Flap Bags

I recently decided to play around with flap bags.  I had an anonymous comment on here asking about how to make them and I realised I've never really posted much about flap bags.. and hadn't even felted one for ages!   SO, I've been tinkering around and taking photos as I went :)    

Bag #1 

Resist material.
I like using foam floor underlay for laminate floors
It comes on 10m rolls from places like B&Q

Adding 50% to the size of the resist to allow for shrinkage

I cut the bag resist.  The shape at the top will become the flap.
Cut pocket resists

My main ingredients :)
I used nice leather sew-on bag handles

First thing layed upon the resist will show as the inside of the bag.
I scattered tussah silk fibre and a few merino 'flowers'.   

After laying the pockets on the first side, followed by 2 fibre layers
I flipped it.

Rays Folded over.
I use 6 fibre layers for each side of my bags.  I think it works best to only
use 4 layers on the flap area though.. otherwise the doubled up thickness on the finished
flap can be a bit bulky

Lots of tussah silk scattered over the top layer.
'Flowers' are made from tufts of merino and cut from prefelt

Part way through felting I cut across the top

And removed the resist from the flap, laying it on top of the resist I carried on working it.  

I had reoved the resist from the flap just a little too late for the 2 sides
to felt together easily,  a little stitching to hold it down helps

Felted HARD - I got my 50% shrinkage.
Stuffed full of tea towels and drying on the radiator

After it dried I stitched magnetic snap fastners on

And the handles

A couple of vintage coat buttons sewn outside over  the
snap fastners

Pockets

:)