Basil in Blue

The excitement after the swing jacket has died down a bit now and I'm on to other things that had recently taken a back seat. One thing is this modified version of a Debbie Bliss bag. I originally knitted and felted this in green silk alpaca yarn and it came out really well. Have a look here .However, I use it a lot and I felt that the handles are a little spindley. Maybe it's the large amount of crap that I tend to carry around in my bag..Anyway, I decided to modify it slightly. I knitted it deeper, and made the handles wider so that it could fit over my shoulder, and then I added a kind of reinforcing strip by knitting the holes for the handles twice. I shall sew the top bit over so that the handle part is doubled and that should make it feel stronger. I'll be able to carry even more crap then and feel assured that the handles won't break at any moment!

This is it before even sewing up, and I am hoping to felt it tonight. Will post photos tomorrow of the finished article. Basil was quite happy to model it for this photo, and you can get some idea of the size of it. I have knitted it in the silk alpaca again, but the white stripe is some yarn I found in my stash which I think is a natural yarn,(I think wool), but I'm not certain. Let's hope so, or it could be an interesting effect if it doesn't felt.

On the swing jacket front, I have had so many nice comments, an offer of money to make one for someone, and I have been given too much change in a shop and at the cinema whilst wearing it. I'm taking that as a good sign!!!!!.