SEAMLESS SHEPHERDS COAT FELTATHON

THE SHEPHERDS COAT FELTATHON

The rug is on hold for a minute as we layed out endevour 2, A seamless Felted Shepherds Coat! It took one and a half days to lay out the coat. Kathy, a mighty fine & creative seamstress ,( among other artistic things), stitched up a pattern resist for the project. A pattern was chosen, similiar in style & size to our coat, and one resist was sized with extra material to compensate for shrinkage during the felting process. We layed that on the table, covered it with bubble wrap, and used it as a visual template to begin laying down the wool.

First we added some embellishments, long, course, Scottish Blackface Locks from Cookie's neck & chest ( less apt to felt but creating interest & contrast to the outside of the coat).

Next we layered BFS roving horizontally ( from wrist to wrist). This will be the outside of the coat. We added an extra 5 inches beyond the template on the 1st two layers ( only the 1st two) of both the white & brown fleece, to be used as seams.

On top of this, going the same direction, we added another type of wool, much softer and finer. Blueface Border L. batts. Now the outer frontside of the jacket is finished.

Then we began the lining of the jacket using another soft, fine brown wool.

WOOPS,

When we finished the 1st brown layer ( the lining), we pulled out the template from under the bubble wrap and put it on this 1st brown layer and wet it. It is best to have the calico already damp.


Next we folded over the extra 5 inches of brown fleece onto the dampened calico resist everywhere we would need a seam. The hem, neck and wrists are to be left open.

Once the seams of the lining are folded we added another layer of brown fleece.

Finally the last layer of white fleece ( the back of the jacket).

The white 5 inches on the 1st bottom layer is now folded over the finished outer layer of white. We layed some tulle over it all and began wetting it with tepid water and grated and disolved Marseille Soap. It was late afternoon and the sun was fading to clouds so tomorrow is the beginning of the felting.