Feel It. Felt.

I actually have a project to show today: a needlecase made from wool felt, hand stitched. Being sewing-machine-less (in case I failed to mention it before!), anything made needs to be hand-made.
The size and shape is rather random and the front cover decorations are like a sampler. I'm experimenting with stitching without looking too finely embroidered.

Please forgive the photos taken in a very classy way, on a creasy, stripey quilt on my bed. The first photo gives the appearance of felted-felt but it is really smooth and not as it appears.

My first idea was to use shapes punched out with paper punches like Moonstitches but it is bloody hard! I can only get a tiny punch to work as the felt is too thick even between a piece of confining paper. So all the circles are cut by hand and eye!

I will try to make another covered in tiny flowers using the only punch that will work. I've seen Sizzix punches used to cut felt so I'm just keeping an eye on eBay for any suitable shapes.

The wool felt is from Winterwood Toys which has the most amazing range of hand dyed felt, plus doll making and craft supplies. The felt is 100% wool and is the most wonderful fabric to sew with. It's soft and gorgeous and nothing like the acrylic stuff. Originally I bought acrylic felt from Spotlight but for some reason it wasn't until I got home that I realised it was crappy. Then I discovered this felt and rang and spoke to the Sandra who was so helpful it was unbelievable. I asked for a range of colours. She suggested I name the colours I wanted. So I said something like 'deep red but not too pink' or 'light ferny green but not too yellow', etc and she then chose it for me. Sandra dyes all the felt herself so it has lovely undulating colours. *Edited to say: Coincidentally, a Winterwood Toys catalogue arrived in the mail today but you can download it from the website and order online.

Now that I'm back at work after 4 days off (crikey!) I spent the first few minutes of the day setting up a reminder task to log on to Mix Tape Zine at 9.30am exactly to cadge a copy of the Special Edition. Then the next 1 1/2 hours were spent idly doing not much, hovering over my keyboard ready to pounce on a copy. (How unprofessional!) And now, I'm typing this post at work. Hopefully Mr IT is completely ignoring my Internet usage at work.