Pieced Nuno Pre-Felt Purses- Part 3

Laying out four flea market silk scarves...

                                             ...and covering them with merino...

                                                      ...or 'hairy' wool roving.

                                    The squares are wetted out with soapy water...

                                              ...and rubbed and rolled for a time...

                                               ...until they form nuno pre-felts.

                                       Next time: the cutting and piecing begins!

Pieced Nuno Pre-Felt Purses- Part 2

Using a wildly patterned silk scarf...

                                     ...(purchased at the Vancouver Flea Market)...

                                        ...I repeat the felting process from Part 1.

                                        Wool is applied to the surface of the silk...

                                           ...and wetted out, rubbed and rolled...

                                        ...to create another piece of nuno pre-felt.

                                                           Never fear (grin)...

                                                  ...as the project continues...            

                                        ...these garishly patterned nuno pre-felts...

                                             ...will become utterly transformed!

                                         Next time: I make four pieces at a time.

Pieced Nuno Pre-Felt Purses- Part 1

Pieces of printed silk from my stash...

                                      ...are covered with layers of merino roving...

                                                              ...wetted out...

                                            ...and fashioned into nuno pre-felts.

                                   To the surface of a piece of shimmery gold silk...

                                          ...lengths of silk selvedge are applied.

                                  The silk is covered with variegated wool roving...

                                                            ...wetted out...

                                                         ...rubbed, rolled...

                                                         ...and lightly fulled...

                                               ...to create another nuno pre-felt.

                                           Next time: more pre-felt preparations!

Silk Scarf Embellished Slippers- Part 3 of 3

Using lasts that I made a number of years ago...

                                                 ...and a pair of old stockings...

                        ...I tumbled the nearly completed slippers in the dryer for a while...

                                                     ...to finish them off.

                                           While choosing leather for the soles...

                                               ...I thought it would be fun...

                                          ...to use grey leather for one slipper...

                                               ...and burgundy for the other!

                                          Because I wasn't completely satisfied...

                                 ...with the way I 'healed' the slits during felting...

                                              ...I did a little hand embroidery...

                                                      ...around the cut edges.

                                      I also stitched a bit on the slipper exteriors...

                                           ...to slightly camouflage the spots...

                                  ...where the silk didn't completely cover the wool.

                     Next time: photos from a couture fashion exhibit in Philadelphia.

Silk Scarf Embellished Slippers- Part 2 of 3

Using wool from art batts...

                                          ...carded from fibery odds and ends...

                                                   

                                          ...I add a number of thin layers of batt...

                                               ...to each side of my two resists.

                                          As you will see in the finished project...

         
                                        ...I should have been a bit more careful...

                                 ...while choosing fiber colors for my many layers...

                                      ...since some of the less attractive sections...

                                         ...are visible in the finished slippers. :(

                                     Once all of the fiber layers have been added...

                                                 ...I rub and roll them for a bit...

                                      ...then make a slit from resist point to point...

                                                  ...and remove the resists.

                                    The cut edges are 'healed' with soapy fingers...

                                       ...and the slippers are turned right-side out.

                                           This resist creates a nice, boxy heel...

                                               ...for sturdy, 'clog-like' slippers.

                                            Next time: the felting is completed...

                                              ...and leather soles are added.