Yarn-Embellished "Green Pumpkin" Bag- Part 3

After the second handle is attached...

                                                     ...the felting continues.

                                                As the wool begins to shrink...

                          ...the handles become firmly attached to the body of the bag.

                                  A small hole is cut within the raised pre-felt oval...

                                                ...and the resist is removed.

                                                  Mid-way through felting...

                                               ...the project resembles a squid! :)

                                                     The finished bag, drying.

                              Because I didn't 'veil' the synthetic yarn with any wool...

                                           ...some of it popped off during felting...

                                          ...but I think that enough of it remains...

                                                         ...to provide interest.

                                          The woven handles are quite strong...

                                     ...and (happily) kept their shape during felting.

                                       The pre-felt bits on the base of the purse...

                                                ...provide a surprise jolt of color. 

                                                  The finished pumpkin bag...

                                                   ...in all of its green glory! ;)

Yarn-Embellished "Green Pumpkin" Bag- Part 2

After flipping the project to side two...

                                            ...the pieces of yarn from side one...

                                       ...are wrapped up and around to the center.

                                                     A pre-felt ring is added...

                                    ...and the 'rays' of wool roving from side one...

                           ...are also wrapped tightly around the edges of the resist.

                                            Additional layers of wool are added...

                                             ...over the entire resist surface.

                                      

                                          The project is flipped back to side one...

                                     ...and wool is added to cover this side, as well.

                                 The dry ends of a braided handle are splayed out...

                                        ...and applied to the (raised) pre-felt ring...

                                            ...then covered with a bit of roving...

                                                  ...to help hold them in place.

                                         Next time: the second handle is added...

                                                 ...and the purse is finished.

Yarn-Embellished "Green Pumpkin" Bag- Part 1

Fashioning a foam underlayment resist...

...in the shape of a rounded-off square...

...and assembling pieces of novelty and boucle yarn.

                                                  Braiding straps for the bag...

                                                      ...from lengths of yarn...

                               ...and long, narrow sections of colored wool roving.

                                 Covering the ends of each strap with plastic wrap...

                                                  ...(using tiny rubber bands)...

                                   ...to help keep them dry during their initial felting.

                          Placing snippets of colored pre-felt onto the resist center...

                                               ...and adding 'spokes' of yarn.

                                               A pre-felt oval is added next...

                                  ...and several layers of wool roving are applied...

                                             ...to the entire surface of the resist.

                                                        Next time: side two!

Yarn-Embellished Journal Cover- Part 3 of 3

Adding a leather strap...

                                              ...to the finished felt journal cover.

                                 A metal punch was used to make the buttonhole...

                          ...(shown here with the green leather from my last project).

                                   My two most recent journal covers...side by side.

                                                      The finished project. 

                          To show how the composition book fits inside its felt cover...

                                     ...here's a photo of my recent 'confetti' one.

                                                A close-up of the brass button.

                                                       The completed project.

                                   Next time: the final journal cover in this series...

                         ...made with pencil roving, silk selvedge and fiber scraps! :)

Yarn-Embellished Journal Cover- Part 2 of 3

Mid-way through felting...

...the project is turned right-side out.

                                          Happily, each and every piece of yarn...

                                        ...has already begun to 'melt' into the wool.

                                          The project is further felted and fulled...

                                   ...and, once completed,  rinsed in vinegar water.

                              An oval opening is created for easy journal insertion...

                                          ...and the finished cover is blocked...

                             ...by stuffing it with rolled cloth napkins while it dries.                

                                            Next time: the finished journal cover...

                                 ...with burgundy leather strap and brass button.