Cutie Pie Felted Bags

CUTIE PIE FELTED BAGS

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Skill Level: Easy

Sizes: Small (Medium)

Small measures approx. 9" w. x 8" h. before felting, approx. 7" w. x 5" h. after.

Medium measures approx. 14.5" w. x 11.5" h. before felting, approx. 11" w. x 8" h. after.

Materials:

Note: Do not use white, off-white or superwash-treated wool as it will not felt.

(Samples shown in Brown Sheep "Lamb's Pride Bulky" with "Fizz" eyelash trim)

For 2-color bag: 75-100 yds. each of 2 colors of bulky weight wool or wool/mohair blend that felts.

For 1-color bag: 125 yds. bulky weight wool or wool/mohair blend that felts.

20 yds. eyelash yarn for trim

Size N/15 (10 mm) & I/9 (5.5 mm) crochet hooks, or sizes needed to achieve gauge

Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Gauge: 8 dc = 4", 4 rows dc = 4" (before felting) on size N/15 (10 mm) hook

Stitches/Terms: back loop only (BLO), beginning (beg), chain (ch), double crochet (dc), front loop only (FLO), repeat (rep), single crochet (sc), slip stitch (sl st), stitch (st)

Method: Bags are worked in rounds from bottom to top, working from both sides of starting chain to form seamless tube. Work loosely to allow for maximum felting action.

Note on color changes: Colors can be changed on any round, but on the first round of the new color, work in back loop only around (the free loop will be used for attaching eyelash trim before felting).

Small Bag

Rnd 1: Ch 20, dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in next 15 ch, work 4 dc in last ch, working in free loops on opposite side of starting chain, dc in next 15 ch, 2 dc in last ch, join with sl st (38 dc)

Rnds 2-4: Ch 3, dc in ea dc around, join with sl st (38 dc)

Rnd 5 (decrease round): Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, dc next 2 dc tog, *dc in next 5 dc, dc 2 tog, repfrom * around, ending with dc in last 3 dc, join with sl st (33 dc)

Rnd 6: Ch 3, dc in ea dc around, join with sl st (33 dc)

Rnd 7: Working in back loops only, slip stitch loosely in ea dc around, join with sl st and fasten off.

Medium Bag

Rnd 1: Ch 28, dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in next 23 ch, work 4 dc in last ch, working in free loops on other side of ch, dc in next 23 dc, work 2 dc in last dc, join with sl st (54 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, work 2 dc in ea of next 2 dc, dc in next 23 dc, work 2 dc in ea of next 4 dc, dc in next 23 dc, work 2 dc in ea of next 2 dc, join with sl st (62 dc)

Rnds 3-6: Ch 3, dc in ea dc around, join with sl st (62 dc)

Rnd 7 (decrease round): Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, dc next 2 dc tog, *dc in next 5 dc, dc 2 tog, rep from * around, ending with dc in next 4 dc, dc last 2 dc tog, join with sl st (53 dc)

Rnd 8-11: Ch 3, dc in ea dc around, join with sl st (53 dc)

Rnd 12: Working in back loops only, slip st loosely in ea dc around, join with sl st, fasten off and weave in ends.

Handles (for both sizes):

Holding 3 strands of yarn tog, attach strands at one side of bag with sc, ch 35 (60), attach to other side of bag with sc, fasten off and weave in all ends.

Eyelash Trim (for both sizes):

With size I hook, working in free loops of round where color change was made and also in free loops of last round before slip st round, attach strand of eyelash yarn with sc in any stitch. Work one or two sc in ea free loop around, join with sl st, fasten off and secure ends (the tails may come loose in the felting process so weave them back in later).

Shoulder Bag Option:

Follow instructions for small bag, but work in both loops on every round and omit eyelash trim. For handle, ch 125 instead of 35.

Felting instructions:

Set washing machine to low water level, hot water, heavy duty agitation and add a drop or two of mild liquid soap (such as Ivory Liquid). Place crocheted bag in washer along with old faded denim jeans to improve agitation. Let the machine agitate the bag for about 10 minutes, then check to see how bag is felting. Do NOT let the water drain out or go to rinse cycle, but continue to check every 5 minutes until bag has reached desired amount of felting (sample bags took about 20 minutes to felt completely). Keep resetting machine to agitation cycle if necessary. When bag is desired size, remove from washer and rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water in sink. Press between dry towels to remove as much water as possible, then lay flat on more dry towels and leave to dry completely. Trim loose strands and fluff up eyelash trim.

For personal or charity use only. Do not duplicate pattern for commercial purposes.