"Fern and Flower" Drawstring Bag- Part 2 of 2

The finished bag (fern side)...

 

...and flower side.

 

I used narrow, grosgrain ribbon for the drawstring...

 

...but made the straps a bit shorter than with my previous bag.

 

Filled with things, it looks like this...

 

...and I hope that my friend will find it a useful size for storage...

 

...since she may already own a few too many of my purses!  Grin.

 

After sewing on the satin ribbon casing...

...I threaded lengths of narrow grosgrain ribbon through it...

...one from each side of the bag.

This enabled the drawstring to work easily...

...while allowing the bag to open to its full width, as well.

By working inside-out , the pencil roving just melted into the felt...

...and the design didn't shift or deform...like it might if you added it last.

"Fern and Flower" Drawstring Bag- Part 1 of 2

Covering the pencil roving design with hand-dyed merino roving.

 

Fulling the piece after felting.

 

The finished bag...flower side...

 

...and fiddlehead fern side.



 Stuffed with cloth placemats during blocking and drying.

 

Pinning satin ribbon to the inside of the bag prior to stitching...

 

...and afterward, with one buttonhole drawstring opening visible.

 

You may remember the first bag that I made this way...

...using a quilt design as the bag's inspiration.

I used the same wonderful book of modern designs...

...to inspire this birthday gift for a friend, as well!

Working inside-out, I spread soap glue on the resist...

...then laid out my designs in pencil roving.

Next, I added layers of hand-dyed merino roving...

...and rubbed and rolled the piece until it was done.

After it was fully felted and dried...

...I stitched in a casing , made from two pieces of wide satin ribbon...

...and sewed and cut buttonholes for the drawstring 'exits'.

Next time: the finished bag!

Quilt Design Drawstring Bag- Part 2 of 2

The finished, dried back side of the bag...

...and the front.

Making a button-hole for the drawstring.

Pulling ribbon through the sewn-on casing.

The completed bag front...

...and back.

With long grosgrain ribbon ties...

...in mix-and-match colors!

For a change, I made a bag that was not intended for use as a purse...

...but as a storage bag for my camera cord and recharger.

It reminds me a bit of a Victorian reticule...

...but in a larger size (11 X 12.5-inches). :)

I used wide satin ribbon for the drawstring casing...

...sewing it onto the felt along the ribbon edges.

The satiny finish makes the drawstring close very smoothly...

...plus, the inside of the bag looks pretty, too! :)

I threaded two different colors of grosgrain ribbon through the casing...

...to provide long handles for hanging.