a finish

I felted the entrelac tote this weekend and added handles.

The handles are sale handles from Homestead Heirlooms and came as a complete kit with handles, waxed thread and buttons for the back for security.

I haven't decided if I'm going to line it or add a closure of some sort. It's pretty thick.

First I put it in a mesh "delicates" bag and washed it in the washer in hot water with a load of towels. (the delicates bag helps keep the excess wool from clogging my washer.)  I tossed it into the drier with the towels. Then I refelted it by hand on my little scrub board, alternating hot and cold soapy water.  That's what really felts it, I think--the back and forth shock between hot and cold. I can also work more on areas I want thickest, like those top points. Then back into the drier.

The first felting in the washer "shrunk" the bag quite a bit.  The hand felting made it a bit shorter but the width of the bag stayed pretty much the same as after the first felting. I always find it interesting how uneven felting can be--I'd think with entrelac's bias it would be more even overall.