Another really exciting workshop on Saturday - the second "Design & Make a Bag" - with everyone working very hard to achieve these bags. For some it was only their second felting session and I think the results are remarkable and speak for themselves. Some of the bags may need a bit more felting and finishing... And although the workshops should have really finished at 4pm our enthusiasm carried us through until 5pm, by which time I had to call it a day. KC was knocking on the door to help pack away!
Here are this week's bags, plus some of the bowls previously made in the "Soft Pots & Bowls" workshop.
With so much bag making going on around me I just had to try out a design I'd been planning for a while. Several years ago I knitted this samplar bag on the left, using up lots of small skeins of natural dyed wools I'd accumulated over many dyeing sessions. I just love the shape, the tassels & the plaits, and have always wondered if it would work in felt.
The shape is similar, but that's about it - the finished result is of course a completely different animal. The feel of the bag is totally different, the 4 layers make it thick, chunky & warm ( I want to keep my hands in it!) The bold pattern & colour is typically felty. It's interesting to see what does/does not successfully translate into different media and I was pleased enough with my felt version to make a second. Again, KC my master plaiter made all the plaits for me.
I don't actually 'wear' many of my bags - I tend to hang them up at home. These remind me of quivers (def: a case to hold arrows) and I'm keeping my knitting needles in them… for now!
I think I may have gained some allies from the workshops. Everyone comments that felt making is physically tough, results don't come quick! My quiver bags each represent 6-8 hours work, including finishing & plaiting time. What price can one put on such things? That's why I'm keeping these... for now, but I will be making more in the weeks to come for sale, trying out some different colour variations and will bring them along to the various events this Spring...