Green bag

Well, this is what part of the lovely gift from my birthday pal turned into:


I didn't feel like swatching, so I just cast on a lot of stitches, started knitting, and knit until I ran out of yarn (Arcanuia (sp?) Nature Wool). Then I threw it into the washing machine. The straps are Manos del Uruguay. I was originally very disappointed with the straps, but after a few months I came around.

The lining:


I toyed with the idea of straps out of the lining fabric.

The shape is thanks to plastic canvas. Margaret, who has escaped to Seattle, made a bag from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation that used the plastic canvas, and I was impressed with the results. Not something I would have predicted just looking at the stuff.

And an oh-so-flattering self-portrait: