Felt & Felting

February is a great time to share sweet treats with all the "sweeties" in our life. And what's sweeter than an ice cream cone with sprinkles on top? Our Ice Cream Cone Applique looks yummy enough to eat! 

We added sprinkles using a straight stitch and 6 strands of floss, but you could easily add glass beads for extra glitter. Or, cover in French knots. This applique was designed to fit a 6" block, but can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs. Tomorrow we will be sharing a tutorial on how to turn this or any applique into a cookie cutter. The pattern for this Ice Cream Cone Applique can be found HERE. Enjoy! 

FINALLY was able to wake up to snow. Granted... it's only 1", and granted... it's suppose to rain in a couple of days and it will probably be all gone, but this morning I feel like I'm 5 years old and I want to get on snow clothes and go outside and play! I have been waiting to share our Snowflake Applique Block until there was actually snow on the ground :) As always, the applique was designed to fit on a 6" block, but can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs. The pattern can be found HERE. Enjoy!

BTW... If you are looking for a swell idea for using this applique, make sure to check back next week. Michelle will be sharing an awesome project. Get excited... very excited ;)

There is just no way I can write this blog without making your jealous. Seriously. But I was so touched that I can't not share it either. (Don't you hate double negatives?) So here goes. A couple of days before Christmas, my postman left a slip in my mailbox saying I missed a delivery. Really? I was home all day and my dogs light up if someone gets near our house. So I'm thinking he was a bit over taxed, and didn't even try. But I digress. 

Anyway, Tim happily ran to the post office for me and stood in a line that wrapped the building (again, another brag on my guy :) and brought home the package. It was from Israel. I did a quick mental check list to see if I was expecting a package from Israel. Nope.

When I opened it up, I got a lovely, lovely note from Daria from Art of Felting, and the following heart stopping GIFTS...

Spring Maiden
 

I woke up at 6:00 Monday morning with an idea. I must dream in crafts, because I often wake up with some scathingly brilliant or totally lame idea... my dreams don't always transfer well to wakefulness! Anyway, I knew I wanted to add something to Bug's Art Supply Messenger Bag, and somewhere in the night I decided to make a key chain of sorts instead of appliqueing a design on the bag. It didn't take me long to decide what I wanted to make. Bug Loves Legos, and is currently into the Ninjagos.

So, I drew out a pattern based on his favorite character, Kai. I am so pleased with the way it turned out and I think Bug is going to love it! Do you have someone in your life that is into Legos? If you do, this might be the perfect gift to whip up... just in time for the holidays :)

The original post, Bug's Christmas Gift, can be found HERE.

Materials:
Felt
Embroidery floss
2 split rings (key rings)
Copy of the pattern

Note: If you haven't done so already, you may want to read How to Cut Out Felt.

Note: Our stitch glossary can be found HERE.

Make a copy of the pattern.

Cut out the pieces out of felt. Note: When you cut out the hood, your background felt will become the face of the ninja. Pick out the background color you want for the face.

Begin by laying out all the pattern pieces on the front background.

Remove all the pieces except the arms and hands. Pin or staple them in place. Sew the hands on using a running stitch and 1 strand of floss. Sew the arms over the hands with a blanket stitch and 2 strands of floss.

Sew on the body using a blanket stitch and 2 strands of floss.

Position the hood on the body. Using a disappearing marker, mark the opening of the hood. Remove the hood, and draw on the eye brows and eyes using the pattern as a guide. Using a stem stitch and 3 strands of floss, embroider the eye brows. Using a detached chain stitch and 3 strands of floss, add eyes. 

Sew on the hood using a running stitch and 2 strands of floss around the outer edge of the hood, and using a blanket stitch and 2 strands of floss, sew around the hood opening.

Add the chest detail: Add the belt, then the ties, using a running stitch and 2 strands of floss. Sew on the small face using a running stitch and 2 strands of floss. Add the eyes, nose and mouth using a straight stitch and 2 strands of floss. Using a stem stitch and 6 strands of floss, add the roping. (Note: I didn't get a photo at this stage

If you wish to add initials to the back of the key chain, do it now using a stem stitch and 6 strands of floss.

With wrong sides together, blanket stitch the front to the back using 2 strands of floss. Cut out a small circle for the key rings. (This will become an eyelet.) Using a blanket stitch and 2 strands of floss, embroider around the entire eyelet. Keep your stitches close together to give strength to the opening. To reinforce. you can go around the circle a second time.

Put one of the key rings through the eyelet. Put a second key ring through the first and attach it to a bag, keys, etc.

"Go Ninja, Go Ninja, GO!" Okay... I know this song is for a VERY different group of ninjas, but I couldn't resist this piece of nostalgia ;) Ya' gotta admit, it's a hoot :)

Back in early November, I had my idea for Bug's Christmas gift. He LOVES to draw, and I thought it was high time he had his own supplies. So, I got him a sketch book, a couple of "how to draw" books, and a nice set of pencils and erasers. 

I think he will really enjoy the drawing books. The first is The Boys' Guide to Drawing by Aaron Sautter. It has "aliens, warriors, robot and other cool stuff". The sketches get harder as you progress through the book. The other book is Drawing Dragons by Sandra Staple. It teaches you "how to create fantastic fire~breathing dragons" and such. This book is more complicated than the first, but the pictures are awe inspiring, and like the other book, the drawings become more complex as you make your way through the book. The Kohinoor Gioconda 24 Piewce Drawing Set includes pencils, erasers, chalk and charcoal. Lots to experiment with. And, of course, I included some Strathmore Drawing Paper.

Next, I needed something to put everything in. I thought of making him a messenger bag, but I must admit, I decided to buy one instead. I started looking at kid's bags but they were too small, and had designs on them that Bug would consider babyish. Finally, I hit some shops in town. The price tags were all very dear! Did I really want to spend $50.00 just on a bag? Then, I got lucky. I was in Aeropostale. I didn't see any bags, so I asked. The manager said there were a few in the back left over from a promotion. She brought out the bag, and it too was $50.00. (Must be the going rate for messenger bags this year :) As I was hemming and hawing, she did a price check, and it was reduced to $15.00! Well... YAY! So, I bought the bag.

It is really a cool bag. It has a distressed look about it, too. Just the kind of place to put all your treasured work. I did want to do SOMETHING to add a little panache and individualize it. I considered appliqueing something on it, than decided it would look more "grown up" to add a tag. After considering Bug's favorite things, I made a keychain to look like Kai, a Lego Ninjago. I also embroidered his initials on the back.

And here is the final result...

Although I think Bug will like his drawing supplies, I know he is going to LOVE Kai. Tomorrow I will share the pattern I made just in case you have a Ninjago lover in your life :)