Felting is magic! The sweater that ultimately became this tote felted much firmer and thicker than my first attempt, except for the ribbed lower edge. Since I really liked the stripes, I sewed felted sleeves to the inside of the ribbing to form the actual bottom of the bag. This also gave much needed depth. Adding purchased handles allowed for orientation of the bag to keep the still visible sweater side seams on the sides.

This bag was once a sweater… 100% wool, Old Navy men’s large sweater, purchased for $2.50 at a thrift store. The original sweater was machine knit with a 3×1 rib, so the felt is soft and floppy. Not perfect for a tote, but not too bad for a first attempt at felting. Live and learn, right?