Bedouin Bag handles

The gorgeous handles from Jul Silver arrived this week in plenty of time for our First Friday Bedouin Bag project.  When Lynne and I first went up to Laura Bellows' studio, I saw them and decided I just had to figure out a project for them.   Fortuntely, Laura's sister, Nora had already created the Bedouin Bag which is an absolutely perfect showcase for Laura's gorgeous handles.  Individually crafted of hand tooled leather and hand cast white bronze, these handles are solid and very high quality.   They will make your felted bag look totally professional and elevate it from the realm of homemade purse to legitimate fashion statement.  And when someone asks you, "OMG, where did you get that bag?"  you can proudly say, "I made it."  Isn't that a huge part of why we knit anyway?  C'mon - admit it - you know it is. 

We'll be working the smallest size of the Bedouin Bag, which is still quite generous, and has really excellent proportions.  This size takes 6 skeins of Shepherd's Wool, held double, and knit on a size 11 needle.  It's a great pattern that's simple and fun - perfect for adventurous beginners or more experienced knitters who would like a relaxing knit with a whole lot of bang for the buck.

I'll be starting mine tomorrow and will hopefully have a sample to show you by First Friday.  In the mean time, start thinking about what color bag you'd like this spring - we have dozens of options!  You might also want to think about what color you'll be doing for your daughter/sister/grand-daughter/niece because you know they're going to want one too.