Here is the first felted item I ever made. I just love this little bag - everything about it! I love the colors I chose, the ease of the pattern, the perfect way the Brown Sheep Naturespun yarn felted (fuzzy and strong, but not overly hairy) and the cute little design of the Felted Retro Bag. It was a perfect project for a first time felting.
However, obtaining the pattern was something else again, and here's where the rant begins. The pattern was a "self published" one that included a nice presentation complete with photo and was for sale in one of those types of yarn shops where the cheapest skein of yarn is 20+ dollars (well, maybe I am exaggerating somewhat - but it is one of those "fanciful" shops in a touristy area that cater mostly to scarf knitters). They had several of the bag patterns in plastic sleeves and hooked together with a binder ring. I believe the pattern cost 4 dollars, but it has been awhile since I purchased the pattern, so I may be wrong about that. I took it to pay for it, and the lady at the counter said she would have to make me a copy. Well, I was certainly going to have none of that. #1 - if I pay $4.00 for a pattern, I want it to be in the form the person created it to be sold! I was not, under any circumstances, going to pay for a xerox copy! #2 - here is a retail shop that is actually cheating the designer by making xerox copies - basically the designer is not getting her fair share. I raised enough hay about it that I got a "real" one, but I wonder how many people she has run a copy for and charged the real price. That just steams me so much - I have been back to that shop one more time, but could not find it in my heart anywhere to buy a single item from this person. I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar thing happen to them.
