Felted Tote on a Boat

 

The tote-on-a-boat is finished! Does anything feel as good as an FO?! Well, yes, I guess so, however an FO is right up there! The beginnings are mentioned here and here.
 

 It took two cycles of agitation in hot water, detergent, with a pair of jeans to felt the stitch definition out of this Rowan Colorscape yarn.

 

 I made a pocket by crocheting (because it was faster than knitting it) a rectangle and hand-sewing it on three sides with wool and a yarn needle. I was a bit concerned about how the crochet piece would felt compared to the knitting, but it is just perfect. Of course, I made the pocket twice the size of what I wanted and it worked beautifully.

 

I reinforced the bound off stitches for the handles by crocheting a strip across the stitches. I was concerned about the handles supporting the weight of the tote's contents. Does your bag ever feel like it weighs a ton like mine does?

This bag is ready to load with my netbook and camera and knitting and other necessities when DH and I board the train for the East coast, then a knitting cruise north along the coast to Canada and Nova Scotia! The cruise is with Craft Cruises, something that makes me smile as I think of it now. What is your Fiber news today?

On the deck table: Happy-happy blooms of pink geraniums and Iceland Poppies

Tote on a Boat -- And Train

 

I came home from a yarn crawl  with two cakes of Rowan Colorscape with no idea of a project for them. Then, the yarn spoke. "You are searching for a new tote for your upcoming travels. Use me." In obedience to the call of the yarn, I cast on 58 stitches with size 11 needles to make a felted tote bag.

 

I am knitting in stockinette to focus on the colors rather than a pattern. I knit for approximately 24 inches, then started the handles, which I hope will be long enough for a shoulder bag. For the handles, I knit 20 sts, then cast off 18, then knit the remaining 20 sts. When I purled back, I turned to the right side at the cast off sts and CO 50 sts, turned back to complete the purl side. I'm continuing in stockinette until the handles look long enough for felting. This is a huge guess on the length!

One yarn cake is for the front, one for the back, so I am using Cascade 220 for the handles. It will be interesting to see how the felting compares with two different yarns. I am thinking of adding an exterior pocket, but am undecided because I'd have to use 220 for that. Hmmmm, what's your advice on this?

 

This tote will be with me at the end of the month when DH and I board Amtrak and head off for New Jersey and a Fall cruise along the New England and Canadian coast. Smile, smile, smile!