Awareness Purse
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Crochet World included my Bead Felted Awareness Purse pattern in their October issue. The below final version was tapestry crocheted with Petal Pink and Aran Patons Classic Wool and #5 triangular glass beads from Fire Mountain Gems.
The 11” wide Bead Felted Awareness Purse in Crochet World.
The 17 3/8” wide Bead Felted Awareness Purse before felting.
You guessed it! This pattern was perfected little by little. Never having worked with this wool before, I had to learn how it shrunk during felting. Even though I knew it would shrink more in width than height, it still surprised me! Along the way I also experimented with the size, color, beads, and straps. The first and second versions of the purse feature square beads and thinner straps.
The first and second purses before felting.
The first two purses after felting.
All of the bags have a surprise inside. This is the inside of my second attempt.
The beads were slid to the front of the loose stitch in all three versions.
The loose stitch allows the beads to be slid to the front of each stitch.
My mother survived breast cancer, but unfortunately, she didn’t survive her second round of Lymphoma. Hopefully, all types of cancer will find a cure someday soon.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Good work, keep up the awareness!
–Dave at Rings & Things
October 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
thanks for posting this. It’s a lovely bag. I lost my mom to breast cancer and I pray for the day there will be a cure for all cancers.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:39 am
That’s very cool. Thanks for sharing — I lost one friend to breast cancer and have another who’s been a survivor for 15 years.
Some of the new research is amazing — localized chemo pellets, micro-mapping tumors, vaccines, even. So there’s lots of hope.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
I am so sorry about your mom. I loved your purse design, I have the magazine and I was going to change the color of the ribbon. I’m a lymphoma survivor, just past the 5 year mark. The purse can be made into any color to show support and that is why I loved it. Knitting, Beading and Cancer Awareness. Thanks for a great pattern, your mom would be proud!
January 20th, 2012 at 8:59 am
Been looking for this pattern. But unfortunally I can’t find it. I am a breast cancer survivor of 3 years now (4 years in June). My oncologist says I’m cancer free!
If anyone would please let me know where to get it, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thank you!
January 20th, 2012 at 9:20 am
This pattern was in the October 2008 issue of Crochet World. Sometimes old magazines are sold on sites like Ebay. My Bead & Felted Tapestry Crochet book at http://www.tapestrycrochet.com/Projects/BFTCprojects.htm has a similar pattern that you might like. Congratulations on being cancer free!
August 28th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
I love this purse. I have the copt of the magazine, but unfortunately I am not experienced enough to make this! I have a friend who is battling stage 3 breast cancer and my Mom just had surgery to remove stage 3 uterine cancer. Wish I could make this for them! Congrats on such a beautiful creation.
August 29th, 2012 at 5:34 am
This purse is not too difficult if you don’t include the beads. The felted stitch is loose, which makes it easier than the projects with tight stitches. I hope you’ll give it a try!
March 27th, 2013 at 3:22 pm
I love this also. My mom lost a 12 year battle of breast cancer 10 1/2 years ago and would love this bag.. I’ll have to see if I can find that magazine. Thanks for the link and info.