Denim Fabric Finches

A few weeks ago we had a spring clean of our supplies and I came across some really nice pieces of denim fabric that I was going to use for pocket pillow backs (and I still might) but I had an overwhelming urge to make denim fabric finches.

The first was sewn up before I decided they would look cool with embroidery:

So, I embroidered the wings on another one prior to sewing it up:

They naturally fray at the edges, which I quite like.

Available in our facebook and coriandr shops

Tartan Owl Ornament

This tartan chap was created as a commission this weekend.  In keeping with our attempts to reduce waste, he’s made from a piece of tartan that would have otherwise been binned and some ecospun felt.  Stuffed, as usual, with reclaimed polyester stuffing.

He’s got a bit of a problem though.  Whilst out for his morning walk, he came across a very strange object.  It looked like a grassy mound but he couldn’t be sure.

At first he stood next to the mound, he thought it enhanced his green wings and the green stripes in his tartan, but after a while he became suspicious that the object wasn’t a grassy mound at all but an owl eating alien so he made a hasty retreat to his new home.

handmade felt christmas tree decorations

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later … that’s right the spirit of Christmas has finally caught up with me, almost.  Anyway, in preparation for it’s imminent arrival I felt compelled to make some decorations, contrary to my usual ‘bah humbug!’ approach to Christmas!!

Actually, it wasn’t just me, Jolene started it with these rather pretty little crocheted stars …

… it’s while she was making these that she tossed a bag of felt offcuts in my general direction and told me to stop being ‘lazy’ and to ‘get on with something’ …

… I was …

… I was drinking tea …

… it’s important!

I spent a few minutes rummaging, looking at the various shapes available, before coming across some bendy triangles.  It wasn’t a huge leap to come up with the trees above.

I’m hoping to get some pine cones done up in time for Christmas, maybe as a table decoration or maybe as a few more hangers for the tree, whatever I do I’ll be sure to share them here.

Make Your Own Scandinavian Style Hanging Bird Ornament

You’ll need:

printer
paper
sharp needle
sharp scissors
6″ x 4″ piece of felt
36″ of 6 stranded embroidery thread
stuffing

Stitches used:

Blanket
Lazy Daisy

Instructions:

1. Click on the pattern below and print and cut it out.  It’s sized to A4 so you’ll need to make sure your page size is set to 210mm x 297mm so that the picture doesn’t distort.
2. Pin the template to your felt and cut two bird shapes.  You may find it easier to do this one shape at a time.
3. Separate two strands of thread by holding one end of the strand and gently pulling it from the group.
4. Using lazy daisy stitch, Sew three small flowers on each bird shape around about the belly of the bird.  Pay close attention to make sure you stitch on the right side of the bird shapes.
5. Separate another two strands of thread.  Using blanket stitch sew the two bird shapes together starting at the mid back and leaving about an inch of a gap for stuffing.
6. Stuff the bird quite tightly and sew the gap closed (with blanket stitch).  You might find at this stage a pencil or chopstick is useful for getting the stuffing into the corners but be careful you don’t poke it all the way through!  Secure your thread with a few small stitches.
7. Thread the last two strands through your needle and double them up to give you four strands.  Starting on the back of the bird, roughly where you started the blanket stitch, sew a few small stitches to secure your thread and then create a loop.  Sew some more small stitches to secure the loop.
8. If you wish you can sew a few loops onto the tail end of the bird to resemble feathers.
9. Hang from your tree/door handle/peg and marvel at the cuteness.

 Pattern:

The copyright of this work belongs to MadeStuff.  You may use this pattern to create as many ornaments as you wish for your own personal use and to give as gifts.   You may not use this pattern in any shape or form for commercial gain.

If you can’t be bothered going out to buy the materials you’ll need to make this lovely bird ornament, I have some kits for sale in the shop.  The kits contain the pattern, including instructions for the stitches, thread, felt and stuffing…enough for one ornament.

pocket pillows – boys and bears

It seems that pocket pillows are becoming a favourite of mine.  So called because they are pocket sized rather than them having a pocket, although occasionally they have a pocket too.  They’re just the right size for little hands and are perfect even for pin cushions for those with grown up sized hands.

The two I’ve been working on this weekend are a boy in green and blue (I can’t remember where I got this pattern from) and the love bear from Andrea Zuill.

These are so easy to make.  All you have to do is embroider your design of choice onto your fabric of choice – my favourite is brushed cotton for softness.  Put your embroidery and backing fabric wrong sides together and draw a line round the embroidery (about 1/2″ from the sewing).  Sew round the line (I use back-stitch) leaving an opening for turning and stuffing.  Turn and stuff quite tightly, and sew up the opening with whip stitch.  I use invisible thread for this but that’s my personal choice.

For the red bear (shown below) I upcycled a dress that had a rather fetching pocket for whatever trinkets little girls like to carry around.

These are so simple to make and a really nice way to display embroidery – go on have a go, you know you want to.

Commissions – mobile phone cosy

As promised here are the two mobile phone cosies I made for a commission.

I’m not sure which was more challenging – embroidery on black fabric or getting a semi-decent photograph of it.

Hopefully, you can just about see the matryoshka doll embroidery on this one.  The fabric is red wool.

I just couldn’t get a good enough individual picture of the dragon on the black fabric.  Any photography tips would really be appreciated.

These phone cosies are not available for sale but I will be making a range of iPhone and Blackberry cases for the Christmas Craft Fairs we are attending…more on that later.

Handmade Christmas Tree Decorations

Over the past few weeks I have been busy with a couple of commissions and finalising a new idea for Christmas tree decorations.  I’m reserving the commissions for a post of their own because they took me so long that they deserve a gold plaque, never mind their own post!

I know it seems too early to be talking about Christmas but it will be here before we know it and last year it totally caught me off guard so, like all good girl guides, this year I’m being prepared…besides we have a mega craft fair two weeks before Christmas and we don’t want to be embarrassed by a lack of stock.

The christmas tree decorations started life months ago now as a rough idea for bodies and I’ve had these embroidered bodies lying around in my sewing box all summer.  With the closing in nights it was time to finish the job.  They are now a mixture of felt bodies and polymer clay heads, hands and feet.  I think the picture speaks for itself.

At this stage I have 18 of these delightful little girls.  Each one is different.  I just need to think of a name.

Pocket Pillows ~ Something Soft to Hug

These embroidered pillows are made of very soft cotton, backed with offcuts of upholstery fabric of unknown type.  They are perfect for little hands to clutch for comfort.  They could also be ornaments, displayed in a bowl or basket, or used as pin cushions.

Available in the shop

Scotty Dotee Doll

A while ago now onecrazywoman contacted me with the proposition to swap dotee dolls.  She is making me a dotee doll with a Texan theme and I am making her a dotee doll with a Scottish theme.  I’ve been making this doll on and off now for the past month and finally last night I finished.

This is Morag – she is a traditional highland Scot but a bit kooky at heart which is why she wears a traditional plaid outfit but it’s pink!  She her unruly hair – she never brushes it and the wild Scottish winds have whipped it into a bit of a bird’s nest!

She’ll be on her way to join onecrazywoman’s dotee collection in Texas next week.

~ You can also find onecrazywoman as lovetoquilt2 on SwapBot.

Little felt owl and a few mini plant pot ornaments

The little owl has been floating about for a while and I was surprised he’s not featured in a previous blog entry, he’s made out of ecospun felt, with recycled polyester stuffing, and old buttons.  I think he’s a rather cute wee fellow, especially with the little ‘o’ embroidered on the front.  With luck Jolene will see fit to make some freinds for the fellow, but as things stand he’s a one of a kind!

Available in the shop.

I’ve also been trying to get some decent pictures of the ‘plant pokes’ for the shop, but hell have they been acting up!  I don’t know whether it’s been the poor lighting or just their irregular shapes but it’s been a complete ‘mare trying to get in focus shots!

Available in the shop.
SOLD OUT!  Please contact for custom orders.