1st ever felted PURSE!  Never, ever stop experimenting….it’s such fun and a driving force for invention.  The tiny leaves I first made for a 3″ cocoon bag just kept growing larger.  It morphed upwards from 2″ leaves, to 5 or 7″, and finally, these oversize leaves as a purse.  I wish I’d taken a photo of the layered stack of wool & silk before  felting ~ it was enormous!  Must have been 5″ thick and bigger around than a chair seat.

The walls of the purse are strongly felted and sturdy enough carry all that a purse typically does without a fabric lining, and is double-stitch sewn at edges for added strength.

It’s amazing how often a crafts-person relinquishes a cherished item by displaying it for sale at an upcoming event.  In this case:  Black Sheep Gathering, 2012.   Sure, I have a small business and obviously make items for sale, but in many cases, I was just having fun CREATING, and end up loving the result SO MUCH that I want to keep it for myself.  I’d love to dash out tomorrow and run errands wearing this purse.  I’d feel (honestly…no intention to brag here, I actually AM shy about that) but I’d feel I was wearing a one-of-a-kind work of art!

“Well then,”  we crafts-persons tell ourselves, “I’ll just make another for ME.”  But usually it doesn’t happen and the next iteration goes up for sale or gets wrapped for a gift.  And so it goes….the endless drive to make more…in the futile hope we’ll get to keep some of it!

UPDATE Nov. 2023. My..my.. how the decade has flown past! Over these wonderful years of fiber festivals…. and Aurora Colony Handspinners Guild meetings… I’ve learned so much. Toss in online tutorials… and blogs…and endless conversations with other artists. I’ve learned SO MUCH. I say this because I love the idea of this big ol’ Mulberry Leaf purse, but I know better felting techniques nowadays, and really should try making that bag again. This time for myself, since I’d been reluctant to sell it back then. And I’ve got ideas to improve embellishments too.