
3 New Things
I chose a few felt pieces to make things from recently. One was a piece I made about 3 and a half years ago, it was my first attempt at a plaid-inspired piece:
I thought I could improve it by adding some machine stitching, so I just added a few straight lines and some zig-zg stitches. A couple of strips looked too plain so I added some offcut strips, then sewed it up into a book cover:
The strap is removable, this is the front:
And, opened out without a book inside:
The other 2 pieces were texturey nuno pieces. They were planned to be the right size for coin purses. I was going to make them my usual way, of cutting out and blanket stitching, but I thought the first piece was a bit too ‘grungey’ for neat stitching:
And when I got the other piece to cut up I thought the same thing:
So, instead I just cut one piece for the inside pocket, and tried to keep the natural edges, just folded and stitched. This is the ‘antiquey’ looking one:
I tried a button, but I think it’s too new:
The bluey green nuno I made this from is one of my favourite pieces that I’ve made. It made a nice purse too:
There are so many colours and textures:
Sometimes it seems like a cycle of just making lots of felt, then making lots of things from felt!
17 thoughts on “3 New Things”
Lovely book cover Zed, the colours are fabulous. I see you are stitching the edges, are you happier with that over your normal blanket stitch? time wise it is a benefit of course. I am wondering whether to make more book covers for my fairs. I always love blues and green together, pretty purse. Yes I am not sure about the button, the colours match well but not convinced it is the one for that purse, which is also lovely!
Thanks, Tracey 🙂
Usually, I only machine stitch the edges if I’ve made the cover with machine stitched felt pieces, and blanket stitch ‘whole’ felt covers, they seem to fit better if that makes sense? So, adding the stitching to the felt was a kind of ‘bridge’ between the two. It certainly did save loads of time!
Your book cover and purses are lovely, I particularly like the antiquey one. I agree that button isn’t right. Do you have any of those that you cover yourself? I think it would really suit a fabric covered button.
Thanks, Karen 🙂
I did buy a kit to hand cover buttons once, but it never worked 🙁 If anyone has brand recommendations that’d be great, I think that sounds like a great idea!
I’ve done them in the past using a cheap white plastic kit made by Hemline. I think I got mine from Dunelm Mill….don’t know if you have that store over your way but also available from Hobbycraft https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/hemline-self-cover-buttons-22mm-5-pack/567086-1000?glCountry=GB&gclid=CjwKCAiAoNTUBRBUEiwAWje2lqb9trsi3dezvWrIp085PdRMvrvitI4Dzuosrm2OHOf-5Ad3CG50NRoCffcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Love these Zed. I like the organic look of the two coin purses. That must be faster than doing them by hand for sure. Perhaps a metal button that looks like it is aged such as bronze or copper?
Thanks, Ruth 🙂
Yeah, it was definitely faster. I’d thought about it before, but sometimes find it hard to try out ideas, for fear I’ll waste time, and a good piece of felt, and end up with something useless. I like the idea of an old metal button too, that or a matching fabric sound really good.
Love the orange/red combo and the blue green. Do you folks have a lot of success selling these at shows? I always wonder how book covers sell now that so many folks are using e readers. Do the covers fit them?
Thanks, Kathryn 🙂
I think book covers and purses are my best sellers really. I make the book covers to fit our standard sizes here, either A5 or A6, so the books or diaries in them can be replaced. I’ve made lots of pouches and cases for different gadgets over the years, to fit cameras, phones, tablets etc, but popularity changes and the sizes constantly do, so when they’ve sold it’s usually been just because it was nice and a use would be found for it. People tend to either always have their phones in their hand or have a hard case which holds cards etc, so I don’t try to make cases for them, instaed when I make shoulder bags, I make them big enough for a phone in a case to fit.
They are all wonderful, but I am particularly fond of the blue green. I’m sure you’ll find the right closure for the antiquey one.
Thanks, Marilyn 🙂
I often leave purses months until I find the right button!
Love the purses, particularly the blue green one it is really vibrant. I agree about the button on the antiquey one, it seems to have too much texture fighting the texture of the purse. Maybe something a little plainer.
Thanks Antje 🙂
Yeah, I like the fabric covered idea, the fabric I used is less intense unfelted. I think maybe the blue one would look good with fabric too.
Yes – I’d fight Marilyn for the bluey green one! But the cover and other purse are pretty too.
Thanks Lyn 🙂
Absolutely lovely!
Great cover and bags. I like the antiquey one. But the button is not right on the bag. I like the idea of a brass one or maybe a pale purple to pick up the purple in the fabric. You can make buttons without equipment, I am sure I saw tutorial doing over a cardboard disk.