Flat Felt Mini Purse

 

 

 

 

A dear, long-time friend visited recently...

...a warrior friend (we've been through a lot together over the years!)

It was wonderful to get to spend some time with her...

...and we even got to do some felting!

Since she had never felted before...

...I was gentle with her! Har.

We each made a piece of flat felt...

...with bits and bobs of different felted-in embellishments.

We dragged out my box of pencil-roving and dyed curly locks...

...sari silk, wool yarn, and carded flax.

I had some yellow batts at the ready...

...(extra ones from the yellow clutch project).

We folded them over with the seam meeting in the middle...

...so that the piece maintained its thickness throughout.

After felting, mine didn't look like much...

...but you know how it is with the magic of felt!

A little trimming with a rotary cutter, a seam up each side and some velcro...

...and 'presto chango', it's a purse!

I put velcro both inside the bag itself and on the flap...

...for extra security.

As is often the case with these spur of the moment projects of mine...

...I made it harder than it had to be.

Next time, I will remember to sew the velcro pieces on before I sew up the side seams...

...so I'm not struggling, awkwardly, with a tiny pocket and my sewing machine! :)

Felting Studio-Progress Photos

 

 

 

 

Well, my studio renovation is progressing...

...and I've finally found a home for my 'lovely' curtain-wall of plastic mats and pseudo-chamois towels!

(They used to grace the opening between my dining room and living room...

...but I'm pretty sure they won't be missed!) Har.

I found a terrific 'wall-mounted coat rack'...

...that I'm certain will never hold even one coat!

There is room on it for all of my mats and drying felt...

...and I can even dry hats or vessels on the top shelf!

I found stripey vinyl flooring in my favorite colors...

...and it's installed and looks great...very durable.

My handy bf, J, hung the coat rack, my new 'electric sander hook' (again, no coats!)...

...and even a magnetic strip for my scissors and the like (photo in next update).

Next: a storage unit for all of my wool!

Clutch Giveaway Winner!

 

 

 

 

I've collected vintage, hand-embroidered linens for some time, now...

...and I have quite a few small pieces that have been waiting patiently for new lives.

I just love to imagine all of our fore-mothers and fore-grandmothers carefully stitching away on these beauties in their rare free moments!

This little flower piece was part of a larger, partially-stained runner...

...so I rescued it and sewed it up into a little pocket.

I put velcro in it to keep things safe...

...and hand-stitched it to the inside of the bag.

I received four entries for this giveaway...

...Deb, Kelly, Mariana and Cameron.

Random.org chose #4-Cameron!

Thanks to all of you who entered!!

"Clutch Love" Giveaway

 

 

 

 

After some felting, and when the piece passed the 'pinch test'...

I cut a slit in the felt and removed the resist.

I rolled and squeezed and threw it...

...until it was fully felted.

Because I used two thin layers of merino, not batts of wool this time...

...the bag is not as thick and immobile as the yellow one.

This made for a felt clutch with a pleasing thickness and weight...

...but it also resulted in a rather unexpected bag shape!!

Instead of cutting a slit in the flap this time...

...I cut a star pattern so that the tube closure would remain round, even when the bag is closed.

In thinking about the utility of this bag...

...I realized that an inner lipstick or key pocket would make this more functional (and you know how much I love that!!). :)

I'll post photos of the pocket and finished bag on Friday...

...but in the meantime, if you would like an opportunity to own this bag, please leave a comment on this post.

It's important that you include an e-mail address or a way for me to contact you...

...and I will be closing the comments and drawing a winner on Friday morning.

Pink Clutch Purse Giveaway

 

 

 

 

I decided to try another clutch purse...

...this time using variegated pink and white merino roving instead of batts.

I used the resist that I made for the yellow clutch...

...and made the same kind of tube closure.

I placed two thin layers of wool on the resist...

...and splayed out the dry end of the tube closure for attachment to the top layer.

I used a felting 'stone' (pottery, actually)...

...to felt around the base of the closure, helping to make it secure.

To the surface of the bag's exterior, I added white flax strands...

...and to the flap, colorful sari silk fibers.

On Wednesday, I will show you the finished bag...

...and at that time, you can leave a comment if you would like to enter a drawing to receive this purse as a gift.

I will use www.random.org to choose a winner on Friday.

See you on Wednesday!

Finished Clutch Purse with Netting

 

 

 

 

After rolling and felting the purse for some time...

...I threw it into the washing machine to finish it.

I popped it into a zippered pillow case...

...and put it in with a load of other clothing.

When it came out, it was thick and felted...

...but it was also creased and misshapen.

I used an iron to steam out the creases...

...and stuffed it with placemats and steamed it into shape.

I knew from my other attempt at incorporating netting...

...that you have to keep the iron away from the plastic!

The last two photos were taken in full afternoon sun...

...and are not as true (color-wise) as the first two.

My daughter laughed when she saw it and thinks that the tube closure looks like lips...

...but I love it, and find it a really simple and functional way to close something, without having to sew on buttons or magnetic snaps.

Yellow Clutch Purse with Netting

 

 

 

 

I've been mulling over the idea of making a clutch purse for some time...

...and to thank my daughter, L, for helping me with my felting studio renovations, I decided to make one for her.

I made batts of yellow wool...

...and dug out a plastic net bag that once held oranges.

I had seen a wonderful closure recently in a video of Heidi Greb forwarded to me by my friend Kim.

...and I really wanted to try it.

So, I made a tube of wool on a resist leaving one end dry and fluffy...

...and felted it a bit on my mat.

Then, I covered the main resist with wool, front and back...

...and on it, placed cut pieces of the red netting.

I added a second layer of fiber to each side...

...leaving areas of netting exposed.

I left one area completely free of plastic netting...

...so that I would have a place to attach the dry end of my tube.

After attaching it, I rubbed gently around the base...

...to make sure that it was well-seated prior to rolling and felting the piece further.

Next time-the finished bag.