Small but Tricky
Since we’ve been traveling a lot this winter, I wanted a small project to work on. I’ve had a frame for a small coin purse sitting around for a while. So, I decided to try that.
Unfortunately, the first one I made was too thick. I had used three layers, the middle layer corriedale. I set it aside and when I returned I tried again.
I like the idea of using silk inside. I had some yardage from a shop in Florida I purchased last year. It was close enough to the turquoise batt I had on hand from another project.
The first one was also a bit larger than I wanted. I’m always looking to lighten my handbag. So, I had adjusted the resist to be a little smaller and used two layers. I also cut the silk to overlap so there wouldn’t be any gaps with the silk. Of course, there is no guarantee it won’t shift during felting.
I used mulberry silk to embellish it.
When I finished felting, I carefully cut the sides to match the curve of the frame.
Then came the challenge — getting the felt into the frame and staying long enough to sew it on. I tried Gorilla glue, but that made a mess and didn’t work. I ended up using a blanket stitch around the edges then a nail file to push it into the frame.
The frame had holes on one side and a longer solid piece on the backside. In order to get the needle through to the back, I had to run it on an angle while making sure the felt stayed in place. Very fiddly!
Doing the second side was more of a challenge because the felt kept slipping out. I did manage to finish it without throwing it to the ground or out. It seems to be fairly sturdy despite using a single cotton thread.
I’m pleased with it, but it was a lot more work than I had anticipated. I have trouble with working small in tight spaces. My hands were not happy. We’ll see how well it wears. But I can guarantee there are no more coin purses in my future unless I design my own without a frame.
Have you made these? Is there a trick I was missing?