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Read Thread: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?

Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #711699 by WiseOldOwl
Jul 1, 2012 4:39am
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Thank you so much! That makes it look so much easier. I've never been able to sew, and that will help a lot!
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #711726 by The Lost Boys
Jul 2, 2012 4:48am
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I've never been able to sew

Why sew at all? Just cut a piece of felt three times longer than the stamp and wrap it around the stamp. Add those little adhesive velcro fasteners to keep the felt closed.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #711914 by Janila
Jul 2, 2012 7:26am
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for those vecro dots to stay on, particularly in certain climates they need to be sewn or a super glue of sorts to be added.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #711937 by Baqash
Jul 2, 2012 8:04pm
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Tacky Glue works well too :)
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #711620 by The Lost Boys
Jul 2, 2012 9:47pm
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I thought about this, and tried it a couple of times, and decided not to sew little felt bags for my stamps. Here's the reason: When the stamp goes in a felt bag, it must be slid into it. That's just asking for some hamhanded finder to cram it in roughly and break some of the rubber off the stamp. Rather, I just wrap my stamps in a loose piece of felt and then fit that into a baggie. The felt can be wrapped around the stamp with no chance of causing damage, and then the felt protects the rubber as it's being inserted into the baggie.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712100 by System
Jul 3, 2012 9:08am
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I have also had the experience of finding a wet box in the winter where the felt has been firmly frozen to the stamp, if you don't handle it carefully and just rip the felt off it can damage the stamp. Papertowels although not pretty don't have that problem. Speaking from someone who has felt bags, felt wraps, papertowels and more or nothing at all on my stamps.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712160 by BnyRbt
Jul 3, 2012 10:56am
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Something I often do, that I do not see listed here, is use little ziplock plastic bags -- the really small ones that you sometimes get jewelry in. They keep the inky stamp from the rest of the box. Maybe not as pretty as felt, but they look neater than paper towels, and do the job.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712190 by 55 Steps
Jul 3, 2012 11:02am
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little ziplock plastic bags -- the really small ones that you sometimes get jewelry in. They keep the inky stamp from the rest of the box. Maybe not as pretty as felt, but they look neater than paper towels, and do the job.

Not really. the plastic bag isn't going to absorb the excess ink and it will smear around on both sides of the stamp.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712192 by Baqash
Jul 3, 2012 2:19pm
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Not really. the plastic bag isn't going to absorb the excess ink and it will smear around on both sides of the stamp

True, I have also covered these small bags in duct tape to make them a lot more rugged. At least they don't freeze to the stamp when damp and help to keep someone from throwing the inky stamp into the same bag as the logbook.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712251 by BnyRbt
Jul 6, 2012 4:56pm
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Well, now you've all dampened my spirits. I saw this thread last week and was glad to have the little tutorial as I had previously been using paper towels and did want to change them over to felt.

So I went and got my felt and thread and such and came back to watch the sewing video again only to find all these posts about the downsides of felt.

So, now I'm glad to know all this info but a little bummed to have my plans thwarted, lol.

Either way, now that I have all this felt, I think I'll still do a few pouches for our signature stamps and personal travelers that I don't have to worry about anyone else being rough with or getting wet or otherwise damaged since they're always just on us.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712961 by Wormtown Wanderers
Jul 6, 2012 5:23pm
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Go ahead and make your pouches. Make them big enough so there's not a lot of friction when taking the stamp in and out, and put your stuff in Lock and Locks to avoid water problems. It's all good.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712967 by Fiddleheads
Jul 6, 2012 5:27pm
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Make them big enough so there's not a lot of friction when taking the stamp in and out, and put your stuff in Lock and Locks to avoid water problems.

What Fiddleheads said. It's what I do, too, and so far I haven't had problems (knock on wood!)
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712969 by WiseOldOwl
Jul 6, 2012 6:06pm
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What they said. i also put my stamps in pouches AND in little ziplocs and in LnL's.
Do i want people to sit there and unbag and rebag for long periods of time? Yup.

Enjoy the Journey

deniserows
with lots of bagggies
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712978 by System
Jul 6, 2012 7:25pm
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Well, since I've only planted one series of boxes, I have no idea how they've been doing as far as any wetness or not. I did use lots of ziplocs and the lock-n-lock containers, so I think they're doing okay, but it's only been a few weeks so who knows how they'll hold up long term. So I think for now I'm going to go ahead and do the personal ones and decide on the rest later.

But again, thanks for the info all and at least now I know what to do and am getting some practice for whatever I decide. :)
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712995 by Wormtown Wanderers
Jul 6, 2012 11:25pm
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I have no idea how they've been doing

For the most part, the stamps at least will survive a long timeregardless, at least if they're on a reliable carving medium. Everything else is replaceable! And if you planted close to home, you can easily maintain them. I have some ready to go and I did different things for the ones staying closer to me where I can check on them. I'm experimenting with some containers, and I'm more willing to take risks. I figure you never know 'til you try, and people's opinions seem to differ by region/climate as well. I love the pretty felt pouches! Go for it!
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712978 by System
Jul 7, 2012 5:20am
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It is good to have the info and to learn from others but your should feel free to do what you want with your boxes. There are pluses and minuses for everything.

Ditto to what she said, we are not trying to discourage you, just share our experiences! Plus and minus! I do have many stamps in felt, it does keep the stamp cleaner. As for the freezing problem consider if your boxes will tend to stay dry. How do you know? Use a container that is large enough so that people don't have to cram the contents back inside - crowding leads to the lid not going on with a full seal, catching an edge of a baggie etc., use an appropriate size baggie as well also of good quality. Additionally and MOST importantly if you use a GOOD quality container such as a lock 'n lock or here in NE the freshness keepers available at Ocean State you will be in as good of shape as any of us. Most importantly GET OUT THERE AND PLANT! :0)
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #712961 by Wormtown Wanderers
Jul 7, 2012 5:55am
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I made a couple of stamp pouches out of the breast pockets of an old chamois shirt that had otherwise outlived it's usefulness. Any old shirt or blouse that has breast pockets with a button flap will work: cham'y, flannel, et c. Just cut the shirt around the perimeter of the pocket, and voilà--a pouch!

I keep my sigg'y stamp and stamp pad in one YMMV, and invariably will...
Connfederate
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #713037 by Connfederate
Jul 7, 2012 6:00am
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Just cut the shirt around the perimeter of the pocket, and voilà--a pouch!

That is an excellent idea. I need a plaid pouch for a postal I'm making--I think I'll go hit Goodwill this afternoon!
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #713037 by Connfederate
Jul 7, 2012 8:31am
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I made a couple of stamp pouches out of the breast pockets of an old chamois shirt

The toe ends of socks work well also.
Re: Felt Bag for Stamp Tutorial?
Board: Stupider Questions About Letterboxing
Reply to: #713038 by WiseOldOwl
Jul 7, 2012 8:59am
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I think I'll go hit Goodwill this afternoon!

In our area (Western WA), all clothes are 99¢ each every Sunday at St. Vincent de Paul's thrift shops. There are a lot of these stores in our area.......not sure if they are nation wide or not.

QM