A Bigger Purse...Or Is It?

For the past year or two, this purse has been my usual winter purse. I like the shape, and the colors were something I envisioned in my sleep. (Not for a purse, though...for a sweater. But since they're not my usual colors, I chickened out in real life and went for something smaller and less of an investment in time and money.)

But I've had trouble finding things in the purse. It could be because it's not large enough overall; or it could be because the top is smaller than the bottom. In any case, I decided a new purse was in order. I found a pattern I liked and chose the yarn, and naturally couldn't resist casting on for the Mitred Stripes Felted Bag right away.

So here's the finished bag, and I'm pretty pleased with how it came out. It used two different yarns, Malabrigo and Noro Kureyon, neither of which had I tried before. I was surprised how scratchy Kureyon was, given all the raves I'd heard about it. It wasn't fun to knit with texture-wise, but I did like the colors. They blended nicely with the Malabrigo, which was soft and luscious-feeling in the hands.

The purse felted nicely, both yarns felting to the same degree. When it was dry, I added the buttons and then measured it against the older purse. Much to my dismay, it was a bit smaller at the bottom, though a bit larger at the top. "Oh well," I sighed, "It can't be any worse than the one I'm using." So I pulled all my necessities out of the old purse and put them in the new one.

To my surprise, while they fit about as tightly as in the old purse, they are much more accessible and easily grabbed. I suppose it's because the top of the purse is a bit wider. In any case, it feels a little more convenient, and I love the colors and design much more than the older one. Is it true love, or just the lure of the new?

In any case, I'm happy. How about you? Do you fall in love with each new project and shunt aside the old, or do you save your love for only the fortunate few?