Felted bag from rummage sale sweater

I made this bag from a 100% wool sweater labeled "hand wash only" that I found at a church rummage sale. I fulled it by running it through our old wringer washer while washing several batches of towels and then jeans. The hot water and the agitation from the machine, along with the cold water in the rinse tubs and the several trips through the wringer, caused about 40% shrinkage in the sweater.

I wanted to use as much of the fox design as possible so that determined the size of the bag, about 11x13-inches. I recycled a sleeve and part of the front border to make the side pieces. (The side with the border a little longer than the other is from the sleeve.) The bag's back rectangle is from the back of the sweater and is solid green with the flowered border along the top edge. I used the rest of the bottom border to make the flap that folds over the top to close the bag. Any raw edges, such as along the top of the bag or on the edges of the flap closure, got a quick blanket stitch edging with Brown Sheep yarn and I made a chunky buttonhole with the cinnamon superwash yarn, too. (Didn't set out to use superwash but that was what I had on hand in a suitable color.)

Haven't decided on a button yet. I have a few chunky leather ones but I'm leaning towards a toggle made out of black walnut or the tip of a deer antler.

Only problem now is I'm hooked on this craft. It's fast and fun and there are so many bag designs or other useful things to make from these old wool sweaters. Heck, I still have a few sweaters from the '70s in the attic. Those stripes and patterns are calling to me -- gotta run!