I finished the felted bag with the infamous I-cord bind-off.
The somewhat less-than- optimal photograph is the result of attempting to capture two of the most difficult colors and textures -- reds and fuzzy black. The latter was determined to reflect whatever ambient light there was, resulting in a black bag that looked surprisingly silverly. The bag has a few puckers and wrinkles, but those should go away once it is fully loaded.
Overall, the bag turned out well. Tragically, I have absolutely no use for it at present. The coat I made it to go with is long gone. My tote bag supply runneth over, to the extent that I donated nearly a dozen of various types to the Salvation Army last month. As a purse, it lacks any of the internal organizational features that I prefer, like pockets or dividers, plus, being black, it is difficult to find anything inside. I could line it with a light-colored print and perhaps sew some pockets onto that, but, really, what are the chances? If I can't knit it, I'm not interested...
So, for now, this will sit as an object to be admired rather than as an object to be used. Perhaps it will be a gift. Most likely we will sell it at the library fund-raising booth, probably for less than the cost of the yarn.
::sigh::
For some reason -- primarily a lack of clear thinking -- I thought I had to knit four ropes of I-cord for the handles, even though the pattern clearly specified two. So I knit 240 miles yards inches of I-cord instead of 120. And now I have these:
They will undoubtedly become cat toys.
Very well-made, luxury cat toys.
I should invest in some catnip with which to stuff them,
just to ensure that they are properly enjoyed.
