Wool Felt Projects
by Barbara Strembicki May 2010
There are two parts of this tutorial: book pages, clutch purses and
minis and a pen/pencil rollup case, along with a needle case. The book
pages and purses are on this page. Links to the others can be found at the
bottom the page.
National NonWovens are a manufacturer of
nonwoven products, including wool felt that's made from a blend of wool and
rayon. We've stocked both styles of their blended wool felt for years and
sell a great deal of it to folks who create all types of fun projects with it.
A while ago I got a bee in my bonnet and decided that I wanted to take some
time and experiment with the wool felt. One thing that I especially like
about this stuff is that it requires no fussing to finish the edges. They
can stay "raw" and won't ravel or fall apart which means you can layer it over
itself or other media quickly and easily. Whether for effect or to
actually attach a piece of wool felt, you can stitch the edges with a
contrasting or similarly colored thread. Buttonhole stitches are what
you'd usually see and what I tend to use.
Rather than use the fabric straight off the bolt, I went ahead and washed it
in hot water and dried it on high heat. That process takes fabric that has
a crisp, pressed look and alters it to what I think of as "timeworn". Not
to suggest that the fabric looks old and worn out, but more that it has a
vintage look which suggests it's been around and is more the better for the
passing of time. Since the majority of what I used were small pieces from
our samplers I threw it all in the kitchen sink, ran how water over it to
saturate each piece, wrung it out, and then tossed the whole bunch in the dryer.
I wasn't worried about colors bleeding and didn't see all that much as I washed
all of the colors together. That timeworn look suggests many things and to
me a bit of odd color here or there just makes it feel more authentic. You
can wash like colors together if you're concerned about colors bleeding a bit.
The first time I washed wool felt and took it out of the dryer I was amazed
at the change. The fabric softens, small wrinkles settle all over the
piece, and in some cases the colors alters a tiny bit. National NonWovens
(heretofore referenced as NNW to save typing!) make two blends; 35% wool/65%
rayon and 20% wool.80% rayon. I used both and of course the style with the
higher wool content tends to shrink more. A good guess, on average, is
about 12%. Make sure to allow for that if you're buying yardage to make a
project that requires specific amounts.
These are some of the pieces of wool felt that I used in the projects, plus
some size 8 Finca perle cotton. The wool felt colors are: buttercream,
blushing bride, wheat fields, camouflage, Mediterranean mist, pink grapefruit,
and cameo pink. All of these colors were selected because they coordinated
with Moda's Mill House Inn line of fabric.
The first project I attempted was a book with pages made by taking two colors
of felt and placing them back to back, then stitching the edges to hold the
pieces together. For this book I cut the felt signatures 9" x 15".
This one is cameo pink and camouflage green sewn with a simple overcast
stitch.
This signature is blushing bride backed with wheatfields. The edges
were done with a blanket stitch. When I was designing each page I mentally
divided it in half to allow for where the signature is folded. This one
was further divided into sections like a tic-tac-toe grid. I stitched
circles and hearts in the blocks and cut out some hearts to appliqué over the
grid.
I used a feather stitch around the upper two hearts and a straight/running
stitch to secure the lower, green one. I added beads to the feather stitch
because I love beads and couldn't resist the chance to use them. Mother of
pearl buttons that had a bit of perle cotton tied through the holes were glued
in place within the stitched circles. I wrote words on tiny pieces of torn
muslin, stitched them down, and called this one done.
This page is Mediterranean mist felt that I stitched an image to, again with
a feather stitch. Before it was applied to the page I arranged some
cheesecloth under one edge and trailing off to the bottom. The feather
stitches help secure the cheesecloth in place as do the beads that were randomly
stitched in it. Beads were also placed in the border of the image.
The bottom left corner has a Czech glass button glued over two of the Prima
velvet leaves.
Serene looking, isn't she?
This page is buttercream felt (it looks a little washed out here, the image
below is a better representation of the color) and was intended to be a stitch
sampler of sorts. I subdivided the page using Corde Twist which was
arranged in a serpentine fashion in both directions. I couched it down
using perle cotton which gives it an interesting look since there's such strong
contrast. In the upper left corner you can see where I began to add
stitches...
This page was one that I kept getting stumped about where to go next.
The bottom right corner continues to wait for inspiration to strike. I'm
not holding my breath at this point and the other pages are also in limbo.
I like what I've got so far, but am not feeling compelled to finish. This
one may simply end up as a UFO. I'm a quilter... and am familiar with the
concept of UnFinished Objects. They happen!
Here are the three signatures in various stages of completion. One of
these days, maybe...
Part of the reason the book became a UFO was because inspiration struck and I
got the idea to make little purses from the felt. Images of clutch purses
and little coin style purses were dancing in my head, pushing aside any thought
of continuing to muddle my way through the book. I rarely argue with my
Muse - she's mostly runs the show when I'm in the studio.
Since I had a very specific idea about what I wanted to create I went ahead
and just drew up a couple of test patterns for two sizes of little purses.
I stitched and stitched (all by hand - no machine is needed to make these little
beauties!), made some mistakes, ripped stuff out, and finally decided that I
loved them. I made purses till I was all but making them while asleep.
This isn't every one I made, but is the majority of them. Some have
gussets that you can't see while others are as simple as fold them in thirds and
stitch up the sides and around the flap. Each is lined using a
coordinating Mill House Inn fabric. All of these colors were chosen
because they coordinate so well with that line. The yellow one in the
center is buttercream, the darkest one is Victorian rose, the two medium pinks
ones are blushing bride, and the pale one on the lower left is wheatfields.
Again, bear in mind that the colors do change slightly when the fabric is
washed, plus the lighting in my studio isn't always the same two days in a row.
These are as accurate representations as I can create.
These little purses are all made the same way, with the only change being
whether you include gussets on the side. I'll show you how to make one
with gussets at the end and you can use the same directions for everything you
see here.
This is the first one I made. It's very simple with no gussets and can
be begun and finished in a few hours, so can be a really nice gift.
Here you can see the lining and the seed stitches I used to hold the lining
and felt layers together.
Buttonhole stitches were used to sew the sides as well as to finish all of
the edges. These are so simple to make you're unlikely to be able to stop
at one!
Once I finished the first purse the whole "must use a gusset" thing took
hold. This one is made from baby blue felt and is lined with a batik
fabric I stumbled across in my studio. It was so perfect with the baby
blue felt that I used it rather than one of the Mill House Inn styles.
Look closely and you'll see that rather than seed stitches I used a running
stitch in a swirly design to hold the lining and felt layers together.
Look really closely and you'll see that the flap appears to be too small for the
purse. Which is it and why this one has no additional embellishments.
When I was deciding how long to cut the gusset pieces I measured and decided
on the length. Then thought about it some more and decided that they
should be a bit longer. Uh, wrong. Which didn't come to light until
I had them both in place. If I'd stuck with the first measurement I'd have
been fine, but instead I second guessed myself.
If I really think about it I'm guessing there's a way to salvage this one.
For now it sits and waits. Like the book!
That I love beads comes as no surprise to those who know me. This purse
has no gussets, but does have this beautiful Czech glass button that I stitched
bugle and seed beads around. There are also size 8 seed beads sewn to the
flap and back of it. Also on the back is another, smaller Czech button set
with some velvet leaves. I also added beads to the buttonhole stitches
around the flap. More beads is usually a good thing in my book!
This was my first mini purse. No gussets and of course once I'd used
beads around the flap I had to keep using them on subsequent purses.
Lift the flap on that first mini and you'll see the heart I hid under it.
The other mini to the left also is gusset free. The cheesecloth on each of
them begins in the front of the flap and trails over to the back. In both
cases the cheesecloth is held in place with seed beads that was stitched in
various places...
Though the darker pink one is a lot more elaborate. I reused the hearts
and stitched image ideas from the felt book. There are Mother of Pearl
buttons, seed beads, stitching through the cheesecloth and a Czech glass button
on this one.
This one is my favorite by far and the one that I'll use as an example of how
these little purses are assembled. It has gussets, but if you decide to
make yours without just stitch the sides closed rather than insert the gussets
and stitch around them. There's a little pocket with a flap closure on the
back that's also optional. At the end of the page there will be links to
products as well as a downloadable document that has all of the pattern pieces
for both size purses, plus a page of hearts of various sizes and shapes.
Print out the pages and if you're making the larger purse with gussets you'll
need to piece the two sections together to have a complete pattern. Decide
which felt and which lining fabric and then trace the purse pattern on the RIGHT
side of the lining fabric. Layer that over the top of the felt (which has
no real right or wrong side), pin carefully, and you'll be ready to cut...
The pencil line is there, though it's difficult to see. You're going to
cut these out ON the line you traced. Right on it - do not add a seam
allowance!
If you want a pocket cut out one pocket and one flap from felt.
I wanted to bead the edge of the flap so I used a buttonhole stitch and added
one bead between each one. Start by taking the first buttonhole stitch,
When that one is complete string on one bead... and then finish the stitch as
usual...
By pulling the thread to tighten and finish the stitch. Repeat till
you've reached the end
Using the pattern, trace the pocket placement rectangle onto the felt with an
air soluble marking pen. Trace the fold lines too. Stitch the flap
in place right above the top of the placement rectangle. I used a
buttonhole stitch, but you can use a running stitch if that's your preference.
Stitch the pocket in place using the placement rectangle you drew earlier.
The first time I stitched this pocket down I used a blanket stitch and found it
to be too heavy and overdone looking. I ripped that one off and added a
new one using a simple running stitch. I prefer the running stitched
version you see here.
Once you decide on a button use a scrap of felt to make a test cut for your
buttonhole. Once you're certain of the size...
Mark it in the correct place on the flap and stitch the edges with tiny
buttonhole stitches. Look closely and you can see the faint purple marks
from where I drew the line to cut and mark the center of it.
Cut a scrap piece of felt about the same size as your button. You'll
place it inside of the pocket to help support the weight of the button so the
pocket doesn't sag.
Fold the flap down to determine the placement of the button, place the scrap
inside of the pocket and sew the button in place. I used perle cotton
since it was what I had handy.
Here's the purse with the pocket and flap complete and after I'd seed
stitched the lining to the felt.
Now it's time to put the gussets in place. Please, please... READ ALL
OF THE GUSSET STEPS BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO SEW!
Cut two from felt. The gussets are premeasured so all you have to do is
place one short edge to the squared off end of the purse (opposite of the
rounded edge that is the flap) and align the length up what is the side.
It should come to just about the fold line. give or take. Using a
buttonhole stitch, sew the two pieces together until you're nearly at the end...
Once you're about a stitch away from the end stop and...
Take one tiny stitch in the exact same place. This is going to hold the
bottom of the gusset in place so you can turn the corner.
Pinch the purse fabric to make it into a square corner, align the edge with
the bottom edge of the gusset and pin in place. Continue your buttonhole
stitches around that corner you just made till you're almost at the end...
Take another tiny holding stitch...
Pinch to create the second side of the corner...
Pin it in place, then continue the buttonhole stitch up the side...
...till you get back to the top. Follow the same steps to insert the
second gusset. You'll also want to continue the blanket stitch around to
finish all of the raw edges - it gives the purse a more finished look and since
the lining is cotton, unlike the felt, it will ravel.. I added beads to
the flap of this one, though of course that's optional.
If you don't want gussets simply trace the fold lines from the pattern to the
felt side of the purse. Fold them, then stitch the sides closed.
Once that's done stitch the front edge and the flap, adding beads to the flap if
you wish.
The process is exactly the same for the mini purses. This size too can
be made with or without the gusset and the patterns are both there for you to
try.
I found these little buggers to be quite addicting and made a bunch. I
have several others all cut, just waiting to be completed. One of the
nicest things about the NNW wool felt is the wide range of colors. You're
sure to find one that coordinates with a pretty patterned cotton fabric.
These purses can be made from just about any type of fabric and I'm guessing
that if you create "paper fabric" they'd make smashing purses too!
Click here to go
to page 2 - the pen/pencil rollup and a needlecase! Click
here to see the CPS
Swap purses.
Click
here to download the patterns for all of the purses. Supplies to make all of these projects include:
Wool felt! **
Mill House
Inn fabrics ** Or, see all of the fabric we stock by clicking
here
**
Finca Perle Cotton - size 8
Beads **
Czech
glass buttons **
Mother
of Pearl buttons **
Prima
velvet leaves **
Corde
Twist **
Cotton
doilies
