Project 10 Stage 3

I was looking hard at the image I have been using

and I suddenly saw the design for an i Pad bag with the pink part being a flap over closure.  I worked up a simple pattern with just basic side seams.

Design showing front, back and flap

It would need to be quite robust, so no glass beads but I can see lots of exciting possibilities here.  It would be a challenge to be involved with so much green  and there's lots of work to be done but at last I feel ready to go.

I thought the best way to start would be to look at the textures of the image and try to recreate them in fabric.    I did a couple of different pieces of random applique in shades of green (although the photo doesn't look like it).  My aim was to get a light and a dark piece that felt contrasting.

This is a light green sample

and the dark green one

I have also knitted a sample in moss stitch.  I found it was flexible and I lightly gathered it giving it a lovely texture.  This was 50 stitches and 8 rows on 3.75mm needles.

Making a long thin strip that has to be a given size needs the proportions to be accurate so I set my calculator to work.  My i Pad is 19x24x1  so I worked out that my long thin strip needs to be 60x20.5 including the pink flap and seam allowances.

I've been playing with how I can keep the green interesting for long enough and looked at even closer detail.  I did lots but felt these were the most interesting and it led me to think I should maybe go down the route of a back and a separate front ie two different pieces of work.

If I used this for the front it would mirror the slanting flap

I like the pink in here

Maybe to "solid"

I have made some felt to see if it would provide a good base to work on.  My main reason for chosing to work with felt is it is naturally waterproof.  At the pre felt stage I tried to blend the green and the pink so there is no need for a seam.

Joining the colours

What I found:

I need to buy more merino tops

felt needs to be thicker 

I need to make the felt plenty big enough - I didn't do enough pink and barely enough green for the back

make sure the colour graduations go the right way

joining the pre felt worked well - but I would like a more irregular edge.

Folded along the join may make it vulnerable so reinforcement may be needed.

The green felt (two tones)

The pink (3 tones)

I've done a bit of cutting and pasting and ended up with the basis of a design.  It may need some tweaking and I'm not sure about the pink stripe down the side but I've no doubt there will be an element of exploration as I go on.  I'm thinking of this as a prototype.

The basis of my design

I decided it's time to look what I've got in my stash and was surprised to see I don't really need to buy anything very much.  I tend to buy things when I come across them so I've a good resource.

When I'd made my selection it seemed a good idea to look at proportion at the same time so I did a hybrid between a wrapping and a collage that looked at texture as well.  I didn't use bondaweb but put organza over the top of my pieces because I like the effect of cutting some of it away. That way I can get various textures and colours from one piece of fabric.

Study in colour, texture and proportion

This is the same size as an i-Pad.  I have used some of the felt I made and some pieces of the confetti applique as well.  The colours work well and I'm pleased with them.  I am wondering just how important the colour of the base felt is as perhaps not much of it will show.

I've also been playing with a bag strap/handle.  I went back to the yarns section and decided to make a rope with some acrylic wool of just the right colours.  I was unsure how it would twist so I had a couple of goes.

Top the firmer of my two tries
Bottom is my first try with less wool

I did the lower rope first.  I cut 8m of wool and using 4 strands and twisted it until it was taut.  I allowed it to twist back on itself and the result was passable but I wanted it to be more substantial.

My second try (top) used 16m of wool and I began with just two strands, twistd them, allowed them to twist back and then repeated the process.  This gave me something much firmer and I think it will make a suitable handle for my bag.