New purse on the needles

 
Well I've got a new purse on the needles. And as you can see it's in black. My favorite color, especially as far as bags go. This one is a surprise for a friend. I'll be doing needle felting on it. I'll post a photo before I get ready to felt it and then after. However I'll not post a photo with the needle felted object on it, until I have given it to this friend. She has no idea it's coming her way. But she does check the blog from time to time. The pattern is by "Two Old Bags". It's the "Oval Bottom Handbag". I've got the sides done ~ up to the short rows. I'm doing the short rows on one side now. Then just have to do the other short rows on the other side. I love the way the bag looks on the pattern. Lets hope this one turns out as well. Very classy looking bag. The yarn I'm using is Cascade Pastaza. Compared to Cascade 220, it felts a lot thicker. My LYS had made a swatch with the cascade 220 doubled and the Pastaza side by side and it was such a difference. Don't think I'm going back to the 220. I've ordered enough Pastaza to do another bag that I will be needle felting a Macaw on. Can't wait to get the yarn in for that one. Progress on one of my other bags: If you look at the bottom of my blog you'll see a hot pink Lucy bag. I'm slowly adding some rows on that. It's just so boring going around in circles. And I've bought another pattern that I'll be ordering yarn for as well, as soon as I make up my mind which colors I want to use. Take a look: http://feltedhandbagworkshop.blogspot.com/ . Scroll down and look for the Trellis Tote and Flap Bag. It's the purple, pink and orange flap bag. Don't know if I'll be doing those colors or not. Love the bag!!!!!! PS. Someone asked about using one strand of yarn on the bag. Yes with Pastaza you only use one strand as compared to two strands with 220. And it's still twice as thick using just one strand.