I am more stubborn then wool

It probably says something about me that I began to take my crocheted purse's refusal to felt as a personal insult.

I began to view it as a personal challenge and was absolutely determined to crush its will. I am extremely pleased to report that I won.

I am more stubborn.

So here is the purse prior to felting:

See? Even Dooley was optimistic about the whole thing. It measured 16" wide x 12.5" tall and the strap from the top of the purse to the tip of the strap was 18". How did I determine these measurements would give me the size I wanted?

I didn't. I guessed. I figured if its going to shrink then I would go big. I worried a bit after I finished it because when I put it over my shoulder, it hung below my butt. I had faith, though, that felting would cure the things I had screwed up so I tossed it in the washer.

Here's how it went:

First wash: bag by itself.

Second wash: bag again by itself

{{obsessively look at books about felting while at the bookstore with Mary, feel like a dingbat, decide to try again}}

Third wash: bag with one towel

{{shamelessly repeat third wash combo two more times}}

Sixth wash: bag with a pair of jeans (thanks for that suggestion Donna)

Seventh wash: bag with a pair of jeans and a towel

Eight wash: bag with a pair of jeans and four towels


It cried uncle after the eight wash. Here's how it looks now:


I am good at shrinking wool in the washer. I triple checked the dimensions because I got a bit twitchy when I realized just how much it shriveled up.

It now measures 10" wide, 10" tall and the top of the purse to the tip of the strap is 15.5".

I won.

**P.S. Did you know that wet wool smells like a stinky wet dog? Yeah, neither did I. Should I do this again I will make sure to toss in the jeans and four towels at the very beginning so that I don't have to appear like a looney by washing the same bag a billion times.