Felt Weather Mobile Tutorial: Sew a Felt Cloud or Raincloud!

My baby mobile tutorial continues this week with a how to for making a fluffy felt cloud, with or without raindrops.

 

 

 

 
Last week I shared tutorials for sewing a felt sun and a felt rainbow, then in a few days I'll post how I assembled all my cute felt shapes and turned them into a mobile ready for hanging.

The weather mobile would make a special gift for a baby's nursery. You can also use the individual tutorials to make cute ornaments (just add a ribbon loop!) or things like brooches or patches.

Remember: as with all mobiles, this is a decoration not a toy so make sure you hang the finished project well out of reach of little fingers. 

This tutorial originally appeared on The Village Haberdashery's blog - visit their shop for lots of crafty goodness!

To make a felt cloud or raincloud, you will need:

The cloud templates (click here to view, print, and download the PDF)
White and/or grey felt
Turquoise or other blue felt if you want to add raindrops
Matching sewing threads
Embroidery thread to match the raindrops
A large, sharp sewing needle
Sewing scissors (embroidery scissors are ideal for cutting out small felt shapes)
A sewing needle and pins

If you want to make a cloud brooch or ornament, you'll also need a brooch clasp or a length of narrow ribbon. Add the ribbon loop just before you sew up the front and back of your cloud, so the ends will be hidden inside when you sew the shapes together. Add a brooch clasp at the same point, sewing it to the back piece of your cloud.

To make a cloud:

1. Use the templates provided to cut out two matching cloud shapes from white or grey felt. I’ve included templates for two different cloud shapes (Cloud A and Cloud B), so you can make a mix of clouds in the different shapes and colours.

2. Place the cloud pieces together and whip stitch around the edge with matching sewing thread. Stuff the cloud gradually as you sew around the edge, adding small pieces of toy stuffing to firmly fill the cloud shape.

To make a raincloud:

A. Use the templates provided to cut out three cloud shapes from white or grey felt: two matching clouds (Cloud A or Cloud B) and one matching inside piece (Cloud A Inside or Cloud B Inside). Also cut out three small and six large raindrops from turquoise blue felt

B. Cut a piece of turquoise embroidery thread to match the raindrops. Knot it at one end and sew a vertical stitch through one of the small raindrops. Remove the needle and set the raindrop aside. Repeat this step for the other two small raindrops.

C. Layer the raindrop pieces so each small raindrop is sandwiched between (and hidden by) two large raindrops. Sew around the large raindrops with whip stitch and matching sewing thread, starting and finishing your stitching at the top of each raindrop. You should now have three felt raindrops, each suspended from a length of embroidery thread.

D. Use the embroidery threads to attach the raindrops to the inside cloud piece. Sew a single vertical stitch upwards through the felt, adjust the thread until you’re happy with the position of the raindrop (remember that the finished cloud will be slightly larger – make sure you leave enough thread so the raindrops will dangle freely!). Then secure the thread and trim any excess.

Repeat to secure the other two raindrops to the felt.

E. Layer the cloud pieces, so the inside piece is sandwiched between (and hidden by) the two larger pieces. Whip stitch around the edge with matching sewing thread. Stuff the cloud gradually as you sew around the edge, adding small pieces of toy stuffing to firmly fill the cloud shape. Begin by stitching along the bottom of the cloud, making sure the raindrops are hanging neatly as you sew past them.

If you’re making a grey raincloud you can stuff the cloud on one side only (i.e. with the smaller inside piece pressed against one of the outer pieces). If you’re making a white raincloud the blue embroidery thread inside the cloud may show through the felt and be visible on the outside. To avoid this, add stuffing evenly to either side of the inner cloud shape so all the blue thread is hidden by a layer of stuffing. 

This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to stitch as many clouds as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. You may borrow a couple of photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to this page on my blog, and do not reproduce my entire  post or share my pattern on your site. Thanks! 

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Felt Weather Mobile Tutorial: Sew a Cute Felt Sun!

Hello!

This fortnight I've got a very fun project to share with you: how to make a cute and colourful felt baby mobile inspired by the weather. You'll learn to sew fluffy clouds and rainclouds, a smiling sun and a bright rainbow then combine them all to make a mobile!

Today: how to sew a little felt sun. 

 

 

This mobile would make a sweet addition to any nursery or a special gift for new parents. You could also use the tutorials to make individual ornaments or fun brooches - just add a ribbon loop or a brooch clasp.  

IMPORTANT: As with all mobiles, this is a decoration not a toy so make sure you hang the finished project well out of reach of little fingers.

This tutorial originally appeared on The Village Haberdashery's blog - visit their shop for lots of crafty goodness!

To make the felt sunshine, you will need:

- The sun templates (click here to view, download, and print the PDF)
- Yellow and orange felt
- Yellow and black sewing thread
- Black embroidery thread (floss)
- Two black seed beads
- Toy stuffing
- Sewing needles and pins
- Embroidery scissors (these are great for cutting out small shapes!)

Optional but very useful: an air erasable fabric marker.

Want to make a felt sun brooch or ornament? You'll also need a brooch clasp or a length of narrow ribbon.

To make the felt sun:

1. Use the templates provided to cut out two yellow sun pieces and one orange sun rays piece.

Tip: when cutting out the rays, I found it easiest to roughly cut around the shape then to cut down one side of each “ray” first, and then to cut up along the other sides to reveal the final shape.

2. Draw a smiley face on one of the yellow sun pieces using an air-erasable fabric marker: a smile and two dots for the eyes.

Cut a length of black embroidery thread and separate half the strands (so use three of the six strands). Use the black thread to backstitch along the smile, sewing small stitches for a smooth curve. Finish your stitching neatly at the back then trim any excess thread.

Don't have an air-erasable marker? Just sew the smile freehand, leaving plenty of room to add the eyes in the next step.

 

3. Add two black seed beads for the eyes. Use black sewing thread, sewing each bead flat like an O with three or four stitches.

To avoid the black thread being visible through the yellow felt, don’t carry your thread between the eyes – instead start a fresh piece of thread for the second bead.

Want to add a brooch clasp or a ribbon loop? Now's your chance! Sew them to the undecorated yellow circle (which will form the back of the sun).

4. Line up all three sun pieces carefully so the rays are sandwiched between the two yellow circles.

Use yellow sewing thread and whip stitch to sew the layers together. Turn the felt back and forth as you sew, so you can check that your stitching is in the right place on both sides. Sew most of the way around the circle, leaving a gap for stuffing

5. Stuff the sun with small pieces of toy stuffing, gradually adding stuffing to both sides between the layers until the sun is evenly stuffed. Then sew up the gap, pinching the felt firmly between your fingers to make sure the layers are in the right position and sewn together neatly.

Coming soon: how to sew felt rainbows!


This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to stitch as many felt suns as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. You may borrow a couple of photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to this page on my blog, and do not reproduce my entire post or share my pattern on your site. Thanks! 

Enjoyed this free tutorial? Buy me a "coffee" and help support my blog!


P.S. Subscribe to my newsletter for a monthly free pattern and visit my crafty tutorial archive for lots more free projects.

Visit my shop to buy my printable PDF sewing patterns:

Felt Teacup & Teapot Brooches Tutorial: Available Now!

I've finally shared a new tutorial with my pattern newsletter subscribers! Hurrah!

The latest free tutorial is a step-by-step guide to sewing cute felt teacup and teapot brooches:

These are so fun and easy to sew and make sweet gifts for tea lovers. You could even make a whole batch of them, have a tea party (once the lockdown is over, of course!!) and give a brooch to each of your guests as a memento.

 

Polkadot felt makes these brooches extra cute. I found mine on Etsy, but lots of craft stores sell it. I love these mini dots but I've made these brooches before with bigger spots and they looked just as nice. If you just have plain felt you could add dots with some simple embroidery, or maybe embroider a little flower instead.

 

This tutorial has been in progress for a couple of months now, they've been weird months and I'm so glad to have finally got this project finished and sent out to share with everyone. 

Not yet signed up to my newsletter? Subscribe now and get this tutorial for free! Right now you'll also get a free floral pattern, too. I'm also working hard at the moment to get properly caught up with my "monthly" freebies, so there should be a flurry of new projects heading out to subscribers over the next few weeks.

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Felt Chicken & Egg Easter Ornaments Tutorial

Make some cute felt chicken and egg ornaments this spring with this easy sewing tutorial.

 

Felt ornaments aren’t just for Christmas!

Decorate a Spring or Easter display with these cute felt chicken and egg decorations – they’d look fab hung from doorknobs, or from a cluster of budding twigs in a vase. I think they'd also make lovely gifts.

I used three pastel colours to make my ornaments (pastels for spring is such a classic look!) but you could go bolder or choose more realistic chicken and egg shades. A whole garland of chickens in different colours (maybe a rainbow??) would look awesome.

You could also use the templates to sew felt chicken brooches (in my opinion you really can’t have too many fun felt chickens).

This tutorial originally appeared on The Village Haberdashery's blog - visit their shop for lots of crafty goodness!

You will need: 

- The printable PDF templates (click here to view and dowload them!)
- Felt in assorted colours, including orange for the chickens' beaks
- Sewing threads to match all the felt colours except orange
- Co-ordinating embroidery thread (floss)
- Co-ordinating narrow ribbon
- Toy stuffing
-  A sewing needle and pins
- Sewing scissors (embroidery scissors are perfect for cutting out small felt pieces)
- A ruler

To make each ornament:

1. Use the templates provided to cut out two chickens, two wings, and two eggs. If you’re making a set of the ornaments, plan your colour choices in advance so they’re mixed and matched across the set.

2. Flip over one set of the templates. Position the wings on the chickens, as shown below. Sew them in place with running stitch and matching sewing thread.

3. Cut a length of contrasting embroidery thread (floss) and separate half the strands (so you’ll be using three out of the six strands). Use the thread to sew three long stitches on each of the wings and one stitch on each of the tail feathers.

4. Add a black bead or small black sequin to each side of the chicken, creating its eyes.

Tip: don’t have any black beads or sequins the right size? Cut tiny circles of black felt instead, or sew a few overlapping stitches with black embroidery thread.

5. Use the beak template to cut one beak from orange felt. Turn over one of the chicken pieces and position the beak, as shown. Sew it in place with whip stitch, taking care to sew into the felt of the chicken but not through it (so your stitches won’t show on the outside of the ornament).

6. Cut two pieces of narrow ribbon: one 18cm (7 inches) long, one 4cm (1½ inches) long. Fold the longer piece into a loop and sew it at the top of the chicken, as pictured, with whip stitches (again make sure you sew into the felt but not through it). Then use more whip stitches to add the smaller piece to the bottom of the chicken, as shown.

7. Place the two sides of the chicken together and join the edges with blanket stitch or whip stitch and matching sewing thread. Leave a gap along the bottom edge, lightly stuff the chicken with toy stuffing then sew up the gap. Tip: for even stuffing, add small pieces at a time to gradually fill up the shape.

8. Attach one of the felt egg shapes to the small piece of ribbon sticking out from below the chicken. Use whip stitch and matching thread, sewing into the felt but not through it.

9. Place the two egg shapes together and join the edges with blanket stitch or whip stitch and matching sewing thread. Leave a gap at the bottom, lightly stuff the egg with toy stuffing then sew up the gap.

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