Felt BOHO Bag

 

'A labor of FELTED LOVE!'... Yes, indeed I discovered the process of wet felting to be physical work. Lots of bashing, squishing, rubbing, and rolling, is the perfection of shrinking wool to the size while shaping the form.

Wet Felted Wool Front Side of BoHo Bag

Inside the wet felted bag is a blue plastic pattern that is designed about double the size of what my end result is aimed for.  Here goes some of those math skills to gauge materials to size and shape while studying the various wool types'  % shrinkage factor.

Wet Felt up close, still fragile but blended different colors together.

The above photo closeup is the first stage of wet felt in various colors laid over the main plastic pattern for the BOHO purse/bag. Also added at this stage are the circles of felt in the left corner that have plastic circles over a layer of felt for an open design technique which will be seen later.

WET FELT Back and flap.

Gorgeous wool colors and I like the overall shape.

I was learning how to smooth out the edges and get the wool to stick to itself in all the right corners and feel it out where some of the felt can be too thick or too thin and be a breaking point. 

 

The blue plastic pattern comes out of the top of the bag and at this point, the wool is slowly felting but importantly the two sides of the purse will no longer stick together while in the shrinking and felting process to shape down about 40% of its original size.

Wet Felted Bag in it final finished shape and size. 

Time to dry and build the rest of the details to make the BoHo Bag complete.

The wet-felted bag is now down about 40% of its original size. Also, note the decorative circle dots that have also removed their little plastic pattern shape exposing the underneath color and ridged edges.

Wet Felted BoHo Bag with the flap closed, noting the loops for the macrame strap.

Completed BoHo Purse/Bag with all its decorative details, hand-stitched lining, beads, and macrame strap with metal closure. 

Add a little BLING and a secret pocket! DONE...

Front view of the completed felted BOHO Bag/Purse

Created in collaboration with my sister Colleen, she made by hand both the macrame strap and the macrame bling dangling from the strap. Wonderful to creativily collaborate together.

Back view of the completed felted BoHo Bag Purse

Closeup of what colorful felted wool looks like finished in its felting process. 

Sturdy textile and yet a soft feel to the hand.

Tiny Silk Macrame Cord BLING made into an adorable dangly 

for the purse strap made by my sister Colleen.

Full-Length view of over-the-shoulder felted BoHo Purse/Bag.

The length of the macrame strap fits my body perfectly and the BoHo Bag slides easily under my arm to the side like custom-made clothing. LOVE IT!

Hand sewing the inside the flap SECRET pocket.

Blanket stitch embroidery detail for the top edges and flap.

Closeup view of the decorative detail on the front section of the felted BoHo Bag.

Hand-stitched the beading above the Blanket Embroidery stitch. 

Attached is the metal closure for the bag and is OPENED position. 

I love the action of this closure.

The variegated macrame cord is perfect for this bag and the closure is now locked. 

Completed felted BoHo Bag.

The lining comes from yardage I purchased in the late '70s. 

I enhanced the purse lining with a pocket and stitched beads along the top of the pocket.

The secret POCKET on the inside flap has a hidden snap 

where I can put my nail file and small hair comb.

The Chrome Strap hook looks perfect... 

easy to add both the macrame strap & hook up to felted strap loops.

The BoHo bag was created through an online course put together with a masterful designer and felter Fiona Duthie. She has gorgeous designs in all she creates as well as her courses online were all supportive and she has in-depth explanations with patience to explain in detail for even me a beginner in felting. I recommend any of her courses in felting where she focuses on design elements not typically taught in other felting courses. 

https://www.fionaduthie.com/workshops/online-felting-workshops/

The first class I took with Fiona Duthie was Paper & Fibre Design, then took the Raised Surface Design course and the last class was the Felt BoHo Bag. I really enjoyed the process of wet felting but can say it was a lot more physically demanding for a long duration of smashing, crushing, rolling, and rubbing, than I thought it would be. Let's just say it is a great upper-body workout with wooly results!

I get lots of compliments on my first felted bag and will create at least one more! When I wear the BoHo bag the shape and size fit me naturally and the wool is soft up against the skin can barely notice I am wearing it!

HAPPY Bag Lady Minaz!