I remember the first time I saw a felted purse. It was very small but it had a big impact on me . . . I had never seen the way that knitting could become a three-dimensional object with structure and so much architectural integrity and durability. I wanted that. And so knitted felt became a canvas for my creativity: I loved making my own fabric. I loved that my bags and totes and purses were exactly what I wanted: understated and neutral or vibrant and whimsical, covered with flowers, or bold with sleek hardware, big and roomy for weekend adventures, or tiny and romantic, for my own secret pleasure.  

Noni bags allow you to have the same intimate and creative relationship with the purses you carry, the totes you put your knitting in, the bags you carry to the farmer's market.

In this class, you get to make all the decisions when it comes to the Magnolia Tote or Medallion Travel Bag you carry: what colors it is, how long the handles are, whether it is lined, how many pockets it has, how it is decorated, and whether there are matching accessory purses for all your must-have possessions.

In this class you will choose from one of two patterns to make your own fabulous, felted, colorwork bag. Choose between the brand new Magnolia Tote and the classic Medallion Travel Bag. These gorgeous bags demand you look. And admire. And now you can make one that is uniquely yours. . . and even make your own luggage set!

This is your opportunity to make one of these beautiful felted totes with the help, guidance, and expert finishing tips and tricks from the designer herself. Nora will take you from picking out colors, to casting on, through the knitting, to felting, to fine finishing, to embellishing.

What You Will Get

• The pattern for the Magnolia Tote or the Medallion Travel Bag
• 12 hours of hands-on, student-focused instruction divided between four 2-hour instruction and practice-focused meetings and 4 1-hour "check-in" meeting
• Access to the recordings of our zoom classroom sessions
• Small class size that allows for personalized attention, including 1 thirty-minute personal meeting
• $15 store credit you can apply toward anything in the Noni Store

What You Will Learn

In this class, consisting of 12 classroom hours of instruction, plus personal help when you need it, you will learn new skills and refine existing ones:

• Use color theory and some unique strategies to pick colors that work together (or pick from Nora's selection of curated colorways),
• Learn how to read a color chart,
• Learn different techniques to knit with two colors flat, for the bag bottom, and in the round in order to make either the stranded colorwork Magnolia Tote or The Medallion Travel Bag,
• How to maintain the even tension required for stranded knitting that will subsequently be felted,
• How to felt a large bag in the top-loading washer or the clothes dryer,
• How to block your bag for a beautifully smooth felted fabric and crisp silhouette,
• How to finish your bag so that it looks sleek and polished: learn how to apply bag feet, stiffen the bottom of the bag, use different types of magnetic snaps for the closure you want, apply a turnlock, set in a zipper, apply custom-made leather handles, and use other premium bag hardware for a beautiful finished product
• Decorate your finished bag to take it from fabulous to art: short tutorials on knitting flowers, embroidering on felted fabric, beading, and more.

Class Size, Structure, and Dates

Dates of the instruction and practice classes: 2-hour meetings from 9 - 11am every other Saturday (to give you time to knit!): May 8, May 22, and June 5 and June 19.

Dates of check-in meetings in the evenings from 7 - 8 pm on alternate Thursdays:  May 13, May 27, June 10, and June 17.

Class Size: The class is limited to 10 participants so everyone gets individualized attention during our meetings. Each participant also receives 30 minutes of individualized meeting time and "emergency" support when needed.

See the Additional Details tab for prerequisites and materials.

The Magnolia Tote is as practical as it is striking. Different styling offers different utility with the changing silhoette: it is my favorite farmer's market companion; with the sides pulled out straight, and roomy enough for orchard-ripe apples, fresh kale, collards, multi-colored carrots, and fresh, home-grown mushrooms. Once home and divested of treasures, tuck in the sides for a more efficient silhouette: this tote is ideal for shopping in narrow store aisles. Keep the top snapped but reach in the sides for your wallet, or snap your tiny purse, Ready, Set, Go!, to the JUL leather handle (like I always do), and your cash and cards are at the ready when you get to check out. 

Felted bags are naturally insulated, so this tote is as great for picnics as it is for your latest knitting project.

The finishing can be minimal, as you see here: the top edge is secured and strctured by an Amazing Snap flanked by two rivet-in snaps hidden behind the JUL flat-strap 28 inch Forager handles. I left the bottom soft so it drapes against my side. For a more structured, formal appearance, the finishing can be more elaborate, with a structred bottom decorated with bag feet, a pocket filled lining, and even embroidery! Let Magnolia be the latest canvas for your creativity.

This pattern is also for sale on Ravelry.

See the Additional Details tab below for information about pattern difficulty, finished dimensions, gauge, required materials, and other information about the pictured samples.

Pattern Difficulty Level 

Intrepid Intermediate to Experienced Knitters: pattern requires knowledge of knitting and purling using stranded color work methods with careful attention to maintaining an even tension. Requires knitting flat, knitting in the round on circular needles, and picking up stitches. Sewing is used in the finishing process for more elaborate finishing details.

Approximate Finished Dimensions

Tote body is 23.5" (59.7cm) wide across the entire front/back at top with bag folded flat 

The height is 13.5" (17.5cm) from bottom edge to top edge

Tote bottom: 10.5" (26.75cm) wide x 9" (23cm) deep

Pre-felted Gauge 

Between 12 - 13 sts and 14 - 15 rows over 4” (10cm) with double-stranded worsted weight yarn on size 11 (8mm) needle worked in color pattern. The most important aspect of gauge here is consistency througout piece and even tension. If you can, please try to achieve gauge on a size 11 needle as that size was critical in the felting process. Please also make sure your carries are loose enough that the knitting remains flat and does not buckle.

Required Materials

Yarn Requirements 

The pictured tote was made in Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepherd’s Wool (worsted weight; 100% merino wool; 250 yds [229m] 4 oz [110g] skein) in the following colors:

• 3 skeins of Raspberry (A)
• 2 skeins of Hot Pink (B)
• 1 skein of Black (C)
• 1 skein of White (D)

Needles & Other Necessary Materials

• Size 11 (8mm) 24" (60cm) circular needle
• Tapestry & sewing needles
• Sewing or nylon beading thread
• Stitch markers - 4 markers with one of a different color to mark round
• 1 Noni Amazing 18mm Magnetic Snap with rivet-in back
• 2 Noni Rivet-in 18mm Magnetic snaps
• 1 pair of 28" (71cm) JUL Forager flat strap leather handles with Chicago Screws included
• Locktite Super Glue, Extra Time Control

Materials Needed for Optional Finishing

• 1 Custom YKK or other zipper with closed ends and two sliders that is made to fit your bag opening.
• 2 packages of Noni 24mm bag feet
• 1 yard (.9m) of sturdy woven fabric for lining 
• 2 large sheets of extra stiff plastic artist canvas or 1 cut-to-fit thick Mat Board for stiffening the tote bottom

Pictured Samples

The pictured tote was made in Stonehedge Fiber Mill’s Shepherd’s Wool (worsted weight; 100% merino wool; 250 yds [229m] 4 oz [110g] skein) in Raspberry and Hot Pink with a Black and White edging at the top.