How to Felt and Embroider a Clutch Purse

Materials and Tools:

Merino sheep wool fiber, several colors
eco-friendly foam
6-prong needle felting tool
1-prong felting needle
scissors
silk fabric
embroidery floss
needle
thread
buttons

Steps: 

1. Place wool fiber tufts (about a handful) horizontally on an 8" x 12" piece of foam.

2. Place another handful of wool fiber on the first layer vertically.

3. Continue layering the wool fibers, alternating horizontal and vertical placement, until there are six layers. Repeatedly punch through the fiber with a 6-prong needle-felting tool.

4. Once the fiber begins to attach to itself, flip it over and continue punching.

5. Continue to use the needle-felting tool until the felt becomes uniform and dense. This process may take 20 to 30 minutes of felting. Remove felt from the foam.

6. Cut the felt to the desired purse size, about 10" x 6-1/2".

7. Add a border around the outside by felting short pieces of fiber to the purse using the 1-prong felting tool. 

8. Add decorative elements by coiling small pieces of fiber and placing them on top of the felt. Needle felt them using a 1-prong felting tool until they form polka dots.

9. Embroider square and rectangular designs on the felt using embroidery floss and a needle.

10. Turn the purse over to attach a silk lining. Measure the fabric, cut and hand sew it with wrong sides together to the inside of the purse.

11. Fold the purse in thirds and hand sew the side seams together using a needle and thread in matching color.

12. Sew on a button to the mid section of the bag using needle and thread.

13. Line up the flap of the purse over the button and cut a buttonhole. Button the button through the hole for the clasp.