Embroidering on Felted Bag

Over the last couple of days I have been working on a knitted felted bag.  It is similar in style and size to the striped one I made last week. 
However, the yarn is more of a mix, and I tried a different style of handle:

I think the handle is a bit too large, or thick for this size of bag.  I also felted it more lightly than usual.  It is actually quite thick, because the striped pattern is knit with two strands of yarn, and the yarn that doesn't show on the front makes "floats" on the inside.  I thought if I felted it a lot, then it would be really really dense.

 To me, the stripe are sort of an optical illusion.  They look light and dark, but really the grey on the top section is the same as the grey on the bottom section, but offset, so it isn't that noticeable.

 I embroidered some simple flowers on it, with french knots in the center.  I tried to embroider leaves, but that didn't work very well, so I sewed on some felt leaves with perle cotton down the center instead. 

I also had the idea of possible using a crocheted chain to use in braided rugs.   This is my test strip, below.

 I chained a 12 foot section and loosely tied it so that it won't get hopelessly tangled in the washing machine.  I've washed it once so far, dried it, and now it's in the washing machine for it's second wash.
I did wash up the rectangular rug that I was working on last week, but something went very wrong, and it is bundled up in the back of my closet.  I might be able to cut it up to use for smaller projects. Maybe.

I've also got this bowl in the washer as well:

 I made this one a bit larger than the ones I made last week, it is about 12 inches across and 4 or 5 inches tall.  I also thought that I would try to see what an added ring around the base would do...

we shall see....
I also got an idea from Regina about turning the bowl shapes upside down.  They might be able to be used as a tea cozy or something if I refined the shape and added a sort of ball at the top.
 Finally for now, this is the little skein of yarn that was the result of the introduction to felting workshop from the other day. 

I think that I need to do bit of quilting after all this wool stuff, but I am quite immersed in the latest mystery novel from Val McDermid, so I don't know when that will be.  Plus, I hit a bit of a block in the quilting.  I think because I don't really want to start anything new until I finish something off, but I don't feel too excited about the last project I started with the dresden plates.  I think this is because I am using the fabric left over from the last quilt I made in Saskatoon a couple of weeks ago.  I should have used some totally different fabrics. 
However, I am stocked up again on Steam a seam fusible web, so maybe I should do some applique.
Well, I can see that I am descending into indecision, so I'd better just Stop!

Crazy for Crochet

I did some crochet last night, trying to find out how some wool behaves.  It was fun, and I didn't want to stop!  I ended up working on a couple of projects.  I was using a Swedish yarn called Matt-Garn, which is actually for weaving rugs, although it is good for knitting, although perhaps too rough for garments next to the skin.  I think it would make great felted slippers, which is next on my list to try with it. 
I thought it would be similar to Lopi, so I went on Ravelry to get some ideas of projects, I was thinking about some sort of felted items.
During my survey I noticed a mat that was crocheted with single crochet, and decided to try that.  However, instead of starting a rug 3 feet wide, I decided to do a thinner strip.  Once I started, I just kept going!  I am using 2 strands held together with a size 5-1/2 mm crochet hook.  It is making a quite a dense product, and I have decided not to felt it.  I intend to make 3 strips, about 1 meter long and then whip stitch them together. I might possibly do some sort of edging around the whole thing at that point. 

 Of course, then I was quite excited about how the shading was looking, and thought it would be cool to see it felted.  So I decided to make a felted "bowl".  I had seen photos some place of a container made out of felted wool, although I think it had been knitted.  But I was really liking the shading with crochet, so I decided to continue with that.
Oh, the reason for the was the shading is, is that I am using up all sorts of short ends of threads in all sorts of colors.  Instead of tying a knot each time i add a new thread, I just twist the end together with the end of the previous thread to "splice" it together, and it seems to work beautifully!  I figure the other thread provides stability.

So, I figured out how to knit a flat circular type disc, and then, when it was about 11inches in diameter, I stopped increasing and that started building the sides.  I was again using 2 strands of yarn, but this time I used a larger hook, I think it was a size 6mm. 

I  made it about 9 or 10 inches tall, I forgot to measure.  On the rim, I crocheted through the last row again in order to give it a bit more definition. 
I put it in the washer with a few towels, but not really hot water, to lightly felt it to start with.  If I want it stiffer, I can always throw it in again with hotter water. 
Now, I have it draped over a pan that I use for canning (I have done this in the past!) so that it dries in a nice cylindrical shape with a flat bottom.
This evening I crocheted another! one, but made the sides only about 4 inches tall.  I think I will felt it tomorrow.  I will try to take some photos to show you then!

these are a couple of the beautiful color gradations!  I think they are so pretty!