'Art Nouveau' Zippered Bags- Part 3

Neatening up the felt envelopes...

...by trimming off the 'cutting line' portion.

                                                           The striped side...

                                                            ...the interior...

                                                       ...and the motif side.

                                                     Choosing bright zippers...

                                     ...that coordinate with the colors in each bag.

                                                 Trimming the zippers to fit...

                                                 ...pinning them into place...

                                                   ...and hand-basting them...

                                                ...with strong nylon thread.

                                                Next time: the finished bags!

Pieced Purse Revisited- Part 4

The relatively dull interior of the finished bag...

                                                 ...receives a 'color infusion'...

                                        ...with the installation of this bright zipper!

                                                           The finished bag...

                                      ...with its larger pieced nuno pre-felt 'cousin'.

                       It's interesting to note how the colors of the printed silk change...

                                 ...depending on the color of the wool underneath! 

                              I'll be taking a short blog break to visit with dear friends.

                                                     See you in early April! 

'Zipper Flange' Bag- Part 4

The interior flanges...

...are folded in half and stitched...

                                               ...and one side of the zipper...

                                                ...is pinned to each of them.

                     (It's easy to shorten a 'too-long' zipper using strong nylon thread...

                                     ...just stitch across the teeth several times...

                                                        ...at the desired spot.)

                                          Machine stitching the zipper into place.

                                             The addition of an interior flange...

                                                 ...allows for a wider opening...

                                                   ...at the mouth of the bag...

                                            ...and avoids 'visible stitching lines'...

                                
                                                        ...on the bag surface.

'Zipper Flange' Bag- Part 3

The interior of the bag (with flange)...

                                                   ...mid-way through felting.

                       
                             The project is rubbed and rolled in various orientations...

                                                    
                                                        ...for even shrinkage.

                                                        The 'hairy' wool fibers...                            

                            

                              ...migrate quite aggressively through the silk fabric...

                                                  ...and easily hold it in place.

                                          The fully felted bag, blocked for drying.

                                                 Next time: zipper installation...

                                                   ...and the completed purse! 

'Zipper Flange' Bag- Part 2

Swatches of patterned silk...

...(cut from a vintage scarf)...

                                ...are applied to the surface of the fiber on side one...

                           ...and pieces of shibori-dyed silk are added to side two.

                                                    The rubbing commences...

                                                  ...and over a period of time...

                                  ...the fabric is slowly incorporated into the wool.

                                                     Mid-way through felting...

                                      ...the soft felt is cut to reveal two handles! :)

                                               Next time: the felting continues.

'Zipper Flange' Bag- Part 1

A resist is fashioned from foam underlayment...

...and a flange is created from two layers of wool...

...covered by a painter's plastic resist.

                                     Layers of 'hairy wool' from a batt are added...

                                              ...and the project is wetted out.

                                            After flipping the bag to side two...

                      ...another flange is created and covered with painter's plastic...

                                ...(this keeps it from felting into the body of the purse).

                                    Layers of wool are added to this side, as well...

                                    ...and side two is wetted out with soapy water.

                                           Layers of blue wool are added next...

                                                   ...to both sides of the bag...

                                                          ...and wetted out...

                                ...and the fiber is closely wrapped around the resist.

                                              Next time: silk embellishments!