Felty Things and the Generosity of Friends.

It's been a good week, peppered with days of mists and mellow fruitfulness

and autumnal sunshine.

View from my workshop

Things to be thankful for this week.

I have picked up a day's work on Saturday, looking 

after my friend's gallery in Pateley Bridge.

Keeps my 'shop girl' skills finely honed and a

 little money in my pocket too !

Thankyou Teresa.

Managed to get space in November, at 

The Farmers Market, which is held at

The Old Grammer School Gallery in Otley.

Hopefully, this might earn us a bit to go

towards Christmas.....madly making now for this.

Thanks Zack.

Lastly, in the thanks department.

A big thankyou to my friend Annette,

who when I called in to see her on Wednesday,

generously gave us a wine bottle filled with

Olive oil, straight from the press in Portugal.

Yum , yum !

Anyway.... on with the felting.

I've made a second bag this week.

It was another experiment, this time upcycling an

 old cardigan, rather than starting from scratch.

Not sure if I'm pleased with it yet.

See what you think!

I thought you might be interested in the process. 

so here goes............

    

I dis-assembled this pure wool cardigan, which had, had, it's life.

(the material has to be 100% wool, for felting,

 whether you upcycle a garment or make it yourself).

I made my bag out of the back of the cardigan. 

Then, what to make the border and handle from?

I had some mohair, which I thought would be fit for purpose 

but not sure it would felt. I made a crochet flower out

 of the wool and tried it out before I went any further.

TIP: These little bags, given with washing tablets, make great

little containers for keeping small experiments seperatein the wash. 

Works for buttons too!!

Make sure you knot the little string or contents, will work free

and thats not good, as I know to my cost!

It worked.

  I crocheted the border, handles and buttonhole flap.

Then came the exciting bit.

To felt it, I put it in the washing macine on a 40 degree wash cycle.

You can use any washing powder but no conditioner and do not spin.

I usually put the machine on Rinsehold, in case it gets forgotten.

When finished, I squeezed out the excess water,

pulled it into shape and then rolled it up in a towel

to absorb the worst of the wet.

When drip dry, I hung it out in the sunshine.

Finally I put it in the airing cupboard to complete the drying process.

Now for the finishing off.

  Had this linen which I liked, for the lining.

Two matching buttons for the fastening

 (one on top of the other).

DONE.

Before I go, must share with you, my bargain of the week.

It's so beautiful and cost under £2, from you know where.

It's from a dressing table set, I think. 

You can still see traces of face powder in the lid.

It has a cut glass base and hand embroidery set in the lid.

It's now housing my dress making pins.

Lovely, I'll treasure it.

Thinking of becoming a volunteer at my favourite shop.

I'd like to give something back and I have the time at the moment.

It's good to live dangerously!!

ha, ha.