Showing posts with label felt craft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label felt craft. Show all posts

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Pottery Barn for Kids Knockoff Advent Calendar

While grocery shopping today, Grace noticed that there were Christmas decorations out.  Then, she so astutely pointed out, but it's not even Christmas.

 
Ah, yes.  The world of retail and blogging are very much the same.

Thank goodness Grace doesn't read my blog because it's about to get a little Christmas-y around here as well...and yes, I know, it's not even Christmas yet. 

First up, my knock off version of Pottery Barn for Kids advent calendar.


It is 90% no sew AND the sewing that is required {attaching the pockets to the tree} can all be done by hand.

Since it's no sew, you can even get the kids involved.  You can use the patterns I provided


OR you can create your own designs.

Either way, since it's not even Christmas yet, you have plenty of time to make one of your own.

You can find the tutorial along with 25 patterns for each pocket here:

Advent Calendar Part 1
Advent Calendar Part 2
Advent Calendar Part 3
Advent Calendar Part 4



And be sure to check out my other Christmas inspired posts:

DIY Pottery Barn Candle
DIY Star Wars Ornaments
DIY Santa Beard


Friday, November 18, 2011

I Heart Fake Food - Felt Corn Tutorial

I heart fake food, is back!


 Corn on the cob anyone?


Supplies:
Yellow, Green and Cream felt
Fiberfill
Yellow thread
Green thread
Some sewing required

To make the kernels of corn:

Out of yellow felt cut 7-10, 1 1/2 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches long, strips.


Create a crease down the center of the yellow felt {lengthwise}, fold each side in towards the crease and then fold in half.


Can you see it? It's starting to look like a corn kernel.


With your needle and yellow thread, start to create each individual kernel down the row. Loop the thread around the rolled up yellow felt, pull it tightly so it creates a groove {these are your kernels taking shape}.


At the bottom of each loop, sew 2 stitches simply going back and forth to secure and maintain the groove you just created.


Continue creating the kernels down the length of the strip.


Each strand, when finished, should look something like this.


Repeat these steps, making the rest of your kernels, for rest of the strips you have cut out.

To make your corn husk:


Cut out a total of 6 green leaves. Arrange 2 pieces of green felt together at a time.


To add the lines and give some dimension to your husk, you'll want to use your sewing machine. Starting in the center of the husk, sew the first line. This line will help you space the remaining lines. Continue, working from the center line out. You do not need lock in your stitches.


When you complete a husk, if you find some gaps between the lines, just go back and add a filler line or two.


Repeat these steps to finish the 2 remaining husks.


Optional: sew the bottom edge of your husk over to give it a more finished look.


To create the corn cob:

To give your corn its shape and provide a base to attach your kernels, you'll want to sew a cob.


Arrange the 2 pieces of cream cob together {mine will appear larger than the pattern , after I made my cob, I realized it was too wide so I corrected the pattern making it more narrow}.


Sew down each of the sides but do not close either end {you will want to lock in your stitches}.


Turn the cob right side out.

With a rectangle piece of cream felt {1 inch by 2 1/2 inches}, fold it in half and roll it up.


Insert it into one of the open ends of the cob {for a more finished look, fold the edge of the cob in before adding the rolled insert}.


With a needle and thread, sew the roll into place, closing up that end of the cob.


Fill the open end of the body with fiberfill. Unlike 'I heart fake food' tutorials of the past, you do not need to generously stuff the body. You want it to have some give. The kernels will provide most of the shape.


To close up the remaining open end, you'll create a stem. Using a rectangle strip of green felt {2 1/2 inches by 3 inches}, fold it in half and roll it up {like you did for the cream top}.


Insert it into the open end of the cob and sew it shut.


Putting all your pieces together:

Sew one husk to the back of the corn cob, securing it only at the base of the cob. You'll secure it more once you have all your kernels in place.


Affix the longest strip of kernels to the center of the corn cob. The top of the cob will be your starting point for each strand of kernels you add. Attach the kernels by sewing the bottom of the kernel to the cob.


Continue adding securing stitches as you work your way down to the bottom of the corn cob for each strip of kernels.


Hold the remain 2 corn husks around the cob to determine placement of each new strand of kernels.


Your husks will cover some of the cob so to save yourself work, don't waste kernel placement where they won't be seen.


Continue attaching your kernels. With each new row, you'll need to attach it not only to the row of kernels next to it but also to the cob body.

*Remember to always add you next row of kernels starting from the top so you can manipulate a shape like this when completed.


Here you can see how rough my kernel placement looks. The cob remains bare in several places.




I bent a few of my kernel strips in half for the shorter rows and for some, I cut my strands in half or quarters. The back of my cob is nearly all bare with the exception of the top.


When you have all your strands sewed into place AND are happy with the shape the top of your corn has taken, grab your remaining 2 husks and begin to sew them in place so they cover any bare spots of the cob.


Place a few securing stitches at the bottom front of the cob and bottom back of the cob.


Then, add securing stitches to attach the husk to any bare spots in the cob. Continue to add securing stitches anywhere you want to give your husk more structure or where you want to maintain their placement.


And there you have it...


So what do you think, cool or corny?


If you enjoyed this tutorial, make sure to check out my other felt food tutorials as well.


Friday, November 11, 2011

Advent Calendar: Part 3

Welcome to part 3 in my advent calendar tutorial. Today, you'll find the final 10 patterns to finish your calendar. Again, no sewing is required for any of these squares.


Just a reminder, my squares are 4 1/2 inches wide by 5 1/2 inches long. Copy and paste the patterns into a word document to scale to your desired size. Get your fabric glue ready and let's finish those squares.

A Christmas wreath.

 
Supplies: green felt, red poms, red ribbon for a bow on your wreath {square is dark blue}.


Trim a Christmas tree.


Supplies: Green felt and multi-colored mini poms {square is dark blue felt}


Decorate a gingerbread house.


Supplies: tan, white, red and light blue felt {square is dark green felt}. Use multi-colored mini poms as candy to decorate.


Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.


Supplies: gray, pink, black and cream felt {square is blue felt} and 2 black poms for the eyes. I wanted to embroider 'not a creature was stirring' but when I made this, I was still new to embroidering and ran out of room.


Frosty the snowman.


Supplies: white, orange and felt in whatever color you like for the scarf {square is blue felt}. 2 black mini poms for the coal eyes and 3 blue poms for the body of the snowman.


All the other reindeer...


Supplies: brown, cream, white, dark brown and black felt {square is blue felt}.


The North Pole.

 
Supplies: red, green, white, yellow and brown felt {square is blue felt}. I embroidered 'North Pole' on the sign.


Ho Ho Ho.


Supplies: red felt {square is dark green felt}


Santa's right hand man, an Elf.


Supplies: red, green, white, brown, black and white felt {square is tan felt} and 4 yellow mini poms for the belt, shoes and top of hat. *To make the elf's rosy cheeks: put a dab of glue on his cheeks, add some red fibers from the red felt to the glue and instantly you have a rosy cheeks.


Last but certainly not least, Saint Nick.

 
Supplies: red, white, peach and black felt {square is blue felt}. A white mini pom for the top of the Santa hat. *Use the technique for rosy cheeks that you used with the Elf.


Finish your squares up, peel the glue off your fingers and then come back to get some tips on putting it all together in Part 4.

The rest of the tutorials can be found here:
Advent Calender Part 1
Advent Calender Part 2
Advent Calender Part 4

Felt Food Roundup
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