #M191 kiwi, #M14 sunburst gold, #M197 red hot passion, #M182 regal purple, #M57 brite blue, #M65 sapphire and #M05 onyx
• Sizes J/10/6mm and K/10 1/2/6.5mm crochet hooks or size needed to obtain gauge
• Tapestry needle
• Sewing needle
• Sewing thread
• DMC embroidery thread #3787
• 5 x 6 inch dark brown wooden handles
• 7 x 11 inch piece of 10-mesh plastic canvas
• 1 inch decorative buttons: 4
• 3/4 inch magnetic snap
• Black seed beads: 90
• Stitch markers

Gauge
Size K hook: 12 sc = 4 inches; 14 sc rows = 4 inches

Pattern Notes
Bag is worked as 1 piece with 1 strand of bulky yarn starting with an oval base. Join with slip stitch as indicated unless otherwise stated.

Bag
Bottom
Rnd 1: With size K hook and sable, ch 12, sc in 2nd ch from hook, working in back lps (see Stitch Guide), sc in each of next 9 chs, place marker, 3 sc in last ch, working on opposite side of ch, sc in rem lp of each of next 10 chs, place marker, 3 sc in last ch, join (see Pattern Notes) in beg sc. (26 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across to marker, always move marker in each rnd, 2 sc in each of next 3 sts, sc in each st across to next marker, move marker, 2 sc in each of last 3 sts, join in beg sc. (32 sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across to marker, [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 3 times, sc in each st across to marker, [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 3 times, join in beg sc. (38 sc)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, *sc in each st across to marker, [2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts] 3 times, rep from * once, join in beg sc. (44 sc)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, *sc in each st across to marker, [2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 3 sts] 3 times, rep from * once, join in beg sc. (50 sc)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, *sc in each st across to marker, [2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 4 sts] 3 times, rep from * once, join in beg sc. (56 sc)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, *sc in each st across to marker, [2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 5 sts] 3 times, rep from * once, join in beg sc. (62 sc)
Rnd 8: Ch 1, *sc in each st across to marker, [2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 6 sts] 3 times, rep from * once, join in beg sc. (68 sc)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, *sc in each st across to marker, [2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 7 sts] 3 times, rep from * once, join in beg sc, remove markers. (74 sc)

Body
Rnds 1-36: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join in beg sc. At end of last rnd, fasten off.

Side Sash
Make 2.
Row 1: With size K hook, ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn.
Rows 2–14: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. At end of last row, fasten off.

Handle Loop
Make 4.
Row 1: With size K hook, ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (3 sc)
Rows 2–16: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. At end of last row, fasten off.

Flower
Center
Make 6.
With size J hook and 2 strands onyx, ch 3, 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join in beg sc. Fasten off.

Petals
Make 6 using flower colors.
Row 1: With size J hook and 2 strands of yarn, ch 16, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn.
Row 2: Ch 1, (sc, dc, sc) in each st across. Fasten off.
Roll Petals tog, place Center in center of Petals, tack at bottom edges to hold in place.

Leaf
Make 6.
With size J hook and 2 strands of kiwi held tog, ch 12, sc in 2nd ch from hook, working in back lps, sc in each of next 2 chs, dc in each of next 4 chs, sc in each of next 3 chs, sl st in last ch, working on opposite side of ch in rem lps, sc in each of next 3 chs, dc in each of next 4 chs, sc in each of next 3 chs, sl st in same ch as beg sc. Fasten off.

Finishing
Center and sew Handle Loops to top edge of Bag attaching handles as shown in photo.
Sew 1 Side Sash around each end as shown in photo.

Felting Place Bag, Flowers and Leaves into zippered mesh bag to prevent loose fibers from coating your washing machine.
Add 1 tablespoon of dish soap and a pair of jeans or another piece of laundry.
Set washer on smallest load and hot water. Start the machine and check the progress after about 10 minutes. Check the progress more frequently after the piece starts to felt.
Run through another wash cycle if needed.
Do not allow washer to drain or spin until piece is the desired size; spinning will cause creases in felted piece.
When felted to desired size, rinse it by hand in warm water; cold water will continue the felting process.
Remove excess water by rolling pieces in towel and squeezing.
Block Bag in shape and insert clean plastic bags inside to hold shape while drying. Smooth out Handle Loops and Sides Sashes.
Shape and block Flowers and Leaves.
Allow pieces to dry completely. May take 1 or 2 days.

Assembly
Sew 1 button to each end of Side Sashes.
Attach handles to Handle Loops.
Using straight stitch (see Fig. 1) with embroidery floss, embroidery vein in center of each Leaf.
Sew beads in cluster in center of each Center of Flowers.
Sew Flowers and Leaves to 1 side of Body of Bag as desired or as shown in photo.
Cut plastic canvas to fit inside bottom of Bag. Place inside Bag.

DOWNLOAD
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• Afghan Project of the Month
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