Friday 21 June 2019

3 Fun Felt Brooch Patterns - Sew Teacups, Rainclouds & Tree Stumps

UPDATE: these PDF patterns are now available from my shop, or in my Patreon pattern library.

Subscribe for a small monthly fee and you'll get access to a growing library of PDF patterns and tutorials, with an email whenever I add a new project. You can cancel any time.     

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 felt teacup brooch PDF sewing pattern
 felt raincloud weather brooch PDF sewing pattern
 felt tree stump woodland brooch PDF sewing pattern

With this trio of simple step-by-step tutorials you can sew three different felt brooches: little teacups, rainclouds, and tree stumps.

felt teacup brooch PDF sewing pattern
felt raincloud brooch PDF sewing pattern
felt tree stump woodland brooch PDF sewing pattern

There are clear photos and instructions for each step of the process, and different size options for the templates so you can make bigger brooches than mine if you'd like.

I used the medium teacup templates yesterday to sew this floral teacup - isn't it cute?

felt teacup brooch PDF sewing pattern
 felt teacup brooch PDF sewing pattern
 felt teacup brooch PDF sewing pattern

 
These would be so perfect for using up scraps of pretty floral fabric you can't bear to throw away. I've had that scrap of Liberty Tana Lawn in my stash for years and am so glad to have found a use for it! 

I can't stop picturing how lovely whole row of brooches with different floral prints and different colours of embroidered detailing to match the fabrics would be. Maybe you can make a whole rainbow of them?

Sunday 16 June 2019

Crafting With Felt Flowers: Floral Notecards Tutorial

Felt flowers make great card toppers!

Felt Flower Notecards Tutorial

This week I've been sharing ideas for easy ways to reuse the flower templates from my April wreath tutorial. For the final project of the week: why not make felt flowers to make simple greetings cards?

Felt Flower Wreath Tutorial

I used my flowers to decorate small cards, but you could easily use more flowers to decorate larger cards or simply resize the templates to fit. You could also use the templates to cut the flower shapes from coloured paper or card! Just glue all the pieces in place instead of sewing the flowers together.

Felt Flower Notecards Tutorial

This tutorial was originally designed for The Village Haberdashery's blog, using felt and other craft supplies from their shop.

Felt Flower Notecards Tutorial


You will need:

- The flower templates included in my April wreath tutorial
- Blank cards
- Wool felt in assorted colours
- Matching sewing threads
- Double-sided sticky tape or craft glue
- A fine black pen and a ruler
- Sewing needles and pins
- Sewing scissors or embroidery scissors

To make the cards:

Use the templates to cut out various flower pieces, arranging them on the blank cards to plan your layout. If you’re layering felt pieces, sew them together with running stitch and matching sewing thread. Stick all the felt pieces to the cards using double-sided sticky tape or craft glue. And that's it! Easy peasy, right?

For this design I used templates C, D, G, and H.

Felt Flower Notecards Tutorial - making simple floral cards

To make this flower, use templates B and G, cut two small leaf shapes from green felt, and draw a straight line for the flower stem.

Felt Flower Notecards Tutorial - felt flowers with leaves
 Felt Flower Notecards Tutorial

One large, layered flower looks very striking! Position it towards the top of the card then write your chosen message in the space below it. I used templates B, D, F and H to create the flower.

Felt Flower Notecards Tutorial - add your message


This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to make as many notecards 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 tutorial / share my templates on your site. Thanks!

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

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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:


Friday 14 June 2019

Crafting With Felt Flowers: Floral Crown Tutorial

Sew a pretty felt flower crown or headband!

Felt Flower Crown Sewing Tutorial

Throughout this week I'm sharing ideas for crafting with felt flowers, and ways to re-use the flower templates from my April Felt Flowers Wreath tutorial. Today I'll show you how to make a floral crown that's perfect for parties, festivals or even weddings.

Felt Flower Wreath Tutorial

This tutorial was originally designed for The Village Haberdashery's blog and was created using felt and other craft supplies from their shop.

Felt Flower Crown Sewing Tutorial

You will need:

- The flower templates from my April wreath tutorial
- Wool felt in assorted colours
- Embroidery thread to match the felt
- 1 metre ribbon
- Sewing needles and pins
- Sewing scissors or embroidery scissors (these are great for cutting out detailed felt shapes!)

To make the floral crown:

Use the flower templates to cut out the flower pieces from felt (see step 1 of the wreath tutorial - I’ve used different colours to make the crown, but you’ll need the same quantities as listed to create seven flowers). Arrange the pieces, as shown.

Felt Flower Crown Sewing Tutorial: cut out the felt pieces

Stitch the flowers with half strands of contrasting embroidery thread (so for six-stranded embroidery thread just use three strands), sewing radiating stitches from the centre of each flower. I stitched nine stitches for each of the larger flowers, and six for the smaller flowers. If you like you can also add some extra stitched details to decorate the flowers, as I did. For extra decoration you could add buttons, beads or sequins to the flower centres.

Felt Flower Crown Sewing Tutorial: decorate the flowers

Cut a metre long piece of ribbon, cutting the ends at an angle to help prevent fraying. Pin the flowers onto the ribbon starting with the largest flowers in the centre then working outwards.

Sew the ribbon to the back of the flowers, using running or whip stitch in matching sewing thread. Remove the pins as you sew and take care to sew into the felt but not through it, so your stitching won’t show at the front of the crown.

Felt Flower Crown Sewing Tutorial: add the flowers to some ribbon
Felt Flower Crown Sewing Tutorial: add the flowers to a piece of ribbon
Felt Flower Crown Sewing Tutorial: pin then sew the flowers to a length of ribbon
Felt Flower Crown Sewing Tutorial


This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to make as many flower crowns 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 tutorial / share my templates on your site. Thanks!

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

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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:


Thursday 13 June 2019

Felt Badger Brooch Tutorial

UPDATE: this tutorial is now available in my shop and in my Patreon pattern library.

Subscribe for a small monthly fee and you'll get access to a growing library of PDF patterns and tutorials, with an email whenever I add a new project. You can cancel any time.     

Click here to check out my Patreon page and sign up! 

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This month's freebie for my newsletter subscribers will be a tutorial for sewing a cute felt badger brooch!

felt badger brooch tutorial
 felt badger brooch tutorial

I stitched lots of these badgers for my online shops a decade ago (how time flies, huh?!) and am really looking forward to revisiting this pattern to share it with you guys.

I've always loved badgers but have had a particular fondness for them in recent years after getting to see lots in real life, visiting my parents' garden for some peanut snacks. 

felt badger brooch tutorial



Click here to visit my tutorial archive for lots of free patterns and project ideas.

Wednesday 12 June 2019

Crafting With Felt Flowers: Floral Applique T-shirt Tutorial

Jazz up a plain t-shirt with some colourful felt flowers!

Floral Applique T-shirt Tutorial
 
This week I'm sharing four easy ideas for crafting with felt flowers, making use of the flower templates from my spring flowers wreath tutorial. Todays's project? Adding little felt flowers to a kids' t-shirt!

Felt Spring Flowers Wreath Tutorial

This tutorial was originally designed for The Village Haberdashery's blog, using felt and other craft supplies from their shop.

Floral Applique T-shirt Tutorial

You will need:

- The flower templates from my April wreath tutorial
- A t-shirt
- Felt in at least two colours
- Matching sewing threads
- Contrasting embroidery thread
- Sewing needles and pins
- Sewing scissors or embroidery scissors

To decorate the t-shirt:

Use templates D and H to cut out enough felt flower pieces to decorate the neckline of your chosen t-shirt. I cut enough pieces for five flowers, mixing and matching three shades of felt.

Stitch the flower pieces together with half strands of contrasting embroidery thread (so for six-stranded thread just use three strands), sewing six radiating stitches from the centre of each flower as shown. I used white embroidery thread for this, to match the white t-shirt.

Floral Applique T-shirt Tutorial: preparing the flowers

One by one, sew the flowers to the t-shirt using whip stitch and matching sewing thread. Start in the centre and work outwards, evenly spacing the flowers around the neckline of the t-shirt. Take care not to stretch the t-shirt fabric and distort it as you sew the flowers in place. Hide the knots of your thread between the layers of felt/fabric so they won’t irritate the skin when the t-shirt is worn.

Floral Applique T-shirt Tutorial: sewing the flowers to the t-shirt
Floral Applique T-shirt Tutorial: sewing the flowers to the t-shirt

I'd recommending washing your finished t-shirt should be hand washed in lukewarm water instead of popping it in the washing machine!

Floral Applique T-shirt Tutorial


This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to decorate as many t-shirts 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 tutorial / share my templates on your site. Thanks!

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

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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:


Monday 10 June 2019

Crafting With Felt Flowers: Felt Brooches Tutorial

Add a pop of colour to any outfit with a felt flower brooch! 

Felt Flower Brooches Tutorial

This week I'm sharing four easy ideas for using the templates from my April Felt Flowers Wreath tutorial, kicking off with some pretty flower brooches.

 Felt Flower Wreath Tutorial

This tutorial was originally designed for The Village Haberdashery's blog, using felt and other craft supplies from their shop.

You will need:

- The flower templates from April's wreath tutorial
- Felt in assorted colours
- Matching sewing thread
- Contrasting or coordinating embroidery thread
- One button per flower
- Brooch clasps
- Sewing needles and pins
- Sewing scissors or embroidery scissors (embroidery scissors are great for cutting out detailed felt shapes!)

 Felt Flower Brooches Tutorial

To make the brooches: 

Use the flower templates, mixing and matching shapes to create layered flowers. I used two colours but you could use as many as you like. Top each flower with a small circle cut using template H.

Felt Flower Brooches Tutorial: layer the felt pieces

Sew the layers together with a small X of two stitches, using sewing thread to match the felt (or the buttons you’ll be adding later).

Then use half strands of embroidery thread (so, for six-stranded thread just use three strands) to decorate the flowers. Sew single stitches along the inner petals, starting each stitch from under the central felt circle. Use a contrasting or coordinating colour for this - I used dark pink.

Felt Flower Brooches Tutorial: embroider the flowers

Add a button to the centre of each flower, sewing them securely in position with a double thickness of matching sewing thread.

Felt Flower Brooches Tutorial: add a button to each flower

Use the templates to cut a backing circle for each brooch, small enough to fit within the largest flower shape. I cut these from purple felt but any colour will do as it won’t be visible when worn.

Position a brooch clasp just above the centre of each circle, sewing them in place with a double thickness of matching sewing thread.

Felt Flower Brooches Tutorial: prepare the back of the brooches

Place the circles on the backs of the flowers, as shown. Sew them into position with whip stitch and matching sewing thread, sewing into the layers of felt but not through them – so the circles are secured but the stitching isn’t visible at the front of the brooch.

Felt Flower Brooches Tutorial: sew on the brooch backs
 Felt Flower Brooches Tutorial: the finished brooches
  
This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to make as many brooches 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 tutorial / share my templates on your site. Thanks!

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

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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:


Sunday 9 June 2019

My Sample Sale is Now Live!

As I mentioned earlier this week, I'm having a clear out of some of the samples I've stitched for my patterns and tutorials.

Visit my Big Cartel shop to see what's still available!

Check out my sample sale!
Check out my sample sale!

Don't want to miss out on future sample sales? Sign up to my newsletter for shop updates and/or a monthly free pattern.