Ok-first the 'UGLY' truth...
...a couple of bad things happened with this project.
If you look closely at the top photo...
...you'll see a wonky bit of red burlap peeping out.
The problem wasn't what my friend Kelly most feared---the 'pink underwear phenomenon'...
...(yes, it faded and ran a little because I hadn't washed it, first...
...but, luckily, it didn't affect the overall color of the bag).
The issue was that it partially unraveled during felting...
...both, because I hadn't washed it first, and also because of the way I sewed it to the pre-felt. (I didn't leave much cloth for a 'seam allowance'!)
It looked pretty bad, and I thought about just removing it altogether...
...but ultimately chose to zig-zag stitch it by machine, after it dried.
Additionally, as you can plainly see...
...that I did something very wrong while laying out my roving. (Not enough lengthwise fibers, maybe?)
I ended up with a much narrower bag than I had intended...
...and one that was really, really deep!
Honestly, I have enough trouble fishing around in my 'regular' purses for things as it is!! Har.
So...what to do?
I decided that there was enough felt, with the addition of a few pieces from my stash...
...to make three projects out of one failed bag.
For this portion of the 3-in-1, I cut off the very top part of the bag...
...the portion containing what would have been the handles.
I evened up the edges with a rotary cutter...
...maximizing the available felt and aiming to match the length to my shortest zipper.
Utilizing a piece of leftover needle-felted landscape (which I later wet-felted a bit)...
...from my John C. Campbell Folk School class last summer...
I fashioned one half of the zipper purse.
For the other side, I added a leftover piece of the flat felt that I had made...
...for the bottom of my bread basket.
I machine stitched the zipper to each flat half...
...then sewed together the bottom and sides.
"Where is the "GOOD" in all of this?", I hear you ask...
...I think it's two-fold.
First of all: Felting is a very 'low-waste' sort of art...
...since scraps (or entire failed projects) always come in handy, somewhere down the road.
Secondly, I really like this technique of sewing with wool yarn...
...it makes a finished piece of felt which looks like it's been embellished...
...but without as much work!! :)
Next: What I did with the middle-third!
8 comments:
As it's being used up I don't consider this a failed project just one with a surprise which you've overcome. Being a thrify Yorkshire woman I wholeheartedly agree with waste not want not. I'll be back for part 3
Thanks for your comments, and what a creative way to
re-purpose your own project. The great thing about collage is you can always rip it up and use it again, which I do all the time. Felting is something I would like to try if I could find my way out from underneath all my paper!
failures?? I think you have made some great things from it!!
and I am curious to part 3 :)
Thank you for your kind comment. I often feel that no one will read my ramblings other than close family. I find your work very lively - much more adventurous in colour choices than I would be.
I enjoy your "ramblings" and I think that your bag looks great-it's fun. By the way, I finished the top to go with the clutch that I won, and I will send you a picture. Keep up the great work. You are getting more and more adventurous.
I do not believe in failures!! If it isn't like you want it to be, you can always make something else out of it. That's the wonder of making felt! You did a good job, I'm wonder what part 3 will bring.
Have a nice day and enjoy it! Trudis
Thank-you, everyone, for your sweet and encouraging comments.
Whenever I feel a bit adrift, my 'virtual felting companions' jump right in with advice or help.
YOU ARE WONDERFUL!!!
I think it's really nice. I actually like both... seamless and taking the machine out... depends on my mood! LOL
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