Monday, January 4, 2010

My First Resist Purse

 

 

 

 


Sure, I've made felt purses before...

...from pre-felts of fulled sweaters...

...or large pieces of flat felt that I've made, then cut, using a pattern and sewn together...

...but never from a resist.

So I decided to try one.

I was a little confused by how to do this...

...and wanted the flap not to be two-layer, but only one...

...so I fiddled around with placing the fiber on the resist...

....making the flap a 'stand-alone' piece.

I was also trying for an inside cell-phone pocket...

...so I placed a piece of foam between several layers of wool...

...but I didn't really make it with enough layers to make the pocket sturdy.

(The hole you see is the 'gash formerly known as pocket')

Also, after I embellished what I thought was going to be the outside of the purse...

...I decided that I liked the inside better.

Last SNAFU?

I made a rope handle with fluffy ends...

...so I could felt it into the purse itself, seamlessly...

...but I made it too short.

When it was dry, I embroidered a running stitch along the margin of the flap...

...and added some beads in the corner.

My daughter L snatched it up as soon as it was finished...

...so I guess it's a good start after all.
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know you tried to help me understand what it meant to use a "resist," but I have to tell you that I just never quite got it. So I finally Googled "felting with a resist," and look what I found.
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/wet_felted_3d_resist_bag

You will have to check it out. But most important, now I understand much more clearly what working with a resist is about.

So, knowing that, I first want to say I'm sorry your pocket didn't work, but otherwise, the bag looks good. Your felted handle looks like the handles on my felted bags, but mine were knit into an I-cord firt, to make it so perfectly round, before felting. You did it without all that knitting. :)

Ginga Squid said...

That piece is beautiful! Love the subtle colours.

Jasmine said...

This is gorgeous. Did you get the red from Madder? I have only tried resists a couple of times. I have been thinking lately that I need to be bolder and practice that techniqe. Your first attempt is very impressive.

Heather Woollove said...

Dear Jasmine--The wool roving that I used here was commercially dyed. Unfortunately, I am still a 'dye neophyte' and would love to 'sit at your feet' sometime and learn some of what you know!!
I've made a lot of resist purses since this one and REALLY like them. Believe me, it gets easier each time...but if you want any help as you go, don't hesitate to e-mail me directly at woollove-fiberart(at)hotmail(dot)com! I'd be happy to help. XXO-