Kimara's blog

Black Bird Applique Block

We don't usually feature applique blocks back-to-back BUT Michelle needed a bird pattern for a project she was working on, so it made sense to turn it into a Black Bird Applique Block. Although we used Halloween colors, this bird can be any color you like :) As always, our Black Bird Applique Block was designed to fit our 6" block, but it can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs.

The Black Bird pattern can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Enlarge and Reduce can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Cut Out Felt can be found HERE.

The Stitching Glossary can be found HERE. Note: The Woven Star used for the stars can be found HERE.

Felt:
lavender - (block)
pumpkin spice - (flower centers and beak)
mellow yellow - (flowers)
black - (bird)

DIRECTIONS - Refer to pattern and photo for applique placements and cutting instructions.

Make a copy of the pattern.

Cut out felt using material list above and pattern. Transfer any embroidery markings. Note: when cutting out flowers, do not cut perfect circles. The flowers are meant to be slightly askew. Refer to photo.

Using a running stitch, sew beak to block using 2 strands floss.

Using a running stitch, sew bird to block using 2 strands floss.

Using a stem stitch, embroider vine using 6 strands floss.

Using a back stitch, embroider legs using 6 strands floss.

Using a stem stitch, embroider wing using 6 strands floss.

Using a French knot, add eye using 6 strands floss.

Using a straight stitch, sew small flower petals to medium flower petals using 6 strands floss. Note: The outside of the circles are not sewn down. The stitching should just overlap the inner circle. Make 6 straight stitches. These stitches do not need to be evenly spaced. They should be slightly askew. Refer to photo.

Later this week we will be sharing Michelle's tutorial for making Frost Glass Candle Holders. Just in time for Halloween fun!

PHOTOS - 07-11-11

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Submitted by Kimara on Mon, 10/15/2012 - 06:15

Black Cat Applique Block

At the end of summer I gave everyone a sneak peek at an applique block I had just finished. My plan was to enlarge the pattern 300% and make a Halloween banner. ((Sigh)) THAT never came to past... so many other projects we are in the middle of, but I am delighted to share the pattern with you now, and hope that some of you will find awesome ways to use it! BTW... we ALWAYS love to hear and/or see how you've used our creations ;)

As always, our Black Cat Applique Block was designed to fit our 6" block, but it can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs.

The Black Cat pattern can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Enlarge and Reduce can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Cut Out Felt can be found HERE.

The Stitching Glossary can be found HERE. Note: The Woven Star used for the stars can be found HERE.

MATERIALS

Felt:
orange - (cheeks and medium flower petals)
purple - (block)
yellow - (large and small flower petals, eyes and ground)
green - (leaves)
black - (cat)

DIRECTIONS - Refer to pattern and photo for applique placements and cutting instructions.

Make a copy of the pattern.

Cut out felt using material list above and transfer any embroidery markings. Note: when cutting out flowers, do not cut perfect circles. The flowers are meant to be slightly askew. Refer to photo.

Using a blanket stitch on the top and a running stitch along the 2 sides and bottom, sew ground to block using 3 strands of yellow floss.

Using a running stitch, sew cat to block using 2 strands black floss.

Using a running stitch, sew nose to cat using 2 strands purple floss.

Using a running stitch, sew cheeks to cat using 2 strands orange floss.

Using a running stitch, sew eyes to cat using 2 strands yellow floss.

Using a stain stitch for irises, a stem stitch for mouth, and French knots for freckles, add face detail using 6 strands black floss.

Using a straight stitch for eyebrows and a stem stitch for whiskers, add face detail using 6 strands yellow floss.

Using a blanket stitch, sew large and medium flower petals to block using 3 strands black floss.

Using a straight stitch, sew small flower petals to medium flower petals using 6 strands black floss. Note: The outside of the circles are not sewn down. The stitching should just overlap the inner circle. Make 6 straight stitches. These stitches do not need to be evenly spaced. They should be slightly askew. Refer to photo.

Using a running stitch, sew leaves to block using 2 strands green floss.

Using a stem stitch, embroider stems using 6 strands green floss.

Using a stem stitch, embroider leaf detail using 6 strands black floss.

Using a woven star, embroider stars using 6 strands black floss.

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2012. All rights reserved.

PHOTOS - 07-11-11

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Submitted by Kimara on Mon, 10/08/2012 - 04:47

Napkin Lined Autumn Potpourri Bowl

Sometimes, the most striking piece in a room is also the most simple to create. Think of a bowl of ripe strawberries, a mason jar full of sea glass, or a few branches of pussy willows set on a mantle. Simple, yet it fills us with awe.

Here, is one of those ultra simple, fast to do projects that can easily become the focal point on a shelf or table.

I wanted to use this to hold potpourri, but this technique is great for lining bowls and baskets to serve biscuits and rolls.

Start by grabbing a seasonally colored napkin. (It would help to iron it first, but if you tinker on laziness and develop a rash when you see an iron like I do, just tell yourself that the wrinkles will add to the whole earthiness of the look :)

Then, simply tie the four corners. Use a simple single knot. You want to tie near the end but leave a little tail. Confession time... to get my knots nice and tight, I hang on to the tail with my teeth and pull to tighten the knot. (Don't tell me dentist. I'm sure he'd frown on that practice!)

When you are done, it should look something like this.

Then, find an appropriate sized bowl or basket. Lay the napkin on top so the right side is showing.

Tuck the napkin into the bowl. The napkin should overhang the bowl.

Now, fill your bowl with potpourri. You can use store-bought. My bag was from Yankee Candle, however, you can easily take a nature walk and collect items for your bowl. Pine cones, acorns, pods, sticks, colorful leaves, nuts all make wonderful potpourri. If you make your own, simply drip some essential oils on your mix, and wah lah... scented potpourri!

Now, your only decision is where to display your beautiful bowl of potpourri. Make sure you put it somewhere that gets a lot of attention but where the scent won't compete with meals :)

It's always nice to have the pups help with outdoor photo shoots :)

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2012. All rights reserved.

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Submitted by Kimara on Thu, 10/04/2012 - 06:43

Felt 101

One of the questions that we get asked the most is “What are the different types of felt and which one do you suggest?” I realized that I was writing the same answer over and over again, so I decided it was high time I just did a post on it! Let me start by saying, this is just a quick overview. Feel free to add additional thoughts and comments. Today, there are many different types of felt, using different fibers. I am only discussing 3: 100% Wool Felt, Wool Felt Blends and Crafting Felt. Also, if you are looking for tips for cutting out felt, make sure you see our post on that, found HERE :)

General speaking, when used as a noun, felt refers to a NON WOVEN fabric that is created by pressing, condensing and layering various fibers together. It is thought to be the oldest cloth used by man, second only to animal hides, in producing body coverings. Over the years the process has been refined and a multitude of fibers have been used to create felt. Below is a list of the 3 most common types of felt.

100% Wool Felt – As the name implies, this felt is made from 100% wool. This is generally the nicest felt you can buy. When people make their own felt, they usually use wool roving, making 100% Wool Felt. The most noticeable advantage of 100% Wool Felt is its durability. By nature, wool fibers have scales. When the fibers are heated and agitated, these scales lock together, causing the fibers to shrink and to become denser. So, not only are fibers layered over one another, the fibers themselves lock together. This creates a denser, smoother fabric. 100% Wool Felt has a lovely feel to it and can be dyed any color wool yarn can be.

100% wool felt is not without its own set of disadvantageous. First, it is more expensive than non-wool felts with the price determined by a variety of conditions including the thickness of the fabric, the animal the fibers come from, the dyes used, and whether the felt is handmade or machine made. Although 100% wool felt can be dyed just about any color, often 100% Wool Felt Manufactures sell a limited pallet of colors to keep their own costs down. 100% wool felt will continue to shrink with washing and agitating, so special care must be used in cleaning items made with 100% Wool felt. Also, the colors will often bleed. If you plan on washing items made with 100% Wool felt, you might consider prewashing individual pieces of felt separately to remove access dye. And, if you are allergic to wool as I am, your hands/body can become irritated when working with the wool.

The advantages to 100% Wool Felt are numerous. First, it looks beautiful. The colors can be awesome, especially in handmade 100% Wool Felt. You can find variegated colorways that are breathtaking! The 100% Wool Felt has a softer, suppler feel to it than its synthetic counterparts. Wool Felt can be very durable. (Much has to do with the thickness of felt.) If you are using felt to make things that will receive much wear and tear, like penny rugs or children’s toys, 100% Wool Felt is worth the investment because the end product will last longer. Also, 100% Wool Felt usually won’t “pill”. Pilling are those nasty little balls that can form on fibers.

I’ve gotten to the point where I use 100% Wool Felt for almost everything I do.

Wool Felt Blends – Be careful buying felt that is simply called “Wool Felt” as opposed to 100% Wool Felt. Not that there is anything wrong with the Wool Blends, but often, sellers will refer to their felt as Wool Felt, when it is in fact, a Wool Felt Blend. Although the percentage of wool will vary from manufacture to manufacture, most Wool Blends use 15% - 20% wool, mixed with acrylic fibers. Before buying any wool felt, make sure to read the fiber content so you know what you are getting. When working with Wool Felt Blends, treat them as if they were 100% Wool Felt.

Wool Blends have many of the same disadvantageous as 100% Wool Felt. The wool in the blend will continue to felt and you must use care when cleaning. Also, the colors can bleed just like 100% Wool Felt. They are not as durable as 100% Wool Felt and I’ve noticed that the toys I made for the wee ones using are showing signs of wear, and there has definitely been pilling.

The most noticeable advantage is cost. Understandably, Wool Blends, having less wool in them, make them more inexpensive than 100% Wool Felt. There is often a wonderful selection of colors, although you won’t usually find the unique colors that handmade 100% Wool Felt can offer. Personally, I’ve never seen a handmade wool blend.

Because of the cost, I tend to use the Wool Felt Blends when making my prototypes. I can change things many times before I am satisfied with the end results, so it is more economical to use the wool blends. Also, I will often use a wool blend if the project will not experience wear and tear, like in a picture or wall hanging. I do have a soft spot for Wool Felt Blends because they were my intro into the world of felt. They will always have a place in my crafting cupboards.

Crafting Felt – Crafting Felt contains no wool. Often, when you are in large chain crafting shops, this is the wool you find cut into squares and displayed on metal racks. It is often found with the children’s crafting supplies. The felt can often have a hard feel, like it was starched, and is often thin. You can also find 100% acrylic felt on bolts, which are wide and you can buy yardage. Often, this crafting felt is thicker than the little pieces of felt, and have a more diverse usage.

The most troublesome disadvantage to Crafting Felt is it is not durable, especially the small squares you can buy. Not knowing any better, I made my first gnome using Crafting Felt, and in a very short time, his hat had worn through, and his robe started stretching. Another disadvantage is that the colors are often limited, with manufactures choosing basic primary and secondary colors.

The primary advantage to Crafting Felt is the price. Most Crafting Felt is very inexpensive. Another advantage is it can be washed without fear of it shrinking, and in most cases, it is colorfast. I have a denim shirt that I use when gardening. As I’ve developed little holes here and there, I’ve used Crafting Felt to make little appliques that I embroider to the shirt. (I used woven fabric on the elbows.) I can throw the shirt through the laundry, with no fear of shrinkage. Yes, the crafting wool is wearing BUT so is the rest of the shirt. It would have been very impractical to use wool felt on a shirt that gets washed daily.

Although my stash of Crafting Felt is limited, there are times I will use it. If I want to add felt to a handmade card, I have no problem using Crafting Felt. If I want to add felt to a piece of clothing that will be washed frequently, I might use the higher end (denser) Crafting Felt. Also, although I believe in using high quality crafting supplies with children, if I am going after process instead of end product with children, I will let them use Crafting Felt. (i.e. cutting up pieces of felt to glue to a piece of paper.) Also, if you have a child that is allergic to wool, Crafting Felt is an alternative, but there are other felts, like Bamboo Felt, that might be a better choice.

If you had questions about the various types of felt, I hope you find this helpful. As always, if you have any other questions, feel free to ask. We will try to answer them :)

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2012. All rights reserved.

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Submitted by Kimara on Mon, 10/01/2012 - 07:56

Felt & Felting

Chalkboard Village

When it comes to decorating our house for the seasons, Pixie is my "go-to" helper. Out of Michelle's 3 wee ones, she has the strongest interest in artistic pursuits, and arranging and showcasing our finished projects is almost as important to her as the project itself. She is forever collecting "props" to "stage" her work. We are certainly kindred spirits :)

I mentioned a few days ago that I had seen some City Chalkboard Blocks that were shared on Hello Bee. I loved the idea, and with the help of Tim, created a whole village. Here are the simple instructions for creating your own Autumn Village.

Materials:
Pine lumber boards in 2" x 4", 2" x 6" and 2" x 8" widths. This can be construction grade, just check each piece and find those with minimal knots and imperfections. You want the surface as smooth as possible.
Saw for cutting
Sandpaper
Chalkboard Paint - I used chalkboard paint from Hudson Paint
Colored chalk

Directions:
Using your saw, cut the boards into random sized houses. When you are done, sand well. The chalkboard paint works the best on smooth surfaces. Check out all the photos below to see the shapes we had.

Apply 3 coats of chalkboard paint to all surfaces of the houses. I used colorful paint on the 4 sides of the house and the bottom, then used a dark brown paint on the tops for roofs. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly between each coat.

Allow the paint to dry for 48 hours before drawing on the houses with chalk. This was the hardest part of this whole project... waiting to draw on with chalk :)

Use a damp cloth to clean off the surface of the houses. Allow the surface to dry before drawing on again with chalk.

Now, arrange your houses. When the mood hits you, just clean off a surface and redo. Pixie had a blast arranging the houses on our seasonal hutch. I'm sure they will be redone and rearrange each and every time she's over :)

When Fairy saw the village the next day she was disappointed she didn't get to help draw on the houses. "No problem", I told her. Just get a damp cloth and erase a house and redo it!

Usually, when I am done crafting a project, it is "finished" and ready to be displayed or played with by the wee ones. The beauty of our chalkboard village is it is NEVER finished. With just a damp cloth you can redesign your village to suit your fancy whenever you are so inclined :)

HERE ARE SOME LINKS TO THE OTHER "PROPS" PIXIE USED TO STAGE OUR CHALKBOARD VILLAGE. IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A STASH OF PAST PROJECTS TO PULL FROM :)

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Submitted by Kimara on Fri, 09/28/2012 - 05:36

At Wee Folk Art we combine our love of Wee Folk with our love of Folk Art, creating designs that are uniquely Wee Folk Art! Craft along with us by creating some of the many free patterns found on our blog.