From Diana: Progress up to 4th July includes felting the sample swatch (twice) and getting started on the base.

The sample got its first taste of being felted when I threw it in the wash with a load of darks. It did felt, but the stitches were still fairly well defined and the fabric still had some stretch in it. I decided (after seeing Suzette's sample at GJ's) to give it another working over by hand and am really pleased with the results. It's produced a nice firm thick fabric, and interestingly the additional felting has reduced the width but hasn't made any change to the height after the first felting. Which is good - I am planning to knit the bag a bit taller than the pattern instructions.

The base is starting to take shape - I found the dpn's a bit of a fiddle but have now got into the swing. Am finding I need to pay some attention to what I am doing though, so that I increase for the full round (and not for more than a round).

Haven't decided exactly how to work in the contrast colour yet, so lots of fun still to come. Feel like I am miles behind others, but I've just got too much on to spend more time knitting!