On the first day of camp everyone wet-felted a little coin purse. First campers made some pre-felt from wool roving, then they covered a styrofoam ball wrapped in plastic wrap with the pre-felt strips, working it with friction and felting solution. They used bubble wrap and plastic ridged shelf liner to facilitate the process.
Once the ball appeared totally smooth a slit was cut through the wool just big enough to pop the form out. After lunch everyone chose a packet or two of KoolAid, mixed it with water in a 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup and submerged their coin purses . . .
. . . covered the measuring cup with plastic wrap (very important for a splatter-free experience) and microwaved them on high for 6 - 8 minutes! It was so fun to anticipate the emergence of transformed wool! They were then rinsed and set aside to dry. Embellishment and attaching purse frames will come later in the week.
We started the second day by prepping wool for flowers. Strips and pre-cut petals and leaves were dyed with KoolAid using a different method than was used on the first day. The wool was soaked in warm water for at least 20 minutes, then laid in a Pyrex pie plate and the powders were sprinkled on. This allowed some color mixing to take place for great effects!
Plastic wrap was again used to cover the pie plate. The wool was microwaved for 2 minutes, rinsed and set aside to dry. If you try this at home be sure to use hot pads to remove the pie plate from the microwave. Also use caution when peeling back the plastic wrap as a lot of steam will build up inside and you don't want to burn yourself.
. . . but it wasn't until the third day that they really came to life! First their little felt parts had to be embroidered, stitched together and stuffed, then the pieces were sewn together and features added.
In the afternoon the chipmunks got underway . . .
Sometimes two hands weren't enough and it was Izzy to the rescue!
This pig pincushion is going incognito with a chipmunk tail pinned to him! I'm not sure his little chipmunk buddy is convinced.
Day four and we're getting down to the wire. Coin purses have to be embellished and assembled, along with the flowers. And there are still little boxes to make, not to mention the cell phone strap charms!
This gal is needle felting wool roving with a Clover tool and mat. She then cut shapes out of her felt and needled them onto her coin purse. A slightly smaller styrofoam ball is placed inside for support so she doesn't felt the two sides together!
After the surface design is complete the bag is sewn to a purse frame with a back stitch and some strong thread.
This crafty young lady knew she wanted to embroider an Asian image on one of the two purses she made. Here she is looking for the perfect design in a book of Japanese crests and drawing it on a piece of tracing paper prior to transferring it onto her pouch.
It's the final day. Little boxes that look like cakes are assembled. This one is chocolate with star bursts of chocolate butter cream supporting almonds, orange rinds and mint leaves. It is kind of scary when felt looks good enough to eat!
Flowers petals are sewn together, leaves and pin backs attached -- a vintage ladybug button is added for special whimsy!
These two girls are making orange mousse cake boxes with star bursts of whipped cream, an orange slice, a mandarin orange segment and a piece of kiwi garnishing the top -- all out of felt!
Another chocolate cake is in process!
The final projects show just how busy everyone was all week! Notice the yarn wrapped bangles -- they were the "fill" project that ran throughout the week. Whenever anyone was experiencing down time they were supposed to pick up their bangle and wrap until help arrived.
And the prolific bangle wrapping award goes to this smiling crafter! (Notice the chipmunk peeking out of her coin purse.)
