Sewing, Felt Hat to Purse, Felt Boots.
Last time I told you about organising one section of my room and clearing off the table. My next area is the sewing area. It’s coming along. It started like this:
There is also a bunch of stuff on the floor under and around it that you can’t see in the picture. I have made progress but the shelves to the bookcase have disappeared so it’s hard to fill them up. I did switch the old singer that needs a part for a newer one. I haven’t tried it but it may need a cleaning. I still have the pfaff I can use. I want to set it up for free motion embroidery. It is a work in progress
As part of trying to do some fiber art everyday I have been working on converting a hat to a purse, well, 3 hats actually. The hats started out looking like this:
I cut the holy part off and did this:
This should add some interest with great texture.
Here is one that has the texture done. The colour on the left one is more what it looks like I think it’s called Laurel.
I had planed to get the lining in before posting but that didn’t happen. I will show you when I get it done. It will also get a zipper too. I haven’t decided if it should be a clutch or I should find some sort of strap for it. What do you think?
Lastly I have started my on-line boot class. It took me a while to convince You Tube to let me see the videos and then my Internet went out for a week. So all I managed to do was my sample and get my pattern drawn out. The sample of gray Finn wool shrank a little more than 50%.
There was a lot of measuring and some math to get the pattern the correct size for the shrinkage. This is what it looks like at the moment.
My mom came for a visit so I couldn’t lay out the boots today. I decided I want to make a leave motif on the boots when they are done so I cut out leaf shapes in white and black. the booths are gray. I stretched a couple with some vintage “artisanal silk”. I am told it’s not real silk but its pretty. I don’t know if I like it. I was thinking of sewing some veins on with my machine to see how that looks. I have some dissolvable interfacing I thought if I put the leaves on that I should be able to stitch them.
So I haven’t been able to actually do some fiber art every day but I have been thinking about it everyday and getting to play most days.
13 thoughts on “Sewing, Felt Hat to Purse, Felt Boots.”
Ann,
So nice to know we are in the same boot class. I am at the same stage you are!
Leslie
Hi Leslie, that’s great. Its nice to know you are in the class too. I was just trying to figure out the tongue. she doesn’t say to enlarge it anywhere and inthe vidios it looks like its not bigger. I have decided to enlarge it and move forward. I don’t want to wait till wednesday
Ann, on the math calculations worksheet it does reference using the desired measurements for the height of the tongue, so I would assume you need to make the pattern bigger following the guidelines for making the resist. I look forward to hearing more!
Wow – the plans for the boots look big enough to make an aeroplane. How much wool will they take?
Stitched veins on leaves look really good and are easy to do – either raised or flat.
I like the way you’re turning your hats into purses and adding texture with stitching.
If the purse is ‘stiff’ enough it could easily be a clutch, but if it’s ‘soft’ then a handle would be good.
Handles can be made of anything you have around: chain; narrow belt; cord; plaited yarn; quarter inch clear aquatic pipe with coloured yarn drawn through it (the yarn that sticks out of the ends can be used to secure the handle to the bag) or simply the handle from another bag that you’re tired of.
Lyn they only take about 300 grams total. they will shrink to half the sized of the resist so they will fit. It is soft for a purse so some sort of handle would be best. I will have to see what I can find. the clear pipe sounds interesting.
I like the change into a bag and the texture is great. I think a long strap would be good. Women seem to really like a smaller bag with a long strap or an adjustable strap. The boot pattern looks enormous but since you’re getting 50% shrinkage that always seems big, doesn’t it? I like the leaf idea and the water soluble interfacing will make them easier to stitch on the machine. Remember they will shrink a bit when you dissolve the interfacing away and the stitching shrinks them as well.
I will keep that in mind Ruth, I may have to make some larger ones. I am not sure how I am going to sew them on, may be a straight stitch or a blanket stitch. I may be able to do it on the machine before attaching the soles.
I really like the textured purses. I think a long strap would make it more usable than a clutch. Just my opinion. You could go for a funky look that would continue to make the whole purse really interesting or a more matching one which would make it dressier. Will continue to watch the boot story as it is so interesting.
Thanks Linda I am hoping hte boot making isn’t to interesting.
Did you stitch the texture in, Ann? I thought you’d refelted until I read the comments.
I like Lyn’s suggestions for handles 🙂
And Ruth’s for an adjustable strap. I’m looking forward to seeing your progress with the Boot class.
yes I hand stitched the texture in Zed, I didn’t realise I hadn’t said. You could felt it in if you did it at a half felt stage but these were already finished as hats. I hope to have time to do some more felting on the boots today.
Ann your going to end up with the best studio around with all the sorting and clearing out your doing, Not sure i could have cut that hat up but it does make a gorgeous purse . Those boots do look enormous in the pattern dont they and ill be following along to see how they turn out to 🙂
Well you only say that because you didn’t see behind the camera. the hat had been around a while. I don’t know if they will sell as bags. the boots shrink a little over 50% so they have to start out big.