Embroidered Felt Pumpkin Leaves

Halloween may be over, but pumpkin season is still in full swing. Pumpkins make perfect Thanksgiving decor, but I wanted a way to dress mine up to make it centerpiece-worthy. Since the pumpkins I found at the store were stripped of their vines and leaves when they were harvested, I decided to make some leaves to give my pumpkin a fresh-from-the-field look. The front of the leaves are embroidered with veins stitched with DMC floss; the backs hide the ugly side of the embroidery and make the leaves extra sturdy. I used a length of chain-stitched green yarn to make the vine that connects the leaves, but you could also use ribbon or twine.

To make a pair of pumpkin leaves, you'll need felt (I used WoolFelt from National Nonwovens in Blue Spruce and Sandstone), gold embroidery floss, green yarn, a sewing needle, a crochet hook, and scissors of course. Print the pattern below to the size you like. The leaves shown in the photos are 4 1/2 inches high and 5 inches wide. Cut two from green felt for the leaf fronts, and two from beige for the leaf backs. 

Use the vein lines on the pattern as a guide for your embroidery. Here's the method I use: trace the lines onto tissue paper, pin the tissue paper pattern onto your leaf, and then embroider on the lines, sewing through the tissue paper and the felt. When your embroidery is finished, pull the paper away gently to reveal the stitches. You may need to use tweezers to remove any stray pieces of paper. I embroidered my leaves in two different ways. On one, I embroidered a single line of split stitch, which creates a delicate look. On the other, I began with a single line of split stitch, and then added lines of chain stitch around it for a more textured look. If you want to keep things simple, you could use backstitch or running stitch.

To assemble the leaves, pin the leaf fronts to the leaf backs. Tuck each end of your "vine" between the felt layers at the base of each leaf and pin them in place. Next, sew the pairs of leaves together with running stitch, sewing about 1/8 inch from the edge. Be sure to stitch the vine ends in place securely.

When it's time to dress your pumpkin up for Thanksgiving, wrap the vine around the stem like a scarf and let the leaves hang naturally to the sides.

Halloween Pompom Garland

If you haven't decked your halls for Halloween yet, you're running out of time! Don't worry--I have a last-minute project for you that's super cute and super simple. All you need is a small amount of orange, gold, black, and white yarn. If you have purple, green, or gray yarn on hand, you can throw them into the mix too. You'll also need a pompom maker--one of my all-time favorite craft gadgets. (Mine is from Clover.)

Just use the pompom manufacturer's directions to whip up as many pompoms as you like. Beware--as I've said before, pompom making is addictive. When you finish your pompoms, give them a trim to even the edges, and then fluff them up. (Don't trim the two ends of the tying strand; you'll use those to assemble your garland.)

For the base of my garland I just crocheted a length of white chain stitch, and then tied my pompoms along it, evenly spaced. If you'd like to make this project even easier, tie your pompoms to a length of Halloween ribbon or colored craft twine. When your garland is finished, hang it around a window, wrap it around a chandelier, or wind it around a centerpiece for an extra splash of Halloween color.

If you still have a few minutes to spare, here are two more quick crafts from Halloweens past:

Candy Corn Hair Clips

Scrap Basket Halloween Pumpkins

See My Felt Arctic Animals in "Quilts and More" Magazine

Used with permission from Quilts and More™ magazine. ©2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

When I first saw these shades of blue, white, and gray WoolFelt from National Nonwovens, they  made me think about ice and snow and Arctic animals. After a bit of sketching and stitching, I came up with this blue whale, orca, seal, and narwhal. I'm happy to report that they found a home on the pages of the Winter 2018 issue of Quilts and More magazine. (How awesome is the background that the Q&M people came up with?!) The issue will be on newsstands on October 24. Click here for a sneak peek inside--it's filled with gorgeous quilts and smaller sewing projects. 

Used with permission from Quilts and More™ magazine. ©2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

Trick-or-Treat Mouse

This little felt mouse is all dressed up for Halloween! She was featured in the Fall 2016 issue of Craft Ideas magazine, which, I am sad to say, has since ceased publication. The patterns are still available on the magazine's website, though, so I decided to share the how-to on this week's blog post.

  

MATERIALS

WoolFelt from National Nonwovens in Smokey Marble, Shocking Pink, Lavender, Chartreuse, Black, White, Yellow, Mac 'n Cheese.

DMC 6-strand embroidery floss: 208 Very Dark Lavender, 310 Black, 415 Pearl Gray, 444 Dark Lemon, 741 Medium Tangerine, 899 Medium Rose, 907 Light Parrot Green, B5200 Snow White.

1/8"-wide bright green ribbon, polyester fiberfill, 2 black seed beads, 1/2"-diameter pink pompom, gray and purple satin cord (optional)

  

DIRECTIONS

Although Craft Ideas is no longer in publication, their website is still available. You can click here to download and print the patterns and diagrams for the mouse.

Cut the following shapes from felt: from Smokey Marble: two bodies, one head, four ears, one base, two large paws, two small paw; from Shocking Pink: two ear insets; from Chartreuse: one mask; from black: one bag; from Snow White: one candy; from Yellow: one bottom candy stripe; from Mac 'n Cheese: one center candy stripe; from Lavender: one cape. Use pinking shears to trim the long edge of the cape.

Make the Tail (Optional)

With a size 1 crochet hook and six strands of gray floss, make a chain 5 inches long. Turn, slip stitch in second chain from hook and all remaining stitches. Fasten off. Make cape ties: With crochet hook and lavender, make a chain 2 1/2 inches long. Fasten off. Repeat to make second cape tie. (Alternately, use gray and purple satin cord for tail and cape ties.)

Assemble the Mouse

Note: I used two strands of embroidery floss for all stitching.

With whipstitch and rose floss, sew an ear inset to each of the two ear pieces. Whipstitch the appliqued ears to two remaining ear pieces.

Referring to the diagram, use gray floss to tack ears, two small paws, and tail in place on one body piece (this will be the mouse's back).

Sew the mask to the head around the eye holes with green floss and whipstitch. Use running stitch to sew the mask to the head, sewing only as indicated on the diagram. Sew the seed bead eyes in place with black floss. Sew the bottom of the head to the front body piece with gray floss and running stitch. Sew the large paws to the wrong side of the body front with gray floss and running stitch.

Sew the pompom nose in place with the rose floss. Pin the body front to the body back. Cut two 7-inch pieces of bright green ribbon, tuck one end of each under the sides of the mask and pin in place. With gray floss and running stitch, sew body front and body back together, leaving bottom open as shown on diagram. When sewing sides of head, stitch only through body and head pieces and ribbon; do not sew through mask. With green floss, sew running stitch around outer edges of mask.

Stuff the mouse with fiberfill. Sew the base to the body front and back with gray floss and running stitch.

Sew a cape tie to each top corner of the cape with lavender floss. Sew the cape to the body back at the shoulders with lavender floss.

With white floss and whipstitch, sew the candy piece to the top half of the bag piece. Whipstitch the bottom candy stripe in place with yellow floss; sew the center candy the candy stripe in place with tangerine floss. Cut two 2-inch pieces of green ribbon for handles and tack them in place to the bag edge. Fold the bag in half, wrong sides facing, and sew the long edges together with black floss and running stitch.

To finish your Trick-or-Treat Mouse, hang the bag from the mouse's arm and tie mask ties in a bow at back of head. 

Trick or Treat Embroidery

Happy October, everyone! I'm kicking off my month of Halloween crafting with a versatile "Trick or Treat" embroidery design that features a fun font and cute candy corns. For the sample I've shown here, I used white cotton fabric and DMC embroidery floss in Dark Lemon #444, Pumpkin #971, Bright Chartreuse #704, Black #310, and White #B5200. I'll start with some basic instructions and tips, and then give you some ideas on how to incorporate your Trick or Treat embroidery into your own Halloween wardrobe and decor.

To begin, print out the embroidery pattern below and transfer it to your fabric. If you're using a light-colored fabric, you can trace the design onto it with a fabric marking pen. You can also use Sulky Solver Stabilizer or a similar product. Follow the manufacturer's directions to trace and stitch your design, and then wash the stabilizer away. (Tip: When I'm embroidering on lightweight fabrics, I like to iron a piece of light fusible web on the back to stabilize the fabric.)

Now it's time to start stitching! Place your fabric in a hoop or frame and thread your embroidery needle. I used three strands throughout this project so the stitches really stand out. Backstitch the outline of the letters with Black floss. To fill in the two "Ts," use the Chartreuse floss and a filling stitch (I used long and short stitch). For the candy corns, use Pumpkin floss for the outline, and then refer to the photo to fill the segments with Pumpkin, Dark Lemon, and White. I used split stitch, but you can also use satin stitch or another filling stitch.

When your embroidery is complete, remove it from the hoop or frame. If you've used a water-soluble stabilizer, wash it away and allow your embroidery to dry. To finish, press the completed piece face down on a padded surface.  

So what can you do with this little piece of Halloween stitchery? My embroidery, which is about 3" by 7 ½", is eventually going to make its way into a pillow. I have some orange and green prints that are just dying to be used in a Halloween project. Here are some other ideas: 

• Make your own Halloween T-shirt. Print the embroidery pattern to the size you like and stitch it onto the neckline or sleeve of a plain white T-shirt. (Iron a piece of fusible web on the wrong side of the area that's going to be embroidered to stabilize it.) If you want to use a black T-shirt, use white embroidery floss instead of black for the lettering. 

• Transform a canvas tote bag into a trick-or-treat bag. You can either embroider the design directly onto a purchased canvas bag, or stitch it on a piece of fabric first and sew the embroidered fabric onto the tote as an applique.

• Dress up a boring basket of treats. Embroider the design onto a piece of White felt, trim it with ribbons, and tie it around a basket or bowl of Halloween candies to make them extra tempting.

• Bring a bit of Halloween spirit into any room with a Trick or Treat ornament. Embroider the design in the size you like, sew it onto a backing of black fabric or a fun Halloween print, and stuff it with polyester fiberfill to make a pillow ornament. Add a matching ribbon for hanging and display it on a wall, in a window, or--if you are truly dedicated to celebrating all things spooky--on your Halloween tree.

Appliqued Fall Felt Vase

Each year, when it's time to put our garden to bed for the winter, I harvest the twigs and pods the flowers have left behind and use them indoors as part of my fall decor. Because they don't require any water, my dried arrangements aren't limited to traditional containers. This appliqued felt "vase" works perfectly and adds a nice pop of autumn color. (Bonus: It's just the right size to hold a quart canning jar, so you can also use it to display greenery that needs water, if you like.)

As with all my felt projects, I used WoolFelt from NationalNonwovens: Driftwood for the body and base of the vase; Burgundy, Pea Soup, and Gold for the appliques. (I also used Pea Soup for the lining.) Making this project is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. To start, print out the patterns below and use them to cut out felt shapes in the colors you like. 

Arrange them on a 7" by 12" background piece, which will form the body of the vase. Be sure to leave a little extra space on the edges for the seams. Here's what my design looked like before I sewed it all together:

When you come up with an arrangement you like, pin the felt pieces in place. Next, use matching embroidery floss and running stitch to sew the appliques in place.

When you finish the appliques, it's time assemble the vase. Fold the appliqued felt piece in half widthwise with right sides facing and sew the pieces together with a 1/8" seam. Cut a 4" base from the Driftwood felt and pin it to the bottom edge of the vase. Sew the base to the vase body with a 1/8" seam and then turn the vase right side out. To add extra stability to the vase, I cut a piece of Pea Soup felt to fit inside and sewed a seam along the short edges. To finish, I tucked the lining inside and sewed the top edges of the vase and the lining together with running stitch.

I love combination of textures and colors in this project--it looks rustic and modern at the same time. The pattern can easily be adapted to create any size or color vase you like. Just keep in mind that a felt vase is not as heavy as a glass or pottery vessel. You might want to add some glass pebbles or another vase filler to keep it standing upright.

Crocheted Trellis Cowl

This cute little cowl is much easier to make than it looks. A repeating chain-and-pineapple stitch pattern creates a textured, openwork look that looks the same on the front and back. Each of the unjoined rounds is worked identically, making it a fun project that requires minimal concentration. Once you get the pattern in your head, you can just stitch away while you watch TV--which is how I spend most of my fall evenings.

The yarn I used is Cascade 220 Superwash in Como Blue #811. It's 100% washable wool, so it feels cozy and has just the right amount of stretch. Of course, you can use any worsted-weight yarn you have on hand. I used a size I-9 crochet. I tend to crochet tightly, so I used a hook that's a bit larger than I would ordinarily use for this yarn to keep the pattern loose and lacy. Experiment with your yarn to find the hook that creates the desired effect before you begin making the cowl.

This pattern uses one special stitch--the pineapple stitch--which creates the tiny "puffs" that give the cowl texture. Follow the instructions below, or click here to download a printable pattern.
Here's how to make it:

Pineapple stitch: [Yarn over hook, insert hook, yarn over hook, draw a loop through] 4 times in the same stitch, yarn over hook, draw through first 8 loops on hook, yarn over hook, draw through remaining 2 loops on hook.

To begin the cowl, chain 140, join with a slip stitch in the first stitch to form a ring. (The circumference of my cowl is about 26 inches.)

Round 1: [Chain 3, skip 3 stitches, single crochet in next stitch, chain 3, skip 3 stitches, pineapple stitch in next stitch] 17 times. To end the first round, chain 3, skip 3 stitches, single crochet in the joining slip stitch.

Remaining rounds: [Chain 3, skip 3 stitches, pineapple stitch in the next single crochet, chain 3, skip 3 stitches, single crochet in top of the next pineapple stitch] around, without joining rounds.

Work in this pattern until the cowl reaches the size you like. (Mine is 8 inches high.) To finish the cowl, chain 3, slip stitch in the next single crochet, fasten off, and weave in ends.

See My Design in "Crochet! Winter Warmers"

Scarf and shawl season is almost upon us, and I couldn't be happier! If you're a crochet addict like me, and you're looking for some cool-weather accessories, wearables, and home decor items to make, look for "Winter Warmers" on your newsstand (it's a special publication from Crochet! magazine). I'm thrilled to tell you that my Ridge Rock Shawl is one of the featured designs. These photos give you a sneak peak.

I really can't wait for the weather to get just a little bit cooler so I can wear it. In the meantime, I'll keep busy crocheting. This issue has certainly given me a lot of inspiration!

My Halloween Designs in "Just CrossStitch" Magazine

As you can see, I'm going to be having a very-cross-stitched Halloween at my house this year. I was lucky enough to have four of my designs featured in the special Halloween issue of Just CrossStitch magazine, which is on newsstands now. Here's a peak at my projects: first up is the Halloween Welcome Banner, pictured above.

I've got to admit, this Monster Movie television is one of the favorite things I've ever made. Maybe because I love watching campy 1950s sci-fi movies at Halloween or any time of year.

As you can see from the Nevermore cross-stitched picture above, I'm also a big Edgar Allan Poe fan.

Last but not least is this creepy Spiderweb ornament, which is embellished with a shiny spider charm and silky fringe. (The satin floss from DMC can be a little tricky to work with, but I think it's totally worth the effort.)

If you'd like to stitch one of these designs--or any of the other 49 projects featured in the magazine--look for this cover on your newsstand. And if you want to finish in time for Halloween, you better start stitching soon.

Happy stitching!

Crocheted Bookworms

I have to admit, I love my Kindle. But sometimes I like to read a real book with paper pages, and for that I need a bookmark--preferably one that's handmade.

My grandmother made crocheted "bookworms" like these back in the 1970s. I relied on my memory to re-create her design to make these cute little guys. I'm not sure if my grandmother used pompoms on her bookworms, but I couldn't resist!

This project perfect for using up scraps from your yarn stash. (As you can see, I'm down to my last yards of magenta.) The instructions are simple, and each bookworm takes just minutes to make. I used worst-weight yarn and a size G hook, but you can experiment with whatever supplies you have on hand. Here's the pattern:

Chain 60, place a marker, and then chain 43 more stitches. Make 3 double crochets in the third chain from the hook and in each stitch across, until you reach the marker. Remove the marker, 1 half-double crochet in the chain stitch that was marked, make 1 single crochet in the next chain, slip-stitch in the next chain, and fasten off.

When you adjust the double crochets so they spiral, your bookworm should look like the one in the photo above.

Make a pompom for each bookworm and tie it to the tail, then weave in any loose strands of yarn. See how easy that was? And kind of addicting, right? If you get carried away and make more bookmarks than you need, you can use them as gifts for your favorite human bookworms.

Seashell Hoop Picture

I haven't been to the beach yet this summer, but I do have lots of shells around the house to put me in a seaside state of mind. I also like to create beach-inspired needlework designs, like this scallop shell hoop art. The materials and skills required for this project are minimal. You'll need tan felt, embroidery floss, background fabric, a bit of fiberfill, and an embroidery hoop, of course. If you can hand-sew and use scissors, you can follow these easy instructions. (Click here if you'd like to download a printable instruction sheet.)

First, print out the scallop shell pattern to the size you like. Next, cut the seashell shape from felt (I used WoolFelt from National Nonwovens in champagne). 

Trace the pattern and the inner lines onto a piece of white tissue paper and pin it over the felt shell. Using two strands of embroidery floss and split stitch, follow the lines on the pattern, stitching through the tissue paper and felt. I used DMC six-strand embroidery floss in light tan (437) and very light desert sand (3774), but you can use any colors that complement your felt. 

When the embroidery is complete, gently gear away the tissue paper to reveal your stitching. You may have to use tweezers or a needle to coax every bit of paper out of the stitches. 

Now it's applique time! Place your background fabric in the embroidery hoop and secure it firmly. Position the embroidered shell in the center and sew it in place, using small applique stitches and stuffing the shell lightly with fiberfill as you go.

Trim the fabric and finish the back of the hoop as desired, and your seashell hoop art is ready for hanging.

Red, White & Blue Roundup

Happy Fourth of July week, everyone! Like many of you, I'm in party mode this week. So while I'm busy cooking up some treats for my family's Independence Day gatherings, I thought I'd round up some previous blog projects that celebrate the Red, White, and Blue. Click on the title of each project to visit its original blog post. Until next time, have a safe and sunny week!

Seaside Stars & Stripes Cross-Stitch

Fourth of July Napkin Ties

Red, White & Blue Op-Art Pin

Pom-Pom Flip-Flops and Necklace

Red, White & Blue Beanbags

Thank You, "Craft Ideas" Magazine

The Summer issue of Craft Ideas magazine just came out, and I'm so happy to see two of my projects featured inside. The pool bag, above, is crocheted in bright colors of easy-care acrylic yarn. You can use it at the pool or beach to hold sunscreen and other essentials, then toss it in the washing machine. The vintage TV photo frame, below, is sewn from wool-blend felt. I used buttons for the control "knobs" and a vinyl sleeve for the screen,which holds a 3" by 5" photo. Look for the issue on your newsstand for complete instructions for these and many other summery projects.

I'm sorry to say that I also have some sad news to report today. The Summer issue is the final issue of Craft Ideas. Formerly known as Crafts 'n Things, the magazine has been in publication since 1975. In those years, Craft Ideas has been a great source for all sorts of craft projects, from sewing and embroidery to painting and jewelry making. (Click here to read the official message from chief editor Molly Goad.) It was an honor to work with the magazine's editors and see some of my designs published on its pages over the past few years. Thank you, Craft Ideas! You will be missed.

"Animal Crackers in My Soup" Pillow

Does anyone else remember the song Animal Crackers in My Soup? It's very old, but still very sweet. It got stuck in my head somehow a few months ago and inspired me to make this pillow. It's sewn from blue gingham and red polka-dot fabrics and appliqued with lion, tiger, and elephant animal crackers swimming in a bowl of swirly tomato soup.

This project is a bit more complicated than most of my blog posts, so I'm going to explain it in step-by-step instructions.

You'll need:

National Nonwovens WoolFelt: Angel Wings, Strawberry Dream, Champagne

Fabrics: Blue gingham, red polka dot

DMC Embroidery floss: 309 Dark Rose, 422 Light Hazelnut Brown, 702 Kelly Green, 726 Light Topaz, 793 Medium Cornflower Blue, B5200 Snow White

Sewing threads to match fabrics

White baby rickrack

White tissue paper, sewing needle, straight pins

Polyester fiberfill 

Download and print patterns here.

Note: Use 2 strands of floss for embroidery

Cut fabrics:

From Angel Wings WoolFelt: one soup bowl (cut away shaded part indicated on pattern)

From Strawberry Dreams WoolFelt: one soup

From Champagne WoolFelt: one each lion, tiger, elephant

From blue gingham fabric: 11 1/2" square for front, 14" square for back

From red polka-dot fabric: two 14" by 1 3/4" strips; two 11 1/2" by 1 3/4" strips

Cut four 11 1/2" pieces of rickrack

1. Trace the swirly soup pattern onto tissue paper and pin it to the red soup piece. Backstitch along the swirl lines with Dark Rose embroidery floss, stitching through the tissue. When the stitching is complete, gently tear away the tissue paper, using tweezers if necessary. Arrange the animals on the soup and whipstitch them in place with Hazelnut floss. Embroider the details shown on the pattern with Hazelnut floss.

2. Trace lettering and flowers from the soup bowl pattern onto tissue paper and pin the tissue paper over the Angel Wings felt soup bowl. Backstitch the lettering with Cornflower Blue floss. Embroider the flowers with Dark Rose floss and lazy daisy stitch; embroider the leaves with Kelly Green floss and lazy daisy stitches. Add topaz satin stitch centers to each flower.

3. Pin the red soup to the center of the 11 1/2" gingham square and sew it in place along outer edge with running stitch and Dark Rose floss. Pin the soup bowl over the soup and sew around its outer and inner edges with backstitch and Kelly Green floss.

4. Pin the rickrack strips to the gingham square about 1" from each outer edge, as shown on the diagram below. Sew it in place with Snow White floss.

5. Sew a short red polka-dot strip to each side edge of the appliqued gingham square with 1/4" seam allowance. Sew a long polka-dot strip to the top and bottom edges of the gingham piece. Pin the finished pillow front to the 14" gingham square and sew the pieces together with 1/4" seam allowance. Leave an opening for turning. Clip the corner and turn the pillow right side out. Fill with fiberfill and whipstitch opening closed.

Congratulations--you've finished! I apologize if the Animal Crackers song is stuck in your head now too.