Why do the felted handbags in pictures look so crisp, shapely and rectangular from the side view? Once you actually put something in the bag doesn’t the base sag and become rounded so the shape is lost? Is something put in to keep the base flat and supported?
Thanks, lml
It doesn’t stay all that rectangular on it’s own. There are purse forms or you can use the plastic needlepoint canvas. I haven’t tried this, but a woman at my LYS one day said she used a piece of self stick linoleum on the bottom before lining. The sides would still not be perfectly rectangular with the canvas or linoleum, but they would at least be flat on the bottom.
I hear ya! I always stuffed mine to take pictures… but you can put plastic canvas or a very thick interfacing between the lining and the bag to help them keep their shape. Extra work but it does make the bag keep its shape.
In my case I am going to use a particular felted bag as a tote, but I’m wondering why I’m taking so much time in the design of a rectangular shaped bag when it will surely look like a sling after I fill it!
In my sample I just knit using Cascade 220, sz 7 needles and regular tension and it felted well. But, should I be using two strands of yarn and loose tension/large needles as is usually suggested?
lml
Using the larger needles will make it larger and it will felt more, so that may balance out…a test swatch is a good thing. Using the two strands usually makes the finished bag thicker. At any rate, either of these two factors will affect the felting so several test swatches may be in order.
One of the biggest lessons I learned about felting…Nothing is exact!