Re-purposed wool sweater = new handbag

When I saw the lovely cabled and embroidered wool sweater at the Goodwill I knew I had to felt it and make it into something--plus it was 1/2 off! So of course I bought it, felted it--and wow! did it shrink....and then decided this sweater would make a very nice new purse. I used a thrifted pillow case to line the purse and made the shoulder strap out of the sweater's arms...really happy with this one because it is roomy and I added some pockets to the lining for my cell phone, pens and other small objects.

I needed some way to close the purse--so I added a crocheted edge with button loops and used some nice vintage mother-of-pearl buttons.

and now I have a "new" handbag for spring! so far I'm liking it...and it took me one afternoon to make! Once I felted the sweater, the sewing went pretty fast. I sewed the lining in by hand around the top edge.

Aunt Esther's Motto (one of them) : "A stitch in time, saves nine." I guess this is more about mending--which she was an expert at doing---but this recycled sweater purse made me think of her. She would have like this concept, as she was very thrifty. She was my Great Aunt (grandmother's sister) and I learned alot about life from her--so I'm calling this Aunt Esther's Handbag ;-)

Re-fashioned, re-purposed, recycled sweater to hoodie!

I have been "thrifting" wool sweaters...and I always throw them in the washing machine and dryer to felt them (ie. shrink them) once I bring them home. So when I decided to sew some clothes from my stash of thrifted felted sweaters imagine my delight to realize that this lovely--now very soft (after the felting in the washer) men's wool sweater now fit me perfectly. It was rather an ugly plaid sweater though--so I decided to make it into a "hoodie" for myself.


I started by adding the hoodie pocket on front---I cut the pocket from another sweater, hemed the curved edges with my sewing machine and sewed it on by hand with some lovely rainbow variegated wool yarn (actually I used a sock yarn) with a blanket stitch.

Then I decided to do some embroidery over the black plaid lines to brighten the front up to go better with the bright colored pocket...again I used the rainbow yarn and a herringbone stitch. I sure wish I had taken a photo of this sweater before I re-purposed it---but sorry, I didn't!

Next was the hood--I cut out the ribbing around the neck of the sweater---being careful to cut right at the seam so the neck wasn't to big. I hada couple of argyle sweaters--but after felting they both seemed to have some holes in them---so I used parts of 2 of them to sew the hood, and then turned the neckline under and sewed the hood to the neckline by hand. Then I also embroidered a herringbone stitch around the neckline to finish it off.

and voila! I now have this very comfy hoodie---which I have been wearing everywhere! I love having the pocket in front for my cell phone or keys, and the soft wool is just the right warmth for this time of year. And so far I have been receiving many compliments on my "new" sweater....despite the funkyness---folks seem to like the obvious handmade look of this sweater and so do I....

Of flowers and frogs

Lately I have been real busy with designing for my classes at the California School of Professional Fabric Design where I am "master" student---in my last class, and hopefully close to finishing.

Consequently, I haven't been doing much sewing or beading---only knitting--since it is easily transportable. At least that is what I have been telling myself---but when I got busy and really cleaned and organized my crafting studio space---suddenly I found myself sewing up a little project I had been wanting to try for months! So here is to organized studio space (!) and spring flowers....

a spring flower ! created from some ribbons, vintage button, beads....


and this flower using a vintage hanky and vintage button

these are a (surprise!) gift for one of the faithful attenders of my monthly Needlework Salon---she makes fabulous knit & felted hats---which these will trim nicely. She made the soon-to-be grandbaby these fun froggy felted booties--sized to fit a new born, aren't they fun?

Ruby REpurposed Handbag

Another one! This one is also lined, and has some nice fellted crocheted lace on the closing flap. The back of this bag is a lovely felted multi-colored Fair Isle stripes--the front a scrumptious ruby color. Created out of recycled felted wool sweaters--and fully lined with cotton fabric. The inside has small pockets for keys, cell phone, and other small objects. The strap is made from the same striped sweater as the back of the bag. I also use some lightweight Pellon fusible, between the wool and the cotton fabrics, to give some proper stiffness to the bag.

detail of closing flap

lining, with pockets

the back of the bag

Orange is the New Black

Sweaters from thrift stores---washed in hot water in the washing machine, then dried in a hot dyer--PRESTO! wool felt! which I then cut up and sew into handbags. This one is orange and green in honor of FALL season---plus, I love orange. I lined this, and added pockets inside for your keys and cell phone. The handle is braided sweater strips, just the right length for a comfortable shoulder bag.

This shows the lovely lining fabric--the handbag flap is lined with a brown sweater.

This is a back view of the handbag---just slightly different than the green striped front---with an orange horizontal side strip.

Sweaters "Repurposed" into handbag

I buy wool sweaters at thrift stores or garage sales--throw them in the washing machine and dryer---shrink them to the max--and then have nice, heavy wool felt to create handbags with. This bag is large--I wanted a bag I could carry all my usual purse detritus and a knitting project and a small sketchbook and maybe even a paperback book to read. Seems I'm spending quite a bit of time lately on the bus or BART, and since I like to knit or read while I travel, and needed a roomy bag that would carry everything. On this bag I also created a large closing flap on the front---and sewed on crocheted granny square (from another unfinished project.) I used the buttonholes from the sweater on the lower flap edge as a closure. The handle I made out of strips I cut from the sleeves of the sweater--then I braided the strips---this makes a nice sturdy handle.



And I lined the bag--isn't this fun lining material? I thought this fabric complimented the greenish tweedy wool nicely---and I also made some functional pockets inside for keys and cellphone---the two items I am always digging around in the bottom of my bag for. Took this bag out for a spin today and she got her first compliment!