[.uk] Nicky Epstein's Fabulous Felted Bags: 15 Bags to Knit ... (ISBN 1893063151)

More ugly duckling than beautiful swan!:
While I think many of Ms. Epstein's books are brilliant, this was a disappointment. Who actually over the age of 6 wants to knit a bag that looks like a swan? (think Bjork.) This book incorporated many techniques from her other books; so if you own these, skip this one and make your own design. Trust me. A design of your own could rival many of these.

Book is Great! Yarn is awful!:
I loved this book and have knitted two of the purses - Striped Houndstooth and Fuschias. Both patterns are well written although not as detailed as I feel they could be. I do have to give customers one warning -- I didn't like the Shetland yarn. I bought a kit and I was satisfied with it until I felted it. It stretched like heck. I think it would be better to substitute the yarn and then possibly use it doubled. For the Striped Houndstooth I used Lion Wool (one strand) and it came out great - unbelievably thick and so nice. I think the colors are comparable to those called for in the pattern. I would suggest buying this book and then substituting the yarn so you won't be disappointed in your project. As always, I love Nicky's imagination. They are not boring to make to say the least! Keeps you interested until the last stitch.

Love this Book!:
If you love Nicky's other books, you will enjoy this one also. She has her own style and fashions great felted bags. A very good book to have on the shelf.

kinda sorta good:
I, like other reviewers, found some of the ideas inane, some foolish and others exciting. One of the exciting ones I tried (with, unfortunately the Jamison's yarn in the kit, which felts poorly and pills easily) was written extremely badly, and it took me 4 tries to finally get it right, and only after completely disregarding the colorwork instructions. This is really inexcusable in a book of this cost, and I only hope that later editions were corrected. I won't blindly follow the insrtuctions in any other bag I try in this book, I'll follow what's on my needles. Still, the book has some good ideas, but I would only recommend this to experienced colorworkers and felters.

Nicky Epstein's Fabulous Felted Bags:
Nicky's new book, Fabulous Felted Bags, is a treasure chest of delightful bags to knit and felt. She pulled out all the stops when she designed the hand bags presented in this book. The bags range from the traditional to the fun-fun one of a kind bags that only you will carry when you knit and felt it. I have scanned a few pictures from the book for you to get a taste of the lovely bags. What an awesome gift to give to a knitter that has been yearning to felt, because this book will inspire them. This fabulous book is a work of art with amazing pictures and detailed instructions. Amazon carries this book and if you purchase $25 worth of books, like Nicky Epstein's, Knitting-Never-Felt-Better and you get free shipping and I hope this is something Amazon will keep as a part of their site to promote book sales with the gas prices so high! Introduction, When asked to do a book of hand knit handbags, I jumped at the opportunity, because I love bags-- they're practically indispensable! I've incorporated many different shapes and motifs that range from whimsical to haute couture, and have tried to make them functional, fashionable and fun. You'll find an added element that is very exciting to me ... they're all ... felted. Felting adds whole new dimensions to the bags--texture . . . durability . . . cohesion . . . and distinctive style. I well know how nerve racking it can be to throw a lovingly-knit project into the uncharted territory of hot and soapy water and hope that the gods of the washing machine will be kind. Not to worry! If you follow my felting hints, it most always works. And the good news--a bag doesn't have to fit! So knit . . . felt . . . and be merry.