Repair hole in felted purse/re-felt?

#1

I have knitted and felted a couple of bags with great success, but the most recent one really surprised me. I usually set up the blocking on my workbench in the garage, since it takes a couple of days to really dry out. For the first time, when I removed the bag from the form, there was a small hole in the side of the bag! Apparently something ate it, since it was not there when I first formed it on the block. My question is this … can I felt another piece and neatly fuse it in somehow? The yarn is rather expensive and it is a lovely color, so I really want to save this if I can. Also, I noted that the bottom is not quite as fully felted as usual, and the sides could tolerate being felted a little more. Can I re-felt? I don’t want to ruin it if it is salvagable.

I have seen “felting needles” that sound like they are used to “fuse” yarns into felted material. Could that be a solution?

Thanks for any guidance! :??

#2

I know that you can re-felt. I have done that with good success. Just remember that it will shrink more (nature of the beast) so watch it.

i don’t really know how you can patch that hole though.

I guess it depends on the size of the hole, but that’s what i would do. I would do is string yarn across it in about 4 to 6 places (like a spiderweb) before refelting it and just hope for the best.

If the hole is larger, you can knit up a swatch and felt it to match how much the sides of the bag are currently felted. Cut it to fit inside the hole, and then stitch it into place with more of the same yarn and then refelt.

I don’t think either of my ideas will be perfect though.

Best of Luck!!!

#3

The felting needles will work in the hole is small enough. Just dont stab yourself; they’re sharp!

If the hole is in a “convenient” spot, you could make a felted flower and sew that on… it will cover the hole and be decorative.

#4

I had a hole in the bottom of a clog that I had felted. Then I just took a darning needle with wool and put in a few stitches crisscrossing and then refelted to a smaller size (which was needed anyway). You couldn’t even tell where the hole had been.

#5

You guys are great! I will try the yarn across the hole (about 1/2" dia.) and refelt and let you know how it works out. Thankfully the hole is on the side where it will fold in when I put on the straps, but still want it to look nice.
Thanks again for taking the time for your excellent response!

#6

Sorry it took so long to get back and let you know how it worked out. As suggested, I used some yarn to make a “spider” web across the hole, front and back … it was diamond shaped about 1/2" across. I then refelted the bag, and it felted in beautifully! I have used Nori Kuryeon for about 3 bags now, and every different color yarn I have used seems to be a little different texture and take different times and cycles, but since the first felting was “light” and I could see porosity through the bottom, the re-felting really added strength and texture, so I have been comfortable re-felting other projects as necessary … One that had gotten skewed in the blocking process only needed light rewashing and heating to get the felt to stretch out and reblock to size without tearing as well.
Thank you all for your responses … sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement to get us to try what we thought should work … but always hesitant to ruin a good project!
Merry Christmas!
Gloria javascript:emoticon(’:muah:’)

#7

I just googled with the same question about a hole in a purse I felted last night! I’m so happy that I can repair/refelt now. Many thanks from this newbie!