Machine-Quilted Drawstring Purse- Part 3

Fashioning a template for the bag bottom...

                                   ...and cutting it from the reserved nuno pre-felt.

                                                 Pinning the base all around...

                                           ...and machine stitching it into place.

                             Inserting a bubble-wrap resist into the purse cavity...

                                 ...to keep the front and back from felting together.

                                           Wetting out the bag with soapy water.

                                                             Felting begins.

                                 Next time: the bag begins to shrink and take shape.

Machine-Quilted Drawstring Purse- Part 2

Reserving a piece of embellished nuno pre-felt...

...for the bottom of the bag...

                                         ...and fashioning the remaining scraps...

                                                  ...into a pocket-sized piece.

                                    Folding over the tops of each side of the bag...

                                                        ...to judge casing size...

                                     ...and centering the pocket over a foam resist.

                                       Pinning and stitching the pocket into place.

                                                  Sewing the casing channels...

                                     ...with a narrow length of foam pre-felt inside...

                                           ...to maintain patency during felting.

                                  Clipping the front and back of the bag together...

                                                     ..with the wrong sides out...

                                                      ...and sewing up the sides.

                           Next time: the bottom is fashioned and stitched into place...

                                                         ...and felting begins!

Machine-Quilted Drawstring Purse- Part 1

Applying merino roving...

                                    ...to one-half of a piece of purple silk organza...
  

                                          ...and wetting it out with soapy water.

                                     The 'naked' silk is then folded over the wool...

                                                            ...(to encase it)...

                                      ...and wetted out and rolled for a short time...

                                          ...to create a nuno pre-felt 'sandwich'.

                                                                 Once dry...

                                             ...the pre-felt is machine quilted...

                                                    ...in a decorative manner...

                                  ...both to hold the layers together during felting...

                                                    ...and just to look pretty! :)

                                       Next time: I fashion an embellished pocket.

'Zipper Flange' Bag- Part 2

Swatches of patterned silk...

...(cut from a vintage scarf)...

                                ...are applied to the surface of the fiber on side one...

                           ...and pieces of shibori-dyed silk are added to side two.

                                                    The rubbing commences...

                                                  ...and over a period of time...

                                  ...the fabric is slowly incorporated into the wool.

                                                     Mid-way through felting...

                                      ...the soft felt is cut to reveal two handles! :)

                                               Next time: the felting continues.

'Zipper Flange' Bag- Part 1

A resist is fashioned from foam underlayment...

...and a flange is created from two layers of wool...

...covered by a painter's plastic resist.

                                     Layers of 'hairy wool' from a batt are added...

                                              ...and the project is wetted out.

                                            After flipping the bag to side two...

                      ...another flange is created and covered with painter's plastic...

                                ...(this keeps it from felting into the body of the purse).

                                    Layers of wool are added to this side, as well...

                                    ...and side two is wetted out with soapy water.

                                           Layers of blue wool are added next...

                                                   ...to both sides of the bag...

                                                          ...and wetted out...

                                ...and the fiber is closely wrapped around the resist.

                                              Next time: silk embellishments!