From Lyn: Part 2: The felting went really easily, although I used my washing machine, without putting the bag inside a pillow case, etc. Thankfully the wm still works! Next time I'll remember the precautions. There will certainly be a next time though.

From Lyn: Part 1: I used my own grey handspun wool, which was too coarse to use as a clothing article. But first I dyed it with food dyes, and as they were all on the grey wool, the colours turned out to be quite harmonious. I knitted it a bit larger than the pattern said, which seems to be common with me, and although I followed the pattern re the handles, they turned out to be a bit short.

From Suzette: Behold the finished product! I'm really happy with how this turned out. The colours worked really well, I think (the bottom band of purple is actually a little deeper than the photo suggests). I was going to give this away as a gift, but I've decided that I really, really need another knitting bag!

This took one cycle of hot wash/cold rinse in the top loader to reduce by about two-thirds.

From Suzette: This is my version of Sophie, as in, I sort of followed the pattern.

I used two strands of Bendigo Rustic on 10 mm circulars. I had the idea of dark at the bottom grading to light at the top, which looks a bit harsh in the pre-felted form.

I was a little random in the decreases - they were meant to be every ten rows, however I often forgot and found myself doing them after about twelve rows and then whenever it looked appropriate.

The original handles didn't grab me so I knitted two I-cords using double strand and four stitches across and then sewed them on after felting.

From Cindie: Ah - what can I say - quick, easy and every 4year old girls dream! Suits me, especially for a quick knit fix, a completed product and birthday pressies! And more of the fun felting stuff!

The inspiration came from wanting to felt a bag and for want of a better design, making a Sophie. Although happy with the felted result I hate the handles (and knew I would), so bag 2 was an amended Sophie - then I thought - why not make a bit more of an amendment and really shrink it and see what happens! That is when I became hooked and 5 mini-bags later I’m still going - making up patterns as I go!