The Felted Daypack

I finished - and delivered - another handknit about a week ago. As my brother noted, it was a bit non-traditional. I made a Felted Daypack from the pattern by Joy Geib Doss for my sister-in-law.



I first started this way back in November intending to give it to Misun for Hannukah. No dice! I got lost in a slog of stockinette and made slippers for her instead. I turned back to it in February intending it as a birthday gift. I'm either way early or a little late depending on how you look at it. My S-I-L is a leap year baby. Ha! I chose to see it as early for her next actual birthday.

I wish I had a better picture to show how it fits but here it is on my S-I-L's back as she walks my niece who likes to climb on everything. It looks like the right size to carry the stuff you'd need out and about for the day. It's really the same size as my handbag but without the pockets.

This brings me to the knit itself. I used Elann Peruvian Highland Wool in Daffodil and Ink. When I was about 3/4 finished with the project I started worrying a lot about the yellow and if it would felt since I know that light colored yarns are a bit of a crap shoot. I needn't have worried. As always this stuff felted like a dream.

I knit it mostly as written except for most of the finishing. I left off the pockets because... ok, let's be honest - I was tired of stockinette. I could say that it was a matter of practicality or aesthetics but I'd be lying. If she really wants them then I can add them later.



The other change was the closure. The pattern called for making a felted cord to fo through eyelets and a loop to attach the flap to a button on the body. None of this sounded great to me. I was worried about the flap staying shut and stuff falling out and I just flat out didn't feel any love for the felted cord so I left them off.

As I sat and attached the straps it hit me that I really wanted the same type of closure for this bag that I have on my Keens and I told Bruce. Wouldn't you know that he had an extra one laying around? He'd requested a replacement for one of his shoes a while back and they sent an extra. It was perfect. I threaded it through the eyelets and it holds the bag closed very reliably.



Now the pretty blue and yellow button is just decorative. I really like it like that.