Ok, so my bag is FINALLY done! I didn't work on it straight through, but used it as my "I'm bored waiting for DH to look at EVERY SINGLE TOOL at Home Depot" project. So I really don't know how long it would take to just make it.
One person on Ravelry listed it as BOR-ING. She is right. However, I prefer to have at least one 'boring' project going at all times so I can work on it in WalMart while waiting for my prescriptions etc etc etc. All those times when I could be knitting, but really don't want to work on something that requires thought.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bag,but there is one thing about it that I feared I would dislike.........and I do. I think the way the handles make the closure is SOOOO freaking cool.....BUT that also means that you have to take the purse off of your shoulder and take it all apart to get ANYTHING. And that's a PI(MY)A. I don't like it. I don't like it at all. But I love the bag. I love the looks. I love everything except the inconvenience of getting in and out of it. Will this 'make or break' our relationsship???? Tune in for the next season of "I Love Lucy Bag" to find out!!! (Hell, **I** don't even know the conclusion yet!!!!!) LOL!!!
After I made it I got a PM from another Ravelry member asking some questions about it. She asked some great questions, so I figured it might help someone else researching the Lucy Bag if I post the answer on here.
your olive Lucy bag
Sent at 9:35 PM December 18, 2008
Hi! :)
I just saw your olive Lucy Bag, doing a search on the projects for the pattern.
My sister saw one done in olive in a fancy LYS that she just Loved! It was done in Cascade 220 and had a nice finish to it. I was wondering how you liked the Patons for it? Would you use it again? I like the olive color. :)
I’m making one out of Eco+, and hoping it turns out well. I know the Cascade is great felting, but I have alot of Patons and thought maybe I’d make one with the denim marl for myself.
Did it really only take 1.5 skeins??
Thanks for reading, and hope you have a nice Christmas with your near and dear!
Patons vs Cascade 220
I have felted with both and have found no differences whatsoever. Both felted quickly and nicely with no problems. I have also felted with KnitPicks Wool Of The Andes and love that one as well. As far as I'm concerned they are equal enough that I let the $$$ be the deciding factor in choosing. Usually KP WOTA wins out because it is cheaper than Cascade and Patons. This time, however, Michaels was having 50% off on their Patons and I scooped up as much as I possibly could afford.........OK....I bought MORE than I could afford, but, hey... 50% off 100 wool felting yarn. I couldn't pass it up for ANYTHING!!!!
I bought the Olive Green, the New Denim, and later on I found some Lion Wool on clearance at WalMart for $3.50 a skein. I REALLY wanted to do the Lucy bag in Denim Marl, but, alas, they didn't have any....not even any at regular price.
So bottom line is, I would definitely use the Paton's again.........and I wouldn't hesitate to use the Lion Brand or the Knit Picks WOTA for this project. It's a lot of monotonous knitting.....and I would hate to waste all that knitting time on a yarn that screwed it up in the end...but I have full confidence in these yarns.
I used 1 skein which lasted me up until Row 74. I changed skeins there and made the large bag with the really long strap (I even had to stretch it a little after felting though). I just weighed the remainder of the yarn and have 1.3oz left over for a total of 5.7oz for the whole bag. Hmmm, I wonder if that's how much the bag itself weighs. It seems heavier than that, but I would think that it weighs less due to the fuzzy coming off in the washer (and, I'm sure, into my impeller...oh well) Plus what ended up on the kitchen floor when I shaved that sucker! It looked like I was shearing a Army sheep! LOL!!!
Notes about felting. I felted it with baby shampoo in a small load, hot water with my husband's size 44 black jeans. (My favorite jeans for felting) It took a while but it felted up great except for the handle. Next time I will mess with the handle at each 10min check. (I always set the timer for 10 minutes...turn the washer on...and then check it...the put the washer back to the start of the cycle and set the timer for 10 minutes again). The lower parts of the long handle curled in while felting so they are narrower and have a ridge on the edges. The top of the handle is wider and flat. Actually I REALLY like it that way because it makes for a better and more comfortable strap on the shoulder. BUT, being the control freak that I am, I only want it to be that way if ***I*** did it on purpose! LOL!!!
Just a heads up....keep an eye on your strap while felting.
After it came out of the wash I rolled in in a large towel and stood on it to get as much water as possible out of it. Then I put a small (22" diameter) soccer ball in it and took it outside to dry. It was a warm windy...REALLY windy...day, so it was perfect. I used my steamer insert to hang it from so that the strap had a nice curved form to hang from.
BE SURE to tuck those sides in!! IMO, Lucy Bags look really dumb with those sides sticking out. BLECH!!!!
I am getting ready to start another felted bag as this whole opening thing is not getting it for me. I want something I can get in and out of easily....but that has a closure. Last night I search high and low for 'the perfect bag' on Ravelry and I have yet to find THE ONE. Lucy is really close, but I think I'm going to use it more as a project bag for larger projects than for a purse. I'm leaning towards modifying a Booga Bag or making a Messenger Bag.
I'm still not sure yet.
