Wet Felted wool shoulder bag,Top handle Purse,Handbag,Tote,Pocketbook,Stylish,Chic,Smart,Green and order Blue hues,Handmade,Original,One of a kind

“Crinkles.” This wet felted wool handbag was created with varied materials and features, among them are the “crinkles” created in the wool during the felting process. These crinkles are of differing sizes and textures, depending largely on the variety of wool used, which for this purse is one wool type on front and another on the reverse. The front of the purse is done with Merino sheep wool blends and features an outside pocket, the face of which is Nuno felted (*see below) with Margilan Silk (*see below) over the wool blend on the Merino wool blend. The crinkles in the felted Merino wool on this side are small, with a more even feel. (Photo 1 shows the front of the purse with the top flap close)

The opposite side of the purse is done with Black Faced Leiceshire sheep wool, which felted to form larger crinkles, with a more textured feel. There are also two pieces of a cotton print fabric, which have been Nuno felted to the wool (photo #3). This side is shown in a close-up (final photo#4), which highlights the crinkles and curls on the Leiceshire sheep wool. In photo #2 the purse closure flap is raised, showing the white Merino wool blend, which makes the interior both soft and durable. The interior also features a pocket with a face of dyed Merino wool.

The handbag measures approximately 13.5 inches wide at it's widest point and 11 inches tall from bottom to the fold of the flap when closed. The approximate measurements of the two pockets are: outside pocket 4.5 inches wide by 5.5 inches deep and the inside pocket 5 inches wide and 6.5 inches deep. The final design elements are the tassels on the purse bottom and the handle, made of a colorful blend of dyed wools that have been felted using a rolling technique, whereafter the handle is securely needle felted order onto the purse.

With it's different elements, the making of this purse was both challenging and fun. I very much enjoy and am artistically fulfilled by experimenting with different materials and combinations, to make truly unique, useable, and affordable artistic creations.

*NUNO FELTING: The name is derived from the Japanese word "nuno" meaning cloth. The technique bonds loose fiber, usually wool, into a sheer fabric such as silk gauze, creating a lightweight felt. The fibers can completely cover the background fabric, or they may be used as a decorative design that allows the backing fabric to show. Nuno felting creates an extremely versatile fabric and is particularly suitable for lightweight creations, allowing for movement and drape. The use of silk or other stable fabric in the felting process creates fabric that will not stretch out of shape. Fabrics such as nylon, muslin, or other open weaves can be used as the felting background, resulting in a wide range of textural effects and colors.

*MARGILAN SILK: comes from the ancient city of Margilan, in Uzbekistan, often called the silk capital of Central Asia, which for centuries was an important trading hub due to its convenient location and abundance of sought-after goods, silk being a major one. To this day, a good deal of Margilan silk is made by hand, often, it is said, with the help of ancient secrets and techniques.