KT's tote questions answered!

Here are my answers to KT's tote questions to aid in design of a bag from my skein on Malabrigo. Please ignore the weird fonts - Blogger decided halfway through my composition to take away the little "change font" option!

The general picture I have of this bag/tote is something simple with clean lines, taller than it is wide, maybe some stitchwork or cabling that would show through after felting, hopefully that shows off the variegated colorway.

Do you like flaps or no flaps?
I think I would like a flap on this one

Do you want a button (or similar) closure?
Sure - I like the idea of finding a cute button.

Do you like knitting in the round, or do you prefer flat (knowing that it will involve seams)?
Normally I prefer in the round, since I am a bit afeared of seams looking wonky, but since felting hides a lot of mistakes, I'd be OK with either.

Shoulder strap or handle? Knit or non-knit? Two straps or one?
I'm usually all about long shoulder strap(s) that let me sling a bag and leave my hands free. But I recently had to spend time in airport security lines with a backpack on both shoulders while also carrying a small yarn-shop bag with small handles in my hand or on my forearm. And it was quite convenient, since a strap would have slid off the backpack straps.
I wonder if we could design something to serve as both - maybe a long strap that you can loop back on itself (attached to a button/toggle on the back?) to make a shorter handle?
I'm thinking knit , and I'm thinking one strap/handle. If we can't do both, then I guess a long strap - I don't spend too much time in airports, after all!

Do you want it felted or lined (or both)?
Felted! Probably not lined - I have no sewing skills. I do have a small sewing machine, but I broke it after making a cat cushion a year ago, and haven't tried to get it working again. Of course, if you can convince me that it will not be painful to line it (heh), I might give it a try, as I'm sure it will help the sturdiness.

Pockets?
Maybe one - it should be discrete, too, but not so small as to be useless. But I don't have to have a pocket

Should the bag be flat or have depth?
I'm thinking a bit of depth (1-2")

How big are we talking here? (clutch, purse, tote, bag)
Big enough to carry a small project like socks, plus wallet and cell phone. I'm thinking about 9" tall, and something smaller than that for width - 7"? Of course, this may not be compatible with the small depth and wanting to carry a project - I could be convinced to make it bigger, but I don't want a huge bag! (and with only one skein, that's not so much an option.

What do you think of ripples, welting, or other stitch patterns?
I like your wavy days clutch, but I think I'm envisioning something less complicated for the overall shape for this bag. It might be cool if the flap could be rounded. Maybe a simple stitch pattern like a cable or two up the back and down the flap? Any non-fussy stitching is fine - again, I'm thinking clean lines, simple, etc. But some reinforcement for sturdiness might be good, since I would like to be able to hold keys, needles, etc in it.

Can we mix crochet with the knitting (for finishing, button loops, etc.)
I've never crocheted (boy, that word looks weird!), but am willing to try simple stuff.