Re-Purposed 'Skirt Totes'- Part 1

After finding several skirts that I no longer wear...

...during an 'organizing binge' one day...

...I decided to create a few tote bags.

                               Removing the waistband with a pair of sharp shears.

                                             Cutting two pieces of lining fabric...

                                            ...just slightly larger than the skirt.

                   
                    Pinning the lining fabric layers together at the sides and bottom...

                                              ...and stitching them together...

                                  ...(leaving a small opening in the lining for turning).

                        Squaring off the bottoms of both the skirt and the lining insert.

                         Placing the lining inside the skirt (with right-sides together)...

                                                    ...and pinning it into place.

                               Machine stitching the inside of the tote to the outside.

                                           Trimming off the excess lining fabric.

                                         Next time: leather handles are added...

                                            ...and the project is completed.

Monofilament Fishing Line Tote- Part 2

My beautiful friend, Deb...

...working hard on her own nuno pre-felt project.

                                                    Mid-way through felting.

                                        The finished tote in Deb's glorious studio.

                             Our fishing line experiment didn't go quite as planned...

                                 ...since it only produced a small amount of 'wiggle'...

                                                  ...in our completed projects.

                                   We had a wonderful time making them, though...

                                       ...and I'm pleased with the surface design...

                                         ...of this capacious and functional tote!

Monofilament Fishing Line Tote- Part 1

Laying out a large piece of nuno pre-felt...

      ...and taping twists of monofilament fishing line to one half of the wool surface...

                                            ...with easy to remove painters' tape.

                              Basting the line to the pre-felt with small hand stitches...

                                                  ...and then sandwiching it...

                                          ...between the top and bottom layers.

                                 After folding the project in half (to enclose a resist)...

                         ...the sides of the tote are stitched together with wool yarn.

                     Narrow pieces of yarn-embellished pre-felt are added as straps...

                                                  ...and as surface decoration...

                            ...and small rubber bands are used to gather the pre-felt...

                                                    ...for additional interest.

                                                     Wetting out the project...

                                                   ...in preparation for felting.

                                                 Next time: the finished tote!

Felted Vessel Experiments- Part 2 of 2

Adding yarn snippets...

...to the surface of the resist...

                                    ...and covering them with layers of wool roving.

                                                     Mid-way through felting...

                                 ...two felted cords are wrapped to form a handle...

                                                   ...and tied with wool yarn.

                                                      The finished project...

                           ...has more surface decoration than my earlier vessel...

                                    ...and the stitches that hold the cords in place...

                                                 ...are rather wild and wonky.

                                                       The finished vessel...

                                   ...and all three of the projects that I completed...

                                        ...while visiting with my friend in Portland.

                                            Thanks for a great visit, Elizabeth!

Felted Vessel Experiments- Part 1 of 2

Cutting a circle from foam underlayment...

                                       ...and covering it with layers of wool roving.

                                                       At the pre-felt stage...

                                          ...two slits are cut into the top layer...

                                                ...and the resist is removed.

                                                         A handle is created...

               ...by wrapping the middle strip of pre-felt around several felt cords...

                                         ...and stitching it closed with wool yarn.

                                                After the project is fully felted...

                           ...the ends of the cords are pinned into place for drying.

                                                         The finished vessel...

                                                        ...is the perfect size...

                                    ...for hair elastics and other small dresser items.

                                      Next time: a slightly more decorative vessel!   

Nuno Felt Purse With Yarn Embellishment- Part 4

Cutting leather for both a strap and a buttonhole...

                                               ...and stitching them to the bag.

                                               The riotous colors of the purse...

                                   ...seemed to require an equally festive button! :)

                                                The back of the finished purse...

                                                      ...and the bag interior...

                                           ...with yarn-embellished pocket.

                                                          The finished purse.