A lunchbox from leftover felt.

I am not sure how many years ago it was that I went to a workshop by Luckystone Felt - Robin Blakney Carlson's studio at Lake George and Polly Stirling was there. We made blankets but I used silk organza and it took forever to felt and my three panels never turned out so I threw them in the dryer to harden them up but when they came out they were small and very very hard. I took two of the pieces and made an overnight bag, but the third piece remained for years languishing away in a box.

Well my lunch box zipper broke!  And I saved the plastic insert, thinking I could use it for something but I have not bought a new lunchbox. So I remembered last night that I needed a lunchbox and thought about that piece of hardened felt sitting in a box, so I rummaged through my unpacked boxes and found it!
Then I made a paper pattern and cut out the pieces I needed. I had enough plus a few pieces left over.

These are the leftover bits.

 I sewed it together from my pattern around the plastic bin. Added rings on the side and repurposed an old strap I found that had clips on the end.

I added twill tape on the inside of the lid and put an elastic that I had through it. I have this pinned in right now. I need to play with the length of that. The lid did not stay down the way I wanted so I am putting a button on the front, cut a slit in the twill tape and tied a piece of repurposed leather to the elastic. The leather allows me to pull the elastic down over the button. 

My almost finished lunchbox.  I need to sew the button on permanently, and need to put my label on it. I am not sure about additional embellishments but am considering it. I plan to take it for a test drive when I go into the office and bring my lunch.  Wool is a very good insulator so I think this should work well.  I may slide some thin foam down the sides and on the bottom to improve the insulation if I find I need it. I am quite pleased with the results. The elastic pulls the lid tight around the sides with the button holding it in place.