How to Machine Quilt June 26 2014

I hope this how-to video will be helpful. Machine quilting is easy, there are just a few techniques that will require practice. It is a wonderful way to make the dimension pop and finish off that quilt beautifully.

Snowmom June 23 2014

This is a free pattern that has been available for a few years. I decided it needed a video to help you succeed. I think you will enjoy this video and feel a little more brave to try it. You can download the pattern here.

Flower Bead Necklase June 13 2014

I really enjoy taking smaller pieces of things and making them into something with a greater design. Beading is one of those infectious skills that I know you will enjoy. This is one of my favorite designs. These directions may not be standard beading form. It is written in layman terms for the beginner.

Materials for one beaded flower: 

Next, thread a 5 mm bead, clear bead, 12 mm pearl, clear bead, 5 mm bead. In this drawing the clear bead is smaller than the first bead added here. The necklace made in the video and pictured above have these two beads the same size. Bring the thread through the next 3 mm bead in the original ring. Pull this tight. It will look like the pearl has two legs anchored into the original ring.

Bring the string back up through the last leg or second leg. String a 12 mm pearl and one leg(clear bead, 5 mm bead) Bring the string back through the next small bead in the original ring. Pull this tight. It will look like two pearls and three legs. Return the thread up through the last leg (one 5 mm and one clear bead). Add a 12 mm pearl, one clear, 5 mm (another leg) and bring the thread down through the next small bead in the original ring. Return the thread up through the last leg, add ad 12 mm pearl and another leg (one clear and one 5 mm).

Continue around until there are five legs and four pearls. Bring the thread up through the first leg and string one more 12 mm pearl, bring the thread through the pearl next to it to complete five legs and five pearls.

Pull the whole thing very tight.

Next, come out through a pearl and string on another  5 mm bead. Take the thread through the next pearl. Add a 5  mm bead and go back through the next pearl. Each time pull the unit tight until it all pulls up and mounts.

This picture shows how the unit mounts up. Reinforce this unit by going around the outer edge several times, pulling the thread tight. I like to thread through the beads to the original ring and tie it off with the tail. Trim the tail and pull it up through a bead so that the knot will not show.

You can attach the flowers together anyway you like. I used 3 mm or 11/0 beads to create what may look like a link between the flowers. I used 7 beads attached between the smaller beads added last on the outer edge of the flower. Then another 7 beads on the other side as shown below. I went around this several times pulling tight until it held a rounded shape. Be sure to tie and secure the threads. Notice that there will be more beads on the lower edge of the flower than the top. This is partly because there is an odd number of beads, but it also helps the necklace lay in a gentle curve around the neck.

Add a string of bead to each side and attach a clasp. Make these as long as you like.

 Hope you enjoy this pattern!

Free Felt Lion Puppet Pattern June 11 2014

Here is another tutorial for our free felt puppet pattern.

Begin by cutting out all of the individual parts. Everything is cut twice except the lower lip and muzzle. The mane dimension are in the pattern. You can download it for free.

Using a double thread of embroidery floss whip stitch all of the facial features to one layer of puppet body.

Cut the ears from the back puppet and whip stitch to the back of the ears of the puppet face. This will cover the stitches that will show on the back from whip stitching the color in the center of the ears. This will also work well when inserting the mane between the puppet layers.

Notice the layers for the eyes and the section of mane below the lion chin. The lower lip is also added and stuffed. Whip stitch around the muzzle and before it is closed add stuffing. This adds dimension to the little face.

Blanket stitch the two layers of puppet body together, leaving the lower edge open and blanket stitch separately. The mane was slipped between the layers.

French knots were added to the eyes to add a sparkle. Add a pom pom to the nose. This little puppet turns out so cute. We hope you enjoy this little pattern.

You can find this pattern here.

Scallop Beaded Necklace June 10 2014

Here is something different. I love putting little things together to create a larger design. I'm using beads instead of fabric. I think you will enjoy. This is a basic stitch that is used as a base for many other designs. I hope you enjoy it.

Using WildFires string by Beadalon string equal number of large a small beads. The difference in the sizes of these beads will determine the number of beads that are needed to scallop around the larger bead. This example only needs three beads. Thread the string back through the first bead and make a ring. I leave a tail to tie off the string. I then go through the ring again so there will be two layers of thread.

Add three small beads and go through the next small bead in the ring. Repeat around the whole ring.

The beads are tighten around the large bead and create a scallop. When the scallops are finished I go back through all of the scallops with another layer of string to reinforce each stage.

To add the center bead, come out through one of the center ring beads. Go through the center bead and then go through the bead on the opposite side. I then go back around the center ring and go through the center bead again so that all beads are reinforced.

To attach each section come out through the point of a scallop, add three contrasting beads and then through the point of a scallop on the next section. Thread through the beads to get to the end of the next scallop. Add three beads and then through the point of the scallop next to the original scallop. Tighten this up and trace back through this same path so the beads have a double thread and are reinforced. Because there are five scallops on each section I attach them so there are more beads on the lower edge and the necklace will gently bend, which will help the necklace lay nicely around the neck. The video will explain this well.

I hope you will enjoy creating what I like to think of as a "Bead Quilt".

Love Bear June 05 2014

This is a great beginning project for children. It works well for fast and darling humanitarian projects. You may have a women's shelter in your area that would love donations. The pattern is free to download. 

Materials

• Fleece
• Felt for the eye, heart and ears
• Pom pom
• Matching thread
• Marking pen
• Stuffing
• Embroidery floss
• Copy of pattern

Cut the pattern out on the outside solid line. Place the paper pattern on top of two pieces of fleece. Mark the exact pattern to make an exact sewing line. This will give you an exact shape far more exact than negotiating a seam allowance.

Trim outside the seam. Clip into the V so those shapes will turn shape. Cut a small opening where the heart will be placed. Turn the bear right outside out through that hole.

Trim the pattern around the ears and arms and legs. Use this pattern and top stitch the shape around the ears, legs and arms to help shape them.

Trim the pattern down again under the head. Stuff the head and top stitch the shape under the head.

Stuff the tummy and whip stitch the opening closed. Cut the heart, ear color, and eyes from felt. Cut the eye lids out of matching fleece. With matching thread whip stitch the heart over the tummy opening. I like to add a little more stuffing to the heart before I close it. Whip stitch the muzzle to the face. Add a little stuffing to it before closing it.

Notice how I make the stitches in the whip stitches perpendicular to the edge of each component so it looks like a blanket stitch. Whip stitch the eyes and place the eye lids over the eyes. Whip stitch around the rounded edges of the eye lids. Use two strands of embroidery floss make french knots to add a sparkle to the eyes.

 Add the pom pom for the nose. This little bear turns out great! I hope you enjoy it. You can download the pattern here.

Free Baby Bootie June 05 2014

This is an easy baby bootie pattern that we are offering for free. The video and blog post will help you succeed. It is a great way to use your scraps to make original foot fashion.

Material:

• Two coordinating fabrics about 1/6 yard. If fabric is 60" wide, you may get two sets
• 1/4" elastic
• 1/4" ribbon
• Matching thread
• Copy of pattern

Cut two sets to make the left and right booties. Cut two soles for each bootie. The other two parts are placed on the fold.

Fold the bootie back on the fold wrong sides together. Make two rows of stitching, the location of which is marked on the pattern. This will create  a casing for elastic. Insert the elastic. Pull so it is gathered and stitch the sides to stabilize. Place lengths of ribbon on top of the elastic sides so the ribbon will be inserted into the seams.

Place the sides of the back along the edges of the upper bootie and machine baste. The upper bootie folds over  the gathered unit to enclose the side seams.

Machine sew the sides using 1/4" seams. This will enclose the seams of the gathered back.

Place two layers of the soul together, matching the notches on the sole to the toe and back of the upper bootie. 

Pin into place and sew 14" seam around the sole. Zig zag to finish the seam.

Turn the booties right side out and the ribbons are tied in front. They turn out darling. Hope you enjoy this pattern. You can download the pattern here. 

Felt Elephant Puppet June 04 2014

Here is another helpful tutorial for our felt puppets. I love elephants and this is a darling design we offer for free. We hope you enjoy it.

Materials:

• Copy of your pattern
• Grey Felt
• Pink Felt
• Black Felt
• Matching thread
• Scissors and needle

Tape the elephant ears to the basic puppet paper pattern so that the ears and body are cut as one piece. Cut two body/ear units, two trunk, two center ear color contrasting sections, and two black eyes and two grey eye lids.

Place a double layer of felt trunk together and using two strands of grey embroidery floss, blanket stitch around the dimensional part of the trunk. Place the trunk on one layer of elephant body and whip stitch the upper part of the trunk to the face. With matching thread whip stitch the ear color to one layer of the elephant ears. With black embroidery floss whip stitch the eyes. With grey embroidery floss whip stitch the rounded part of the grey eyelids on top of the eye. With white embroidery floss make two French Knots for a sparkle in each eye. Place the two layers of felt puppet together and pin.

Using matching grey embroidery floss, blanket stitch around the outer edge of the puppet. Blanket stitch the straight lower edge with the layers separated giving the opening some reinforcement.

You can find this free pattern here.

Felt Puppy Puppet May 31 2014

Here is a great free pattern that we would love to show you a step by step picture tutorial. This is as easy as it looks. This makes a great humanitarian project for women's shelters or just great fun for any child in your life.

You will need:

• Light brown, dark brown, white, pink, iris color felt or any colors you choose for customized puppy
• Matching embroidery floss
• Black pom pom
• Scissors and Needle
• Copy of pattern

Place the pattern pieces on top of the chosen felt colors. If you choose to have the ears be the same color as the body, you may tape the ears to the basic body pattern and cut them out as one piece. I like to make the ears double thickness. Cut the pattern pieces out right on the lines as there are no seam allowances.

Whip stitch the lower lip and tongue in position. I like the stitches to be vertical or right angle to the edge of the feature. The ears are double thickness and blanket stitched around the shaped area of the ears.

Next, whip stitch the muzzle leaving an opening to add stuffing. Then whip stitching the muzzle closed.

Layer the eyes and lids and place them on the face. Whip stitch each component using matching two strands of embroidery floss. Insert the ears between the two layers of felt bodies pieces, pin to secure.

 Blanket stitch up and around the shade of the puppet leaving the lover straight edges open of course. I like to blanket stitch the straight edges to make the opening stronger so the edges won't stretch. out. 

French knots with white floss make a perfect little sparkle in the eyes. We hope you enjoy this little patterns 

How to do Bias Stems. April 29 2014

Have you ever wondered how prize applique quilts make those narrow stems that look so perfect? You will be amazed at how easy it is to create narrow borders or fine stems using the principles of the bias strip.