"Deborah-Style" Wet-Felted Slippers- Part 2 of 2

Trying out different buttons for the closure.

                                                 Fashioning leather soles...

                                       ...and punching holes in them (for stitching).

                               Here, Deborah shows me her own brilliant 'notion' (har)...

                            ...twist pins for holding the leather in place while stitching!

                                                  Within days of my arrival home...

                                  ...I received a packet of these special pins in the mail.

                                                 (Thanks, again, Deborah!)

                            The soles are sewn into place using strong beading thread.

                                   Next, I sorted out the placement of my closure...

                                  ...and sewed the felt cords and buttons into place.

                                 

                                  The red lining provides a 'pop' of intense color...
                                          
                                    

                                ...and overall, my finished slippers are a real 'kick'! (groan)

                        

                                 

                                       
                                      Now, I'm looking forward to cooler weather...

                                             ...so I can really test them out! :)

                                  

"Deborah-Style" Wet-Felted Slippers- Part 1 of 2

                                       
                        When I visited my lovely friend, Deborah in England this Spring...

                                   ...there was one project that I just had to make...

                                    ...a pair of her wonderful wet-felted slippers! 
                  
                         ****************************************************************
                                                Preparing the foam slipper resist.                                           

                                   Placing pre-felt squares onto the resist surface...

                              ...and covering them with a layer of orange wool batt.

                                            Flipping the project to side two...

                                          ...adding pre-felt embellishments...

                                                  ...and additional wool.    

                                     After adding a layer of red wool to each side...

                                               ...and felting for some time...

                                   ...I cut the slippers apart and removed the resist...

                                              ...then turned them inside-out...
                                       
                                           ...and continued the felting process.

                                                     The fully felted slippers...

                                              ...now, with asymmetrical cuts.

                                          Rubbing the cut edges to 'heal' them.

                    
                                          Next time: I add green leather soles...

                                         ...and a button-and-cord closure.

                                     

European "Feltmaker to Feltmaker Hand-Off"- Part 5 of 5

The adorable Deborah of Felters Journey.

                               I was humbled to see that this 'blog giveaway' of mine from years ago...

                                             ...had received 'pride of place' in her living room!

                              Their peaceful and lovely home is surrounded by greenery...

...and graced by Deborah's lovely felt work.

                                                          (Ahhhh...the orange!!!)

                                            

                                  Of course, I had to try on one of her tea cozies as a hat...

                                     

                                 ...and Deborah joined me in modeling a (tiny) felt hat of her own! :)

                                 She made delicious meals each day to keep us fortified...

                                      ...(this carrot and coriander soup was a special favorite)...

                                      

                              ...and her charming family made me feel at home in every way!

                                      

                                           Using the pre-felt lengths that I made at Pearl's...

                                              ...we each fashioned a version of the centipede scarf.

                                ...mine with colored pre-felt squares for embellishment...

                       ...and Deborah's with dyed tussah silk and 'piercings'.

                            
                                               With the remainder of the pre-felt...

                                            ...we made one long 'Nicola'-type boa ...

                                 ...by working together to do the rather tedious work...                                  

                                             ...of felting each individual 'petal'.

                               Here's Deborah during our fabulous 'boa photo shoot'! :)

                          I want to thank each and every one of my 'hostesses' and their families...

                            ...for their warm and loving care while I was traveling...

                         ....and for your patience, dear readers, as I chronicled my trip.

                                                     Next time: Back to purses! :)