Betta Bonza Felted Bag

Last week I bought some great felting yarn from Michaels Craft Store - Patons Classic Merino Wool. I'm determined to make a successful Bonza Felted Bag....even if I have to knit until my fingers bleed!

The original pattern was from Redcorset Designs and called Angela's Fabulous Felted Bag. It is knit from chunky yarn (Cascade) at 3.5sts and 4 rows to an inch in stockinette on an 8mm needle.

Patons Classic Merino is a worsted weight yarn, so I had to adjust the pattern in terms of:

• cast on stitches;
• rows required for the bottom of the bag;
• number of stitches picked up on the sides;
• number of rows to be knit to the handles; and
• needle size.

Following lengthy calculations on what seemed like the tiniest piece of paper known to man, I was ready to start!

I cast on 28 stitches and knit 130 rows in garter stitch. Then I picked up 65 stitches along both long sides, and 28 at the two short sides for a total of 186 stitches. My gauge is 5sts and 6 rows to an inch in stockinette on a 6mm needle.

Here's my bag so far (the brown is the bottom):