Felt Flower Purse

Christina's painting talents inspired her felt flower purse. The purse has the look of a painting, based on one of Christina's original flower images.

Materials:

felt:
two 9" x 10" dark brown
two 9" x 10" dark red
47" x 2" dark brown
47" x 2" dark red
6" x 5" dark red
3" x 3" green
2" x 2" bright red
4" x 3" pink
large spools of thread: dark brown, dark red
small spool of thread: green, bright red, pink
scissors
pins
measuring tape
#14 needle for woven fabric
tracing paper and pen
fabric glue
sewing machine

1. Sketch an image. I do freehand, gesture sketching of flowers that inspire me. Good ones have nice color variation and interesting shapes. I then pick out basic forms or shapes and try out colors.

2. Translate it (using tracing paper and marking pens) into pattern pieces (figure A) to cut out felt shapes of the flower. Cut out flower images, pin patterns onto corresponding flower felt pieces, and cut out.

3. Make bag body pattern from 9" x 10" piece of tracing paper. Pin pattern (figure B) and cut out bag form from the large brown and red (lining) felt (two at one time) (figure C).

4. Trim 3/8-inch edges of red and around the two sides of the long red strap (the lower 14 inches.) Do not trim off the end.

5. Lay out flower on piece of brown felt. Glue well with fabric glue (figure D) and allow to dry.

6. Using corresponding threads, straight stitch around edge of all flower segments (figure E).

7. The decorative stitching depends on the machine. I use a zigzag stitch with the stitch length set at 0. I turn the stitch width knob while sewing (between 0 and 5) to create the form of the lines. Begin with the body of the flower (the stripes), then work to the pink tendrils, the bright red petals, then the green leaves. I add darker variations of the thread colors as various accents throughout the piece.

8. Use the same technique of stitching to create the lines on the back brown piece and on the brown strap (the sides and strap).

9. To assemble the bag: Sew together the ends of each strap, allowing about a 1/4-inch seam. On the brown/sewn unit, be sure the front sides face each other while sewing.

10. Line up the sewn part of the strap (hem side out) with the center bottom of one side of the red units. Pin along the bag, moving up to where the bag body stops. Straight stitch one side to the bag. Add the other side.

11. Do the same, as above, to the brown exterior pieces. Be sure the right sides face each other while sewing.

12. Turn the brown sewn unit right-side-out. Place the red lining inside and line up the top of edges of the strap. Pin them and then straight stitch all around the edges.

13. To finish the edges, use the brown thread. Set the machine to zigzag stitch, 0 width and #5 length (be sure tension is equalized). Stitch around the edges along the top of the bag and both sides of the strap.

Website: www.tinaruthart.com