Nice Plan,,,,,,,,,,but

So, I had this idea to make a purse/bag from a felted wool blanket,,, do some crocheting..... and the felt it again, thinking that the part that was made from the blanket would not shrink anymore,,,, but the crocheted part would shrink, and create an interesting texture for the gusset. Then I would overdye it,,,,and the dye would "take" differently on the parts of the bag that were different fibers,,,,,,,,,,Follow me? So, I cut the bag parts from the preshrunk blanket.

I intentionally place the plaid design on the diagonal.

Crocheting around the flap and the gusset

Still has no handle.

Handle is applied, and I did some chain stitching for surface design...... I kinda like the color, so I rethink the overdying idea while the bag is in the felting process

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After felting, I see that it has not worked as I planned,,,, the whole bag shrunk...including the part made from the preshrunk blanket. And there is no interesting texture in the crochet part, AND I hate the securely felted in chain stitching.Into the dye pot with the dang thing! It can't get any worse,,

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I was wrong. The dye job makes the bag look very fuzzy, and there are spots where the dye did not reach,,,,,,,,, UGH.................I always tell my customers that felting is unpredictable.....I should take my own advise, I guess.

So, I just ignore the project for a few days, hoping it might go away,,,,or something. Maybe the cats will use it for a bed..

I looked at it again this morning,, decided to dye it again,,,, to try to salvage it,,............................turned the bag inside out to prepare for the dying process and VOILA! There it was! The inside of the bag was an appealing color,,, not quite as fuzzy (I did shave it a bit)
The crochet texture shows, and the backside of the chain stitching is much more subtle......... and I LIKE IT! It was there all along, just waiting for me to discover it.

"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson