You Just Gotta Laugh

Pattern: "Bigger (and Biggest) Booga Bag" by Julie Anderson, available on Ravelry
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Bulky and Worsted (Aztec Turquoise, Gold Glow, Desert Rose)
Needles: US 10.5 circular (bottom worked flat and then the sides are knit up in the round)
Mods: decided to make mine "cool" by practicing my stranded knitting technique and adding some "Henna Inspired" patterns from Hip, Graphic Knits by Rochelle Bourgault and Lisa Evans.

Sigh.

Plus: I learned a lot. I learned that my washing machine does not actually use hot water, even when I put it on the "hot wash/cold rinse" setting. Need to call repair man. I learned that stranded knitting felts way, way tighter than straight stockinette. I learned that color work is stupid in felted things because you can barely see all the hard work, and if the colors run, the design looks muddy. I learned that if you fear a project is ugly before it's felted, abusing it in a washing machine does not magically beautify it. I learned that you cannot stretch an item once you over-felt it, no matter how many grocery bags you rip up and stuff in it. I learned that I do not heart the felting process, even though so many knitters do. I found it stressful, messy, and loud...everything that is anti-knitting.

Delta: My knitting group buddy, Shelley, is a total whore. Not only did she felt her bag without me after promising to walk me through it....and not only did she announce that she had done so on her blog...........it looks perfect. It's the Gisele Bundchen of Booga Bags. I hate her so hard. (ahem, love you, Shelley.)

No, I did not bother to poke holes for straps in this odd little thing. I do not plan to carry it around. I am, however, open to suggestions for how to reincarnate it as something useful or funny or otherwise not-depressing. Jake thinks it looks like a strapless prom dress from the 80s. Maybe I could stuff it and make a really weird, headless doll!