"Purse-travaganza"! Part 2 of ?

Changing fiber colors (to orange!)...

...for side two.

                                                   Preparing hanging loops...

                                                       ...and attaching them...  

                                                ...to the top edge of the bag...

                           ...and covering both sides with additional layers of roving.

                                     After all of the wool layers have been applied...

                                             ...a resist is cut from bubble wrap... 

                                      ...and covered with pieces of nuno-pre-felt...

                              
                                                     ...and layers of roving...

                                                ...to form an internal pocket.

                                                     Mid-way through felting...

                                                      ...the resist is removed...
   

                          ...and the purse is turned right-side out for further felting.

                                                  Next time: the finished bag.

"Purse-travaganza"! Part 1 of ?

Bits of dyed silk cocoons...

...(after soaking and stretching)...

                                        ...and leftover snippets of nuno -pre-felt...

                                         ...are added to the surface of the resist.

                                      Brightly dyed wool nepps in several colors...

                                          ...(from my 'rarely used' supply drawer)...

                                           ...are scattered atop the resist as well.

                                              Layers of fiber from a wool batt...

                                           ...(blended with colored cotton dots)...

                            ...are applied to the surface of the resist and wetted out.

                                  Thin plastic is used to keep the bottom 'flange'...

                                           ...from felting into the body of the bag.

                                             The purse is flipped to side two...

                                   ...and additional decorative elements are added.

                                            Next time: hanging loops are added!

Persephone, Herman and Bob- Part 8 (Bob)

Bob, drying...

                                       ...with clips holding his goofy grin in place.

                                                 The pencil roving on his back...

                                            ...lends a 'garment like' appearance...

                             ...and his pupils are stitched on with embroidery floss...

                      ...so there are no small parts for a baby to pull off and swallow! 

                       I think his rakish moustache makes him look rather debonair..

                      ...but his textured tummy reminds us that he's 'all animal'!! ;)

                                                      The fully dried Bob (back)...

                                                              ...and front...

                                           ...and in use by one of my daughters.

                          A photo of the three rascals, Persephone, Herman and Bob...

                                       ...planning another of their crazy capers!! :)

Persephone, Herman and Bob- Part 7 (Bob)

Green wool circles create paw pads...

                                                    ...and green triangles...

                                                      ...and purple balls...

                                                ...are used to form Bob's eyes.

                                                      On the reverse side...

                                      ...pencil roving is used as an embellishment.

                                                    Mid-way through felting...

                                            ...the painter's plastic is removed...

                                             ...and a cut is made in the soft felt...

                                                   ...for easy resist removal.

                                                          A helpless Bob...

                            ...undergoes a rather painful whisker transplant surgery...

                                 ...and later convalesces in a soothing therapy pool.

                                        Next time: Bob in all of his hirsute glory! ;)

Persephone, Herman and Bob- Part 6 (Bob)

Preparing a paper pattern...

...and cutting it from foam floor underlayment.

    

                          Covering the resist with layers of wool from a bright blue batt. 
                          

                            Painter's plastic is used to help keep the mouth flange...

                                         ...from felting into the body of the puppet.
                                        

                                   Lighter blue wool is added to the resist surface...

                                                 ...the project is flipped over...

                       ...and the excess wool is wrapped up and around the resist.

                                                           Dyed wool nepps...

                                             ...are added to Bob's 'tummy area'...

                                       ...and covered with a Mawata silk hankie...

                   ...both for sheen and to help hold the nepps in place during felting.

                                             Next time: more embellishment!