Friday, May 30, 2014

Flat Felt and Leather Purse- Part 7 of 8


Adding printed rayon fabric and pre-felt "o's"...

   ...to a layer of wool roving...


                             ...then folding in the edges, making a slightly narrower flap.



                                                            The finished felt.

                                           (Looks like a bowl of olives, doesn't it?!?) :)



                                            A close-up of the felted-in pre-felt bits...



                                                         ...and the bag flap.



                                                 The back of the finished purse...



                                                ...and its side and front.



                                  Next time: the bag interior, pocket and leather flap...

                               ...plus photos of all four of the 'flat felt' purses, together!

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Flat Felt and Leather Purse- Part 6 of ?

       
                                  During felting, the resist is 'imprisoned' in the felt...

                                         ...(creating the segmented pocket)...

                                      ...and it must be torn to be removed.



                                                          Fulling the felt.



                                                 The finished flat felt (back)...



                                                               ...and front.

                                     

                                                 The completed purse (flap side)...



                                                          ...and back side.



                                                   I used green leather, this time...


                                               

                                                     ...with the suede side 'in'.

                                      

                                          The bright orange interior of this purse...



                                   ...makes finding one's keys festive experience! :)                                  

                                     
                                     
                                  You'll notice that the shadow stripes in the brown silk...

                               ...remain visible after felting, adding interest to the flap.                                        


                                              Next time: the last bag in the series.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Flat Felt and Leather Purses- Part 5 of ?

Tiny pre-felt squares are added to the bubble wrap surface...

...(the white paper underneath is just a size template.)


                                         A layer of hand-dyed silk comes next...



                                     ...followed by a layer of wonderful, orange...



                                                  ...variegated wool roving. :)



                                                    Wetting out the project...



                                            ...then adding a second layer of roving...



                                                ...'neatening-up' the edges...

                                                  ...and wetting it out again.



                                         A perforated resist is added at one end...

                                                   ...for the internal pocket.



                                 The foam is covered with one layer of wool roving...



                                                ...plus a layer of silk gauze.



                                                    Mid-way through felting.




                                           You may have noticed over the years...

                                          ...that I really love little squares.

                                        Well...this bag incorporates a lot of them! :)

                                           Next time: the finished purse...

                                              ...with green leather details!

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Flat Felt and Leather Purses- Part 4 of ?

Mid-way through felting (front)...


                                          ...and back (with segmented pocket).




                                                         Once fully felted...




                                        ...the colors appear a bit more 'true to life'!




                                          Cutting out leather sides, flap and strap...




                                        ...and machine-stitching them into place.




                                                  The finished purse bottom...




                                                            ...back side...




                                  ...and open leather flap with reinforced buttonhole.




                                         The interior of this purse is quite roomy...




                                 ...and the divided pocket helps to keep things neat.





                              I extended the length of the strap, after trying it on for size...

                                      ...allowing for more comfort and functionality.



                            The finished purse front (with Moroccan button closure).




                                         Next time: scores of tiny squares! :)

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Flat Felt and Leather Purses- Part 3 of ?

Cutting stone-shaped pieces of finished felt...

                                   
                         ...and covering them with hanks of wool from black and green batts.



                                        Laying out 'color blocks' of hand-dyed silk...

                                      

                                                      ...adding the 'stones'...



                         ...and covering the whole shebang with a layer of wool roving.



                                                        Wetting out the piece...



                      ...adding a foam resist (with a thin opening cut down the center)...



                                                   ...a layer of silk gauze...



                                  ...and a thin rectangle of pre-felt as a 'cutting line'.



                                  After flipping the project to side two and wetting it out...



                                                     ...felting is begun.


                                   Pulling the foam resist into pieces for removal.



                                           Because I so dislike making felt straps...

                                                ...many of my purse designs...

                            ...involve some sort of alternative strap-making method.

                              And because flat felt is so quick and easy to make...

                                             ...(no fiddling with a resist)...                    

                                   ...these four purses were a delight to make!

                    Next time: I fashion a narrow flap, sides and strap from blue leather...

                                       ...and add a button closure.