Appliques

Is there anything more exciting and rejuvenating than the smell of spring? On sunny days, as the snow begins to melt, and day time temperatures soar to a whopping 45 degrees F, my head begins to spin with prospects of flowers and picnics. Here in the Midwest, a sure sign of spring is the tapping of the maple trees and the return of the robins.

The other day Pixie and Fairy snuggled close as we watched Michelle at the stove, mixing the boiling hot maple syrup, that would become maple candy. The smell in the kitchen was heavenly. While waiting, because it took ever so long for the syrup to reach the right temperature, I read the book, Grandpa's Sugar Bush, to the girls.

As I turned a page, I saw this:
"Grandpa says the first robin always sings on the day the sap starts to run."

Well, when everyone departed after dinner, I sat at my desk, and designed a Robin Applique Block. It only seemed right. Robins and maple syrup! As always, the robin was designed to fit on a 6" x 6" block but can be reduced or enlarged to meet your needs. The Robin Applique Block can be found HERE or with our FREE Appliques. Enjoy! 

Last year before Easter we did a number of egg projects. It seems like an good time to tackle eggs, with Easter and spring just around the corner. I wanted to pull all our egg projects together here, as a reminder, and for those of you that may not have discovered them yet.

To begin with, we have our Felt Fried Eggs and Bacon breakfast, with crispy bacon and sunny side up eggs. Perfect for the play kitchen.

Then, as the saying goes, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette... here we have a Felted Egg, ready to stuff with egg innards or special Easter treats for the basket. Make them white or brown for every day use, or use colored roving and needle felting to make beautiful Easter eggs.

We already shared our Traditional Felt Eggs that can be decorated for Easter, or left plain to fill an egg carton for the play kitchen.

And, finally, I would have been remiss if I hadn't crafted an Fried Egg Applique Block!

HAPPY EGG CRAFTING!

For all of our Irish friends out there and everyone else that is a "bit" Irish on St. Patrick's Day, here is a Shamrock Applique Block. Just for fun I turned my applique block into a little flag of Ireland! Of course the shamrock can be appliqued to just about any thing! As usual, the shamrock was designed to fit on a 6" x 6" block, but can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs. Think how cute this would be reduced to brooch size, stuffed a bit, and worn this St. Patrick's Day. Or enlarge the pattern, make it out of parachute material for an outdoor banner. The pattern for the Shamrock Applique Block can be found HERE or with our FREE Appliques. Enjoy!

Sending everyone a "felt heart", um, we mean a"heartfelt" wish for a Happy Valentine's Day!

Fondly,
Kimara and Michelle

Like all our blocks, this one was made to fit a 6” x 6” but can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs. (Note: I forgot to add the little groupings of 3 tiny flowers on the pattern. They are French Knots made with 3 strands of floss.) You can find the pattern HERE or in the FREE Applique Patterns. Enjoy!

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2010. All rights reserved.

All photos, text and patterns are copyright protected. You may not copy, reproduce or redistribute any material found on WeeFolkArt.com without written permission. Wee Folk Art retains all rights.
 

This has been a great week for us. We've gotten many emails and links from friends sharing the projects they've made using our patterns. When people post one of our patterns on a blog, we link to it on Facebook. But many of readers do not have blogs, so we get emails and photos instead.

Today I would like to share a project that Marta made using Our House applique block. I think the reason I'm so drawn to it is because of how she personalized it. I'll let you read part of her email:

My name is Marta and I am from a little town near Barcelona, Spain.

I just want to thank you for your big generosity sharing your beautiful patterns that inspire a beginner like me. Your explanations are so clear and easy that I feel I can make a project.

This week I finished my house. I started making your design, but then my daughter Sara asked me if she could keep it when I finish, and then I decided to make our house and I changed some things. The roof is red, the house is white, the chimney has a hat, the two cats that visit our grass,... I got dared and I started with my own details, and I send you my final result (in addition, it was my first serious experience with the sewing machine to make the frame).

Obviously I am very proud and Sara is very happy with her little house hanging in front of her while she's doing her homework. And that's why I write to you, because you started this blend of happiness, satisfaction and self-confidence for next projects thousands miles away with your generosity.

Well, I must admit we are pretty proud, too. We are so happy that our patterns and projects find their way into the homes of so many friends around the world! If we ever need to justify why we do what we do, we just need to share the myriad of emails we receive.

So, to Marta, thank you so much for sharing with us. You did a lovely job. And to Sara... you are a lucky girl. I know it must make you smile every time you look at your house. And to ALL our readers... think of our projects as a starting point. Use your own creativity and visions to make all our projects your own :)

What a busy time in the Thicket. Britta is bustling around readying the house for a Valentines Party she is throwing for some friends. She just finished this lovely banner with flowering vines meandering over a Valentine's heart. Although cold weather is still evident throughout the Thicket, hearts are warm with Valentine Cheer. There is no doubt that love is in the air!  

Here is a lovely Valentine Banner displayed prominently in the gnome's home. Make your own banner to share with your gnome friends or for a doll house. Haven't got either? Not to worry. The applique and embroidery can be used on any project that needs a little Loving Embellishment. The directions for the Gnome Valentine Banner can be found HERE or with our FREE Patterns. Hope you and your gnomes Enjoy!

This banner was designed to fit a branch in our Gnome Home. You may wish to customize the banner to fit a preexisting branch in your Gnome Home or add an angled twig to hang the banner as is.

Materials:
Pattern
9" x 12" piece of wool felt
wool felt scraps
6 strand embroidery floss
embroidery needle

Directions:
1] Make copies of the pattern.

2] Using the pattern, cut out 2 banner pieces and 1 heart.

3] Using the pattern as a guide, place heart on the front piece of the banner. Use a blanket stitch and 3 strands matching floss to attach heart to banner. Using the pattern as a guide, embroider the banner.

4] Place wrong sides of banner pieces together. Pin in place. Use 3 strands of embroidery floss and a a running stitch, sew along the top stitching line and the bottom stitching line. This will create a casing for hanging. Using 3 strands of embroidery floss, blanket stitch sides and bottom below bottom stitch line.

OUR "DISCLAIMER"! We are sharing patterns we have designed and made for our own children, families and friends. Every effort is made to share information in a clear and accurate manner. DUH, right? But we are only human, although I often long for superhuman powers, and as humans, mistakes will be made. We offer preemptive apologies for any aforementioned mistakes. Please let us know via comments or emails if you stumble upon a mistake or if you encounter directions that leave you scratching your head! We will rectify the situation as soon as humanly possible! Before beginning any of our patterns, think of yourself as a Beta Tester. We do not have a staff, editors or even volunteers that are crafting our projects before we share them. YOU are the first to have a go at them. As such, other than a heartfelt apology, we accept no responsibility for mistakes made, or in an extreme circumstance, for time or supplies wasted. Please tackle our projects in the same manner that we are sharing them, with a spirit of goodwill and global friendship!

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2010. All rights reserved.

All photos, text and patterns are copyright protected. You may not copy, reproduce or redistribute any material found on WeeFolkArt.com without written permission. Wee Folk Art retains all rights.

We are always encouraging our readers to use our applique patterns to meet your own needs. I have a little wall with shaker pegs where I hang my Easy Cotton Shawls. I wanted a little something above the pegs... something that added a little color and a lot of fun. I crafted a banner using our Running Kitty and Running Mouse. I added a few funky flowers, and a fun, tie-dyed border, and came up with combination that I love. Bug noticed it as soon as he came in the room. All the grandbabies were "oohing" and "ahhing" over it, and immediately noticed that it was like the cat and mouse running up our stairs. Leave it to Bug to say, "Say, Gammy. You need to paint flowers on the stairs for them to be more beautiful like this." Hmmm... I think he is right!

The completed size of our Cat and Mouse Banner is 20" x 7", but can easily be adapted to fit a different space. Also, although I've included a pdf with a couple of cloud shapes and some flower patterns, let your imagination run wild and embellish your banner any way you like. The directions and patterns for the Cat and Mouse Banner can be found HERE or with our FREE Patterns. Enjoy!

Do you have a wide but shallow spot in your house that needs a little "something"? Try making a long, skinny banner to fill the spot with some playful happiness. For this banner, we combined our Running Kitty and Running Mouse Appliques, but use your imagination and our applique blocks to create your own banner! The finished size of our Cat and Mouse Banner is 20" x 7" but you can adapt the size to fit any space you'd like to fill!

BTW... Directions for the Easy Cotton Shawls pictured above can be found HERE.

(Original blog for the Cat and Mouse Banner can be found HERE.)

Materials:
wool felt piece 6" x 18" for background in blue
wool felt piece 3 1/2" x 18" for grass in green 
material for border and backing
felt pieces for appliques
embroidery floss
pattern: running kitty
pattern: running mouse
pattern: flowers and clouds

NOTE: You may notice some discrepancies between directions I am giving and the photos; specifically, when I tell you to applique and embroider . I kept changing the pattern, so the photos don't always match the directions. (Example, in the photo there are flowers appliqued on the banner before I tell you to do that.) I learned from my mistakes. I really did not want to redo the project to match the directions, so... in this case... do as I say, not as I did :)

1] Make copy of patterns.

2] Cut out cat and mouse using patterns as a guide. To make the grass, simply draw a wavy line down the length of the 3 1/2" x 18" piece of green wool felt which is being used for the grass, mimicking rolling hills, cut it out along this line. Using 3 strands of floss, blanket stitch the grass to the banner along the wavy hill edge. Sew the grass to the banner along the remaining 3 sides close to the edge using a running stitch. The running stitch will become part of the seam allowance. (Sorry, no photo of the grass by itself, but use this photo for ideas.)

3] Using photos as a guide, position cat and mouse on the 6" x 18" piece of felt. There is no template for the exact positioning of the cat and mouse. There will be 1/2" seam around the entire piece of felt so do not position the cat, mouse or flowers in the seam allowance. Using the patterns as a guide, applique the cat and mouse to the banner. Note: do not add flowers or clouds until the border has been sewn on.) (Sorry, no photo of only the cat, mouse and banner. Use this completed banner for placement ideas.)

4] To add the border, cut strips of fabric 2" wide. Pin a strip of border to both short ends of the felt banner, with right sides together. Allow the strips to overhang a little. Sew border to banner using a 1/2" seam.

5] Iron the seam flat, with the seam allowance lying on the border, not the felt. (Note: excessive heat can shrink the felt. Try not to overheat the felt.

6] Turn the banner over, and using a straight edge, trim the strips so they are even with the upper and lower edge of the banner.

7] Attach the top and bottom borders using the method described above. The strips should over hang the attached side borders.

8] Iron the seam flat, with the seam allowance lying on the border, not the felt.

9] Turn the banner over, and using a straight edge, trim the strips so they are even with the side edge of the banner.

10] Referring to the photos, and using the appliques and embroidery stitches found on the flower and cloud pattern, add flowers and clouds. Note: just use the pattern and photos for suggestions. Be creative and embellish the banner in any manner you find pleasing.

11] To finish the banner, lay the banner on the backing material, with right sides together. Pin the banner to the backing so the backing fabric extends beyond the banner. When placing pins, make sure they do not extend beyond the banner, since you will be cutting along the edge.

12] Cut the backing using the banner as a guide. Doing it in this matter instead of cutting a banner piece before hand, guarantees the backing is exactly the same size as the banner front. DO NOT remove the pins.

13] Sew the backing to the banner using 1/2" seams, pivoting at the corners. Leave a 3" opening at one of the ends.

14] Trim the corners to remove bulk and turn the banner right side out.

15] Iron the border flat.

16] Slip stitch the opening closed.

17] To hang, pin to the wall using straight pins, concealed on the back of the banner near the top.

OUR "DISCLAIMER"! We are sharing patterns we have designed and made for our own children, families and friends. Every effort is made to share information in a clear and accurate manner. DUH, right? But we are only human, although I often long for superhuman powers, and as humans, mistakes will be made. We offer preemptive apologies for any aforementioned mistakes. Please let us know via comments or emails if you stumble upon a mistake or if you encounter directions that leave you scratching your head! We will rectify the situation as soon as humanly possible! Before beginning any of our patterns, think of yourself as a Beta Tester. We do not have a staff, editors or even volunteers that are crafting our projects before we share them. YOU are the first to have a go at them. As such, other than a heartfelt apology, we accept no responsibility for mistakes made, or in an extreme circumstance, for time or supplies wasted. Please tackle our projects in the same manner that we are sharing them, with a spirit of goodwill and global friendship!

Last week we received this email from a reader and having received her permission, wanted to share her email and pics.

Kimara and Michelle,

I found your blog a few weeks back. At the time I was bored and I knew I wanted to craft and sew but just had no inspiration. Looking through your patterns inspired me. A dear friend of mine is getting married in February and I wanted to make them a unique gift - one that reflects who they are. They both love the outdoors and gardening, so when I saw the tree applique I knew I could put a twist on it and embroider their initials in a heart in the middle of the trunk - one of those endearing memories of love. To complete the pillow I found a wool sweater at the Goodwill with a neat pattern, felted it, and used that for the backing and frame around the applique. I just finished the pillow last night and I wanted to share it with you. Thank you for inspiring me with your whimsical patterns - I have never used or worked with felt - and now I love it! I have so many ideas floating around in my head now and I attribute that to you both, and all the work and creativity that you share with others on your blog.

A million thanks,
Michelle

We thought this was such a lovely adaptation of our Tree Applique Block, that we wanted to share. Unfortunately, Michelle does not have a blog site or we'd send you there, but wanted to share how combining your needs and inspiration with our patterns, can turn out something very unique. We also thought this could be worked into a lovely Valentines project. The initials on the tree are brilliant and speak of Love. Using an old sweater and felting it for the pillow itself is icing on the cake. Thanks for sharing, Michelle!