The Bags are felted!

I was hoping to get to felting the bags yesterday, but it didn't happen, so I jumped right on it this morning. I usually do my felting in the washing machine, running a small, hot load, and flipping through the agitation cycle 3 or 4 times (without rinsing, saving the hot water) until things are felted to my satisfaction. The instructions for these bags suggested felting in the dryer. (?) I had never tried that, or even heard of it, but I'll try anything once.

It worked great! I ran the bags through one wash cycle, pulled them out dripping, and put them in the dryer for 10 (!) minutes. They came out like this:

They were still dripping, but the smaller one was nicely felted. The larger one could probably have gone a little longer, but I think it is fine:

I didn't get a picture of the green one in its unfelted floppiness. Even after felting it is pretty big. I tried to include enough information so you can see the difference in size. The blue/white one covers 2 boards, edging over into a 3rd board, the green one completely covers 3 boards, overflowing on to the fourth. I have to measure them now, so I can pick up the zippers, and I hope they are dry enough by Saturday to take to Michigan.

Do you like the color of the green one? I am pretty pleased by how the 4 different greens blended. I tried to do a gradation, and then I worried the colors were too different and wouldn't blend, but I think it is nice.

It was a race (again!) to finish before the yarn ran out. I skimped on a couple of the zipper facing rows, and ended up with a very small ball of the lightest green left, just enough to stitch down the facings and strap loops.

Today I hope to finish the cover for the bass. Wish me luck!

Doily

I love making doilies... but they do not fit into my lifestyle. DH will tell you that any horizontal surface is an invitation for clutter, so even if I had places to put doilies, they would get covered by stuff. So I was thrilled when I saw a floor doily on the internet some time ago. I immediately got out some of my old crochet books (The pattern I picked came from a magazine issued in 1991! I knew it would come in handy.).

This went so fast it was almost scary, and it turned out too big for the place I was going to put it. The color was for my bathroom, but I do not have this much floor space in my bathroom.

It will probably go on the floor in my bedroom, (on the old shag carpet) along with the braided rug vrom my grandma and a felted/embroidered rug I got from ebay from India.

I have to get going. I have a big project to do this week. DH bought an upright bass, and it needs a cover so we can store it at church. As "seamstress for the band" I accept this challenge!