Embroidering

My mom is still under the weather but she asked me to go through her rough draft post and see if I couldn't get the pattern up for everyone. I think I got all the links and such working (let me know if you notice something missing).

I must say, I think this little guy might be the cutest in the bunch so far. My girls were excited to see him. Pippin will make a great spring guest in your home. Enjoy!

Materials: (yardages are approximate and based on optimal placement)
Felt
Embroidery floss
2 3/4" buttons with 4 holes for eyes
2 12” pipe cleaners
Stuffing (wool or polyfil)
Beans, fish gravel or large grained sand for weighting the bottom
Pattern

Note: My felt was from Wool Felt Central. I used the following colors:
Haybale (TOY2617) for the front, back, ears and base
Driftwood (WCF2619) for the muzzle, chest and tail
Antique White (WCF1102) for the eyes
Blushing Bride (WCF0942) for the inner ears and nose

IMPORTANT: If you haven’t done so already, read our tutorial on cutting out felt found HERE.

Directions: (All seams are 1/4" unless otherwise noted.)
Download pattern and make copies.

Cut out pattern pieces as follows:
1 front and back
4 ears
1 base
1 muzzle
1 chest
1 tail
2 eyes
2 inner ears
1 nose

Using the pattern as a guide, pin or staple pieces on the front and back of bunny. Note: the eyes will be tucked under the muzzle as shown on the pattern.

Applique in the following manner:
Using a blanket stitch and 3 strands of floss, sew on eyes.
Using a running stitch and 2 strands of floss, sew on muzzle, chest and tail.
Using a running stitch and 2 strands of floss, sew on nose.

Embroider the face in the following manner:
Transfer facial detail to muzzle.
Using a stem stitch and 6 strands of floss, embroider mouth.
Using French knots and 6 strands of floss, embroider whisker spots.

Sew on eyes using 6 strands of floss, crisscrossing through the 4 holes.

Optional: If you would like to, embroider the bunny’s name on the bottom using a stem stitch and 6 strands of floss.

To make the ears begin by laying an inner on top of 2 layers of ears. Using a running stitch and 2 strands of floss, sew the inner ear to the ear going through all 3 layers.

Take a pipe cleaner and lay it between the 2 layers of ears between the running stitch and the edge. Allow the pipe cleaner to overhang by about 1”.

Using a blanket stitch and 3 strands of floss, sew the 2 outer edges of the ears together, trapping the pipe cleaner as you sew around the ear. Gently bend the pipe cleaner around the top of the ear.

Clip off the extending pipe cleaner so it is even with the edge of the ear.

Do the same for the other ear making it in the mirror image of the first ear.

Mark the unfinished edge of the ears ½” from edge.

Position the ears on the front of the bunny, with right sides together, following the markings on the pattern, allowing the ears to overlap the ½”. Pin in place.

With right sides together, stitch front to back leaving a 2 1/2” opening as indicated on the pattern. (This opening will be used to turn bunny right side out after the bottom has been added.) Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end stitchling lines seams do not unravel during the turning process. (This step can be done be by hand or with a sewing machine. If sewing by hand make sure to use very small stitches.) Note: Be careful when sewing over the ears, since there are pipe cleaners in them. If you go very slowly, you shouldn’t break your needle.

To reinforce the ears and to help them stand up straight, sew a second stitching line between the seam and the edge where the ears are attached.

With right sides together, pin bottom in place matching side seams and notches. Sew in place.

Turn bunny right side out.

Using beans, gravel or sand, fill the bottom of the bunny to the opening.

Fill the remainder of the bunny with wool or polyfil. Pack firmly without stressing seams.

Using a blind stitch, sew up opening.

 

There have been many interesting ideas of how to use the design in the Little Birdies Eye Case for other projects. But then I thought, I might be thinking too small! It occurred to me that these little guys could, and should, be included in our Applique Blocks. So, I enlarged one little birdie 250%, and wah lah... a new applique block. This birdie was designed to fit on our standard 6" x 6" block, but it can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs.

Now, with a big birdie, I'm thinking pillows, t-shirts and backpacks! Or, blow it up and paint it on a wall! Hope you come up with a place for this whimsical little guy. The pattern for the Little Birdie Applique Block can be found HERE. Enjoy! 

The Three Birdies Glass Case has always been one of my favorite designs. Truth be told, I have about 20 pairs (no exaggeration) of reading glasses spewed throughout the house. I ALWAYS have a pair on top of my head... sometimes I forget and throw a second pair up there which gets me strange looks if I go out in public like that... SO I seldom use an eyeglass case. I've been meaning to come up with a more useful purpose for this design. Any ideas? The original post and pattern can be found HERE.

The other day when I posted the Swimming Turtle Coloring Page, one of our readers asked if we could do a bear. Well, as it turns out, bears are a perfect companion to Winter Wonderland Curriculum. So, it didn't take much encouragement to agree to make a bear coloring page. And, since I was making a coloring page, it only made sense to make a bear applique block.

So, here is our Bear In Water Applique Block. As with all blocks, it was designed to fit on a 6" x 6" block but it can be reduced or enlarged to meet your needs. Wouldn't it look adorable appliqued to a little man's hoodie? The pattern for the Bear In Water Applique Block can be found HERE. I'll have a coloring page up in the next few days. Enjoy!

NOTES: Add the pieces in the following manner:

Using a running stitch and 2 strands of floss, sew on water. You will only need to sew the two sides and the bottom. You do not need to sew the section that will be under the dirt. 

Next you will sew on the two bushes. The edges of the bushes go under the dirt. Start by positioning the dirt on the block. Note how the dirt overlaps the the water. Pin in place. Position the bushes, following the guide lines on the pattern, so the bush edges are under the dirt. Pin in place. Remove the dirt.

Using a running stitch and 2 strands of floss, sew the outside edges of the bushes. Using a blanket stitch and 3 strands of floss sew the scalloped edges of the bushes. You do not need to sew the section that will be under the dirt.

Following the pattern sew on the dirt, bear, then muzzle.

Add embroidered detail.

Quilting Basics - Part 1

Quilting Basics - Part 2

Quilting Basics - Part 3

Quilting Basics - Part 4

When I was done quilting the sample I made for our Quilting Basics series, I wanted to add a little embroidery to the piece. I thought back to those early days of coloring inside the doodles and instead of using crayons, I did a different embroidery stitch inside each shape.

A couple of notes about embroidering for quilted pieces. If the back of you piece is going to be seen, like on a blanket, do your embroidery BEFORE you quilt. This way, all the messy stitching will be inside the quilt, and the only stitches on the back will be of the actual quilting.

If the embroidery is going to be on a piece that you won't see the back, like a wall hanging, you can embroider AFTER you quilt. The advantage to embroidering after you quilt is your embroidery will have more dimension because you are stitching through several layers. Both techniques are acceptable. 

The choice is personal and depends on the project you are doing. I'm trying to decide what to do with this little piece I created. I'm thinking it might become the center panel on a tote bag. More than likely, it will sit in my partially done stash until the perfect idea presents itself :) As we speak the painters are busy at work transforming my house from the rather dark, primitive colors I've used for years, into something more alive and spring like. It will be screaming for new embellishments, and I'm thinking of taking this basic concept of the doodle design, and turn it into a wall hanging above our piano. You can be sure I'll keep you posted :)

The pattern for this design and the embroidery stitches I used can be found HERE, or just let the spirit move you and design your own. Enjoy!