The Wool Mouse House

  

The Mouse House: There is more to wool than just for clothing! 

About a year ago I was asked by my son if I could make him something to put his wireless mouse in that would protect it as he carried it from one place to another. He is a Senior now at Texas Tech University!

So I proceeded to see what I could come up with. I looked around my sewing room and spotted a piece of wool coating. I had used it to make blankets for a guest bedroom. It was a beautiful black and white herring bone pattern ~ very masculine.  After cutting up several pieces of paper, I came up with a very simple design. Do you ever wonder why the simpler the design the more difficult it is to figure how to execute it? Soooo true! So, I made two houses, one for my son and one for Dad. Then his friends wanted their own. And, then came a request for a wireless keyboard house! See, what I got myself into . . .

This fall we got in some beautiful wools at the shop that are heavy enough to replicate my "mouse house". No, I did not order them specifically for this project, but one day I was "feeling" one of them and decided that it was time to make my own "mouse house".  Luckily, I had taken pictures of my first effort with my iPhone to have as a reference and my son happened to be home to allow me to see it live. Mine needed to be a little more feminine.  See, how cute it is!

So, how do you make one? Well, here is my pattern for all to try.

From your felted wool, cut 2 pieces 4“  wide X 8“ long; and 1 piece 4“ wide X 5 1/5“ long.

You will need 1 piece of velcro approximately 1 1/4” in length.

1. Fold down the top edge 1/4" - of your smaller piece; pin & sew.

2.  Mark the center of this piece and measure down 1” from the hemmed top edge. Pin on one side of your velcro. I usually use the softer velcro side here.

3.  Repeat step #2 with just one of your longer pieces of wool. I use the scratchy velcro side here. This
piece will be the inside of your mouse house. It is entirely your choice if you want the right side of the fabric to show or the “wrong” side.

4.  Layer the two longer pieces of wool one on top of the other. The piece with the velcro must face out; not in between the two. You will probably not need to pin these together as the wool wants to stick to itself.

5.  Now place the shorter piece of wool on top of these two; lining up the unsewn edge with the bottom of the two longer pieces of wool. Both velcro pieces must be on the same side in order for the “flap” to fold down and close with the velcro.

   

6.  Topstitch 1/4” from the edge completely around. You will be stitching through 3 layers on the bottom half and only 2 layers on the top half. Try rounding your corners for added interest.

7.  “Pink” the edges with pinking shears or pull out a few threads all around to lightly fringe.

Fold down the top of the longer piece over the shorter bottom section so that your velcro pieces touch thus closing your mouse house.

After my "mouse house" was done and I invited my own mouse to check out its new abode My son looked over at it and said, "I bet that your phone would fit." So, I tried it and yes! ~ it fits perfectly!
So, my "mouse house" can double as a iPhone case!