ANNUAL CHALLENGE 2023- To create a bag!

See the range of beautiful, innovative bags, created by our members, along with a short description of the skills/materials used.

KATHERINE’S – first-time use of colour blending and jumbo flyer. Handle made with suede-covered old rope

Barbara’s – Used inner from a ‘Hello Fresh’ meal packaging, covered in fleece for softness, wet felted then needle felted. Flowers from colour blended fleece from evening session (see past post)

Sheila’s – Mixture of mercerised cotton and a space-dyed acrylic yarn, woven on 7″ loom. Straps crocheted with same mix. Sides and base recycled leather from a sofa. Flowers made with yard dyed with Koolade at our 4 Corners workshop. (see past post)

Hilary’s – Spun from prepared tops, knitted, then felted ( I had to learn to spin thick, which is not my usual style). Pattern adapted to knit the shape I wanted, then put it, in a pillow case, in the washing machine on a 60°C, along with some towels. Lining was a bit of guess work to get the right size then hand stitched to the bag. I am very pleased with the end result. 

Lynda’s – Knitted rectangles, stitched together after felting.

Madeleine’s- Weaving the bag gave me the opportunity to try overshot weaving to create a geometric pattern using weft floats.  The pattern is  flame point  which is created by four colours and no tabby.  Overshot weaving demands concentration otherwise the pattern can be ruined; I had to unpick my work several times! I used black 10/2 cotton in the warp and 3/2 cotton in the weft.

Jan excelled herself and contributed three!
Felted 3D, using plastic resist worked three layers of felt then cut out for handle. Snug home for granddaughter’s Sylvanians!

Jan’s – 3D felting using resist, four layers of felt. Natural wood handle.

Jan’s – ‘Up-cycled’ from woollen jacket (accidentally felted) unpicked and resewn using pockets. Large and useful for carded fleece.

Helen S’s- Handspun John Arbon merino/silk in Colourway Siren using Exploring Waves pattern. Added beads using crochet hook method. Beads were Miyuki size 6 in blue-lined aquamarine. Knitting was very straighforward!

Jackie’s- Used rigid heddle loom and six colours of cotton.

Helen G’s- Pegloomed in waves then felted at 40 degrees in a pillowcase. Used thick twisted fleece in neutral colours. Handles are plaited and felted in old tights. A joy to make and hopefully to use!

Kat’s- FRONT VIEW Calico pleated in wave pattern, quilted together with haand-dyed indigo strips using fresh woad. Fully lined.

Kat’s BACK VIEW.

Bradford’s- Red drawstring with black and red tassles. Used a round loom.