Felting is basically the process of throwing a woolen item in the washing machine in hot water to purposely shrink the wool. Why? Because it’s fun! The wool fibers plump up, melting and oozing the stitches together to create a unique look and the finished project is a much stronger fabric.
Hook size and gauge aren’t important when you felt a project. Do make the project larger than normal because the finished size will be several inches smaller after the felting is done. Use 100% wool yarn for the best results. Do not use superwashed wool because it will not felt and shrink. The purse in the picture was crocheted with two strands of yarn together. It was crocheted with one strand of white and one strand of color which created a marble look once it was felted.
With two strands of wool yarn together, chain stitch a foundation row of 63 stitches. Double crochet in the fourth stitch and in every stitch till the end of the row; chain three and turn. Each row should have a total of 60 double crochets. Crochet 15 more rows so there are 16 rows all together.
To make the top flap of the purse, flip the crocheted piece and work along the short edge of the project with a single stitch. Chain three at the end of the row and turn; double crochet in the fourth stitch and in every stitch across the row. Crochet 4 or 5 double crocheted rows. In the center of the last row of the flap, crochet a loop to fit around a button.
Stitch up the sides of the purse with a single crochet stitch. Work four single crochets in the top of the purse to start the handle. Chain three and double crochet in the four single crochets. Continue until the handle is long enough and attach to the opposite side of the purse.
After all that work, it’s time to throw the purse into the washing machine and felt it. A zippered pillowcase works great to felt projects because you don’t have to worry about it getting caught on anything in the washing machine.
Start the hot water cycle and squeeze some mild detergent such as dish soap into the machine. Also throw in a few heavy towels so the crocheted piece will get churned and tossed about because this helps in the felting process. Check on the purse after 10 minutes to see how it looks. When it felts, it will look like the stitches are melting together. Keep checking every few minutes until you are satisfied with how the purse looks.
Do not dry the purse but roll it up in a towel to soak up the excess water. Once it’s just damp, unroll the towel, pulling and tugging the purse into shape to let it dry thoroughly. It may take several days for it to dry all the way through. Find a button to fit the loop for the purse flap and attach it with a darning needle and a piece of yarn.
Once you begin using your new purse, do not wash it in the washing machine. If it gets dirty, hand wash it in cold water with mild soap and let it air dry.