Bristle Brush Santa

My co-worker, Beth and I saw these Santas in some paperwork prior to Quilt Market and requested them.  The ones that came back were all gone before they even made it out onto the floor.  More were ordered and they are available in the store.  I finished this one in way less than an hour.  If you are local and prefer demonstrations to written directions there are going to be two class sessions coming up in the next few weeks.  The price of the class includes one kit.

Everything you need (except glue, blush, needle and thread) comes in a kit form Happy Hollow Designs.  I wasn’t excited about the brown fabric that came in my kit for the hat so I switch it out.  That’s what a stash is for, isn’t it?  There are three different sized brush kits.  I’m on the look out now for inexpensive brushes so I can play around on my own.

I’m not usually a big Santa fan, but these guys make me smile.

Envelope Pillow Back Tutorial

“Full of Thanks” by Once Upon a Vine was a last-minute Autumn decoration.

I’ve mentioned before, that I disregard pattern directions if I can buy a pillow form to fit whatever pillow I’m making.  I don’t sew the pillow form into the pillow, which means I can more easily store just the covers for seasonal items.  I thought I might as well take pictures and do a tutorial for this type of pillow back.

1. Measure the height of the pillow.

2.  Cut a strip from the pillow back fabric as wide as the height of the pillow by the width of the fabric.  (If you get much bigger than a 16″ or 18″ pillow you will need more than the width of the fabric.)

3.  Square off the ends of the strip, removing the selvedge.

4.  Cut the strip in half.  I do this by having the former selvedge ends together and taking a sliver off which includes the fold.

5.  Now there should be two strips that are as wide as the pillow is high, and half the width of the fabric.

6.  Fold the strips in half, right sides together.  What was the selvedge and the center of the original strip should meet.  Align raw edges.

7.  Press fold.  Repeat with the other strip.  Now you have a choice.  You can either just place right sides together and sew all the way around the edges of the pillow, or you can place wrong sides together and bind like a quilt.  The second option is what is shown in my finished pillow, but I’ll show you both.

First I’ll show how to layer to turn the pillow without using a binding.

Option 1 #8 — Lay the pillow top on the work surface, right side up.

Option 1 #9 — Lay one of the backing pieces over the pillow front matching the raw edges as shown above.

Option 1 #10 — Place the second backing piece over both the pillow front and the first backing piece as shown.  Pin the cut edges in place and stitch with a 1/4″ seam allowance all the way around the outside edge.  Turn the pillow through the opening in the back.  Press stitched edges.

Option 2 #8  — Place the pillow front on the work surface wrong side up.

Option 2 # 9 Lay one of the backing pieces over the pillow front matching the raw edges as shown above.

Option 2 #10 Place the second backing piece over both the pillow front and the first backing piece as shown.  Pin the cut edges in place.  I choose to machine baste all the way around the outside edge inside the 1/4″ seam allowance.  Add binding exactly as you would to a quilt.  Turn right side out through the opening in the back.

11.  Now it is time to insert the pillow form into the finished pillow top.

12.  The first side is the easiest.  Shove the pillow form into one side.

13.  Scrunch up the pillow to fit into the other side.  Smooth out the pillow form inside the pillow cover.

14.  This is the view of the pillow back once the pillow form has been smoothed inside the pillow cover.  There is enough of an overlap that the pillow back doesn’t gap and the pillow form doesn’t show.  It is easy to remove the pillow form for cleaning or storage.

 

An Autumn Mood

“An Autumn Mood”

I have a couple more autumn posts I need to get uploaded before Thanksgiving comes and goes.

I recently finished a wool/wool felt table runner called “An Autumn Mood.  The Pattern is from Nutmeg Hare.

For the most part, I used Wool Felt.  However the Owl and main part of the basket is wool.  The pattern had a red and white checked wool piece for the napkin in the apple basket.  I couldn’t find a similar piece.  Now when I said I couldn’t find it, that just means there wasn’t any at the store and I didn’t have any in my stash.  I haven’t had time to run around hunting for things anywhere else.  So my napkin is a plain white piece of wool felt with a blanket stitch around the edge and running stitches in the body of the napkin.

As you can see I actually managed to get some pictures before it went into the store as a sample.

In the wool patterns, I generally disregard color recommendations for floss and perl cotton.  I use what I have on hand that works with the piece.

Detail of “An Autumn Mood”

November Quilt Squared

The binding went on last night and the button eyes this morning while I waited for my chance at the shower!

This is the November Turkey 12 inch hanging from The Wooden Bear.  I’m happy to report, all materials used in this project came from the stash.  I usually do the blanket stitch around fused applique on my sewing machine.  But this time I took it as a portable project, when I went to Walla Walla University to watch my boys play in a soccer tournament.  So the blanket stitch was done by hand.  However, I did put this little quilt on my Gammill Optimum to quilt it.  Talk about over kill!

Wool Felt Penny Rugs/Candle Mats – Part 2 -Placement

Placement, how does one get the pieces lined up since you can’t see through wool or wool felt to a pattern below?  I frequently just eye-ball it!  After all this is a handcrafted item and it is unlikely anyone will come along with a measuring tape and/or the pattern to check up on me.  (If they do, it isn’t my problem).  If you are really concerned, the pattern can be traced onto clear vinyl which can be used as an overlay.  There is another way you’ll see below.

In class, we’ve discussed several different ways to temporarily attach the applique pieces to the background for the penny rugs/candle mats.

The applique pieces can be pinned in place.  While the pins look huge in this picture, I use applique pins so it is less likely I will wrap thread around them.

It sounds crazy, I know, but the appliques can be stapled in place.  We tested this in class, and if you are careful when removing the staples it works well.  The holes disappear.

Glue is another option.  Yep, plain old washable school glue will do the job.  I do want to add a word of caution.  I don’t wash the candle mats after I’m finished so the glue would stay in there.  If you have any issue with bugs in your house, for instance silverfish, you may want to avoid this method.  Bugs eat starch and in the process they destroy the fibers around that starch.  Glue is loaded with starch.

Finally, my current favorite method, needle felting.  I cannot claim this idea.  My co-worker Beth, has an Embellishing Machine (needle felting) and she gave me the idea.  I don’t have the machine and have no intention of investing in one at this point in time.  However, the needle felting brush/mat and needles work  almost as well with a little effort.  If you are using pure wool it is possible to literally felt two pieces of wool into one fabric.  This is not the case with wool felt which is a blend.  Wool felt will separate.  However, it can be felted together sufficiently to hold in place for stitching.  It probably isn’t a good idea to do too many pieces at once or really long/large pieces.  They tend to pull apart before the stitching is completed.

Let me just show you the process.  I’m working on Bareroots’ Turkey Candle Mat in the pictures.

I’ve already cut out all the pieces as I explained in yesterday’s post.  The placement is a little more picky for this mat than some others.

I placed the top tail feather on the pattern and placed the body on top of it.  Then I carefully picked up the two pieces,

and transferred them to the needle felting brush/mat.

Unlock the needle felting tool and holding it straight up and down over the applique and brush/mat.  Use an up and down motion to “felt” the two pieces together.  -You can get rid of some frustration this way 🙂

Move the piece back to the pattern and add the next feathers.  Then back to the needle felting brush/mat.

Continue this process until all the feathers have been needle felted to the body.

Now move the applique pieces to the background.  I need to say, I don’t usually do this many pieces at once with the needle felting.  Usually, I’ll place one or two pieces on the background.  Needle felt and then stitch, then continue to add pieces.  With this many pieces it is very likely they will start to peel up before they are all stitched down.  If they do start to come up, just felt them down again.

Once you are happy with the applique placement on the background, needle felt it into place.

Wool Felt Candle Mats/Penny Rugs – Part 1- Transfer the Pattern

Because it is unlikely I’ll be traveling around the country in the near future to teach classes, BJ this series is for you and anyone else that can’t make it to a class.

We pick up after purchasing the pattern and materials and prewashing (if desired) as described in this post.  The pattern needs to be transferred to the wool or wool felt.  My favorite method is to use freezer paper.  In short the pattern is traced to the freezer paper, ironed to the fabric and cut out.  Now for the longer version.

Freezer paper (at least in the USA) is readily available in many grocery stores and is stocked with plastic wrap, foil and waxed paper.  Everything is attached to the background so let’s start there.

Many patterns will only have a partial pattern for the background.  It might be a quarter or half of the actual background piece.  I prefer to trace the whole background onto a piece of freezer paper.  This helps to avoid distortion by placing the pattern on the fold of wool or wool felt.

So if the pattern is a partial, start with a piece of freezer paper large enough for the whole background piece.

Trace the first section of the pattern onto the dull side of the freezer paper.

Then turn the freezer paper to continue tracing until the background is complete.

Trace the rest of the pattern pieces onto the dull side of the freezer paper.  Let’s pause and consider options here.  Option 1- trace the quantity of every piece needed.  Option 2 – Trace a few of each piece needed and reuse the freezer paper.

Option 3 — Trace one or two of the pieces needed, then staple additional layers of freezer paper under the traced pattern to get the total pattern pieces needed.

Cut through all layers of freezer paper on the traced line.

Remove the staples.

And voila, multiple pattern pieces.

Whether you chose option 1, 2,

or 3, it is time to iron the shiny side of the freezer paper patterns to the wool or wool felt.  I set my iron for the wool setting and then iron the pieces down.  They need to stick well enough to stay while cutting them out, but not so well it is hard to get the freezer paper off.  A couple of seconds will do the job.

If you chose option 1 or 2, cut out the pieces on the drawn line.  If you chose option 2 you will need to reuse the pattern on more pieces of fabric.  At that point you will cut along the edge of the pattern,

exactly as you would do for option 3.

Whatever option you chose, your final step in this part is to peel off the freezer paper when you are ready to add the piece to the project.

Nursery Rhyme Blocks — Now Quilt Top

Sometime ago, I showed my oldest UFO;  Nursery Rhyme blocks I had started embroidering with my Grandmother when I was around 12.  This summer I took them to our quilt groups mini retreat at Andrea’s house and they came back a quilt top.

I got the idea to set them with these blocks from an Electric Quilt Tutorial.  I made the mistake of not measuring all the embroidered blocks before I cut all the star pieces.  It turned out Bo Peep need to be cut larger than all the other blocks.  I had all those star blocks cut out and did want to waste the fabric or the time.  Which resulted in the spacers between each block.  Perhaps it was serendipity, I like how the stars sort of float.

It’s still a UFO, but I’m one step closer to finished.

Vintage Friday – Stitch Mistress

I have collected several toy sewing machines over the years, and I do have a favorite.  It is this little Stitch Mistress.

It was made in the 1940’s and the reason it is my favorite is it belonged to my Mother-in-law when she was a child.  Because I know the history, it is more than just a collectible.  It is a story.   Sandra very graciously gave it to me a few years ago.

She still had it in the original box.

The single page of directions were included as well.

I display my little collection along with some of the wooden spools I’ve purchased.  The larger spools make great pedestals.

The little iron sitting in front also came from Sandra.

 

 

 

 

Just Say No, Just Say No, Just Say No …

For a long time I just said no to wool.  I knew if I got started on it I’d be in trouble.  Technically, I could say I stuck with it, since I’m mainly using Wool Felt which is a blend of wool and rayon.  But I must admit I finally quit saying no and am addicted to these “wool” projects.  Not only am I addicted, but I’ve shared that addiction with many other people through the store.

What exactly am I talking about?  I suggested a Penny Rug a month group at the beginning of the year and adding wool felt to the inventory to make it more affordable for those that weren’t purists.  I was met with some skepticism, but was given the OK.  The first class in January had only one student.  We’ve grown to about 25 people signed up for the monthly class (many others that don’t come to class), and I have a hard time keeping the patterns and the various colors of wool felt stocked.

As seems to be the norm of late, my projects end up at the store before I even get pictures.  So the pictures shown here were taken at the store in less than desirable fluorescent lighting.

   We kicked off the year with “Let It Snow” from Cath’s Pennies.

February saw the group enlarge dramatically with “I Love Ewe” from Penny Lane Primitives.

March we started hoping for Spring even though it comes later in Colorado with “Snug as a Bug” by Bareroots.

In April we made “Bunnies in Spring” again by Cath’s Pennies.  These guys have floppy ears.  I expected the sale of these patterns to slow once Easter had passed, but that hasn’t been the case.  Every time we run out there is a request for more.

That is the first four months, I need to remember to take the camera to the store to get the rest.

So this isn’t just a look at what I did post, let me provide a few tips.  All of these were made with Wool Felt which is available to retailers through National Nonwovens.  Occasionally I include pieces of 100% wool for accents.  There are a couple of reasons I chose the wool felt, first because it is significantly less expensive than 100% wool, which means I can make more projects without too much guilt kicking in, and if I get tired of a project there is also less guilt.  There are loads of colors available and it is very easy to work with.

The wool felt can be used as is, but I prefer the feel when it has been prewashed.  I put the wool felt in the sink in warm/hot water and rinse it a few times if it bleeds a great deal.  Then it goes into my washer and goes through the spin cycle.  Next it goes into the dryer at normal setting for 6 minutes (that is the lowest amount of time for which I can set my dryer).  The wool felt will still be damp.  I lay it out flat to finish drying.  It will shrink some, so allow for that when purchasing the materials.  The wool felt can be dried completely in the dryer, which will result in a much bumpier product and significantly more shrinkage.