How to Make Tiny Polka-Dot Wet-Felted Coin Purses

Sally Gulbrandsen Feltmaker: Her tutorials and techniques are as individual as she is—unique, experimental and always interesting.

How to Make a Wet-Felted Coin Purse

Wet- and needle-felting techniques are used to create this charming coin purse. A cute sew-on metal frame completes the project.

I hope that, along the way, you will learn a few techniques which you may not have encountered elsewhere. My aim is always to make wet felting interesting and very easy for everyone.

What You Need

• A small quantity of white wool roving
• A small quantity of colored roving
• 1 90-mm polystyrene ball
• 1 70-mm polystyrene ball (can substitute with a small balloon)
• Grated olive oil soap or dishwashing liquid.
• Sushi mat
• Tape measure
• A small sharp pair of scissors
• Sewing needle
• Felting needle
• Embroidery thread
• Tea towel or hand towel
• Sponge

Optional Items

• Salad spinner
• A small balloon

1. Pull Off Roving to Cover the Ball

Start by pulling off a piece of white wool roving which should fit comfortably around the ball with just a small overlap. The loose ends should then be needle felted to the ball.

2. Needle Felt the Roving to the Ball

Wrap the white roving around the ball. It should lie as flat as possible against the sides of the ball.

Tuck it firmly around the ball and needle felt the loose fibers to the ball. Ensure that the layer is evenly spread throughout with no thin spots anywhere.

Thin spots should be filled with slivers of fiber.

3. Cover Both Ends in White Wool

Add more wool fibers to both ends of the ball as indicated in the images below. Smooth the fibers down with both hands and needle felt the wool to the ball.

Scroll to Continue

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4. Cover With Colored Fibers

Repeat the first layer but this time cover the white layer with a layer of colored wool. You may wish to use several colors!

I combined a few different fibers, using a pair of hand carders as shown below.

5. Smooth Down the Fibers

The freezer bag is a non-essential item. but one can be a used to effectively help smooth down the fibers. I find it easier to roll the ball on a sushi mat. I feel I am less likely to disturb the fibers using this method

A sushi mat is highly recommended, not only for this project but for many small projects.

Freezer Bag Method

If you want to try the freezer bag method, add a little water to the bag and then place your wool covered ball into the bag. Gently massage the ball with your fingers held around the bag until the wool becomes smooth. Retain it in the bag in the bag until fully felted or take out and roll on a tea towel or on a sushi mat.

6. Wet the Wool With Hot Soapy Water

Apply hot soapy water with the sponge. Complete this stage by pressing down the wool with your fingers as you move around the ball. It should be wet but not saturated.

7. Roll Gently on a Sushi Mat

8. Dry With a Salad Spinner

I love using a salad spinner for small projects like this. They are great for taking out excess water from a project. They are also very helpful when it comes to felting. Put the project into the salad spinner and spin until the mechanism begins to feel stiff. This is a sure sign that the wool is becoming a little dry and that too much soapy water has collected in the bottom of the container.

Lift the colander part of the strainer and dip the ball back into the soapy water below. If there is too much water in the bottom, pour it out and repeat the spinning process.

Every now and then, take the ball out, wet it again and roll it between your hands. Doing it this way will ensure a lovely smooth finish.

In no time at all, the ball will soon become felted.

Now who said that salad spinners were made just for drying lettuce leaves!

Spin for about thirty seconds, check the contents, if too dry, wet again from the contents in the bottom of the salad spinner. Roll between the hands every now and again.

9. Rinse When Felted and Then Roll the Ball on a Kitchen Towel

10. Add the Decoration

Needle felt as desired—examples are contained in this tutorial.

11. Wet With Hot Soapy Water to Felt the Needle-Felted Designs

The needle felting areas will need felting in order for them to be incorporated into the rest of the wool. Wet with hot soapy water. Rub gently at first and then roll hard on a sushi mat or kitchen towel until felted.

Once they begin to felt, you can try the salad spinner again for faster results.

12. Rinse and Roll

Finally, rinse in hot and then cold water and roll on a tea cloth or put in the salad spinner.

13. Measure the Opening

Measure 6 cm across the top of the ball to make an opening for the coin purse.

14. Place a Marker

Place a marker, in this case, I used the needle and the tape measure. Cut along the edge of the tape measure. The distance should measure approximately 6 cm for a purse this size.

15. Cut the Opening With Small, Sharp Scissors

16. Pull the Cut Open

Stretch the cut area slightly until you can see the area below. Make sure all the fibers have been cut right through to the ball below.

17. Wet With Hot Water and Remove the Ball

Take the ball to the sink and run hot water over it.

As you do this, you will feel the ball stretch under your fingers. Gently ease the ball through the opening.

18. Add the Smaller Ball or the Balloon

Once the ball has been removed, rinse the project under running water until the water runs free of soap. Put the small polystyrene ball into the cavity left behind. There will be room to spare.

OR

Add a small quantity of water to a small balloon, blow it up, just enough to allow you to insert it into the cavity. It should be blown up to about the same size as the 70 mm ball which you may have purchased especially for this project.

Please see images below.

As seen here, I used the balloon out of preference to the polystyrene ball.

19. Massage the Opening

Begin massaging the purse with hot soapy water. Concentrate on the area around the opening at first.

You will soon feel the fibers contract as the fibers shrink back to the required size.

20. Rinse With Hot and Cold Water

Finally, rinse in both hot and cold water.

If using the polystyrene ball, remove the ball before it becomes too tightly enclosed in the cavity. If this happens you will have to put it back under hot water and stretch it to get it out.

Note: This will not happen if you use a balloon.

21. Full the Project

Full the project. This can be done by hitting the project against the edge of the sink or a waterproof table. You will soon feel and see the fibers shrink back.

22. Gather Your Sewing Materials for the Frame

Gather together, embroidery thread and scissors. Open the curved metal frame and place it over the cut edges as shown here. Use the scissors to tuck the cut edge under the lip inside the frame.

Be careful not to pop the balloon with your sewing needle.

23. Sew on the Curved Metal Purse Frame

Sew in the small metal arched kiss frames with embroidery thread. These little frames add the perfect finishing touch to this project.

The video included below though spoken in Chinese does a superb job of describing how to do this.

Use a small sharp pair of scissors to push the edges up into the frame before stitching.

Try Not to Burst the Balloon!

I leave the balloon inside until I have sewn on the arched frame.

Any excess water can always be removed with the salad spinner and the project can be left to dry, either with the balloon left in or out:)

24. Try Other Designs!

Share Your Comments

I love to receive comments or answer any questions you may have on any of my felting tutorials.

I hope you enjoy making this project as much as I did.