Felted Drawstring Purse

Materials and Equipment:

size 13 straight needles

Noro Big Kureyon color #4

2 straps, each about 1 1/2 yards in whatever material you like

1 scrap of ribbon about 2 yards long

safety pin

Gauge (in stockinette stitch): 6 sts - 2" and 7 rows = 2"

CO 40 stitches

Work in stockinette stitch until you have three yards of yarn left. BO and use remaining yarn for sewing seams. Fold about 1 1/2 inches of BO and CO edge to wrong side (purl side) of knitting to form drawstring tunnel. Fold entire piece in half with right sides (knit side) facing and sew side seams stopping at the drawstring tunnel. Turn purse right side out. Use a safety pin to draw ribbon through drawstring tunnel on each side of purse. Tie ends together. This will ensure that the knitting doesn't felt onto itself and close the tunnel. Felt the bag according to your preferred method. I used a combination of machine and hand felting since the yarn took so long to felt. Let purse dry and remove the ribbon. Use the safety pin to draw one strap through both drawstring tunnels and the other strap through the drawstring tunnel in the other direction. Sew or tie the ends of the strap depending on the material used for the straps. I used some vinyl stuff with silver grommets I found at Jo-Ann.