Express your support for banned books with this stylish yet practical bag. The pattern combines the ease of felting with an easy-to-find workhorse yarn, Cascade 220. With yarn held double, your needles can fly!

The bag and handle are constructed before felting. Exterior book panels are worked separately and not felted. The pattern includes two panels based on banned books: The Scarlet Letter panel and Lady Chatterley’s Lover panel. The latter is the #1 banned book on many lists.

The buttons on this banned book bag are for attaching the decorative book panel only. There is no closure on top of the bag. This is to allow for free and open access to information.

Inside the bag, add as many cool features as any book and craft lover could ask for: grommets in the handle attachment; key chain; interior pocket to contain your mp3 player for your podcasts; a longer, narrower pocket for straight needles; an exterior pocket that can be buttoned on the exterior buttons instead of a decorative panel.

MATERIALS
For bag
Cascade 220 (100% wool; 220yd/200m per 100g skein, 9 wpi)
MC Gray #4002; 2 skeins
CC1 Blue Velvet #7818; 2 skeins
CC2 Navy #8393; 2 skeins
CC3 Sapphire Heather #9456; 2 skeins
CC4 Cobalt Heather #9457; 2 skeins

For Lady Chatterley panel
Base: Louet Gems Fingering (100% merino wool; 185 yds / 169m per 50g hank, 14 wpi), Champagne; 1 skein
Lace: Knit Picks Gloss Fingering (70% merino wool/30% silk; 220yds / 200m per 50g hank, 14 wpi), Bare; 1 skein

For Scarlet Letter panel
Various similar-weight scraps of yarn for embellishment, like scarlet and gold yarn

1 set US #13 / 9mm double-point needles or short circular for the bag
1 set US #15 / 10mm straight or circular needles for the bag
1 set US #6 / 4mm straight or circular needles for The Scarlet Letter panel
1 set US #4 / 3.5mm straight or circular needles for Lady Chatterley’s lace

4 x 1.5” diameter buttons
Thread and sewing needle for attaching buttons
Yarn needle and/or US size N / 9mm crochet hook