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DIY Felt Hydrangea Bouquet

Here in Central Oregon, spring flowers are just starting to poke through the ground. We couldn't wait for them to bloom and bring a little spring cheer, so we made our own flowers. Our bouquet has the added advantages of never wilting, needing water, or activating anyone's allergies. 

Hydrangeas are always a favorite, and they look so good in fabric people think they are real. Set a knock out Easter table with a bouquet or two--or if you aren't hosting, bring a bunch as a gift. While a beautiful bouquet is always wonderful, you could also attach finished flowers to a headband, cover a tote bag in them, or add some to a pillow. 

The key to this project is high quality wool. You need the fabric to be dense enough to hold its shape but still have enough drape to look soft and flexible, like real flower petals. Our flowers are made with Sue Spargo wool . We love it for its wonderful feel and rich color.

Our Hydrangeas may look real, but they're made from wool and floral wire, with a bit of ink for shading. To make a full bouquet does take a bit of time, but is simple enough for older kids and beginning crafters. No sewing skill needed. We created a full video tutorial to walk you through each step, and put all the supplies you need together in a kit so you can't go wrong. Plus, kits cost about the same, or even less than, a single fresh flower bouquet and you won't have to throw them away after a week. 

The picture above shows the size of one completed purple hydrangea kit. Add a second kit or mix colors for a larger bouquet (like in the first picture).

Now for all the details... 

Supplies:

• Hydrangea Kit or
  • 2 - 9" x 11" quality felted wool fabric (we used Sue Spargo Wool) in two colors for each group of flowers
  • 1 - 6" x 9" piece of green felted wool fabric for leaves 
  • floral wire
  • floral tape
• hot glue
• all-purpose ink 
• paper towel

Tools:

• Sharp Scissors
• Pinking Shears
• Low Temp Glue Gun
• Wire Snips
• Round or Needle Nose Pliers
• Fantastix (to apply ink)

Once you've got all your materials together this video will lead you through the process of making your flowers one step at a time. 

In the video we show you how to free-cut each flower and leaf, but if you prefer, you can make a template to trace and then cut from. Download the template page, and trace onto a sheet of template plastic or card stock. Download the templates here.

Your last step is to gather the flowers into bunches and wrap with floral tape. Real hydrangeas grow in clusters and grouping your stems makes it easier to arrange and helps them stay put in a vase. For each kit we make four clusters of flowers. One large, one medium, and two small. To make a cluster start with a single flower and build your arrangement around it. You want to approximate a half dome shape. Start making your final arrangement with the large cluster and arrange your other clusters around it. Be sure to vary the height of your flowers when making clusters and the height of your clusters when doing your final arranging. Once you have your clusters arranged you can secure them with more tape or use a green rubber band if you want to be able to take them apart later. 

Here's a few close-ups of our finished flowers. See how subtle the inking is, but how much it adds to the look. You can also see how using two similar colors of wool gives the flowers a more natural look. 

We hope you enjoy this project. Share your finished bouquets  in our Show Us Your Stuff Facebook group or use tag #stitchinpost on Instagram.

Let us know if you liked this kit and tutorial. We have some other flower types we could offer if there is enough interest. 

Happy crafting!

D.I.Y. Fabric Chain Tutorial

Half the fun of Christmas is decorating. Every year, the day after Thanksgiving, my daughter and I make a big batch of Chex Mix, put on Christmas carols and go to town transforming the house for the holiday.

I have my fair share of store-bought decorations, but my favorites are the ones someone made. One year my son brought home a red, green, and liberally glittered paper chain from school. Like all mothers, I proudly put it on the tree, and secretly thought it was hideous.

It got me thinking about how it could be something beautiful, though. I pulled out some red and green felt and made my own version. My son is grown now, but I’m still hanging my felt chain every year, and every year someone asks me where I bought it.

I made a new chain for the shop this year using wool flannel. I stuck with traditional red and green, then added a bit of grey wool and metallic thread to spiff it up. I love the old school kitsch of the chain, with the sophistication of the wool and the tiny bit of sparkle. Classy and fun. 

To make your own chain, you need three wool fat eighths (or more), fabric glue, and heavy thread or embroidery floss.

You don’t have to stick with the traditional red and green, or even three colors. Try red and gold, blue and silver, or go for a monochromatic color scheme with 3-5 shades of the same color. Have fun with it.

With three fat eighths the finished chain is 16 feet. Plenty long enough to wrap around your tree or hang over your mantle. You could even use one to add some cheer to your office. We wrapped ours around the big pole by the check out counter. 

Materials: Sue Spargo Wool fat eighths in Holly Berry, Avocado, and Charcoal, Dazzle thread, and Aileen’s Tacky Glue. I also used Hiroshima embroidery needles to add my thread accent, and I have to say they are wonderful needles. A real joy to work with.

Instructions: Cut your fat eights into 1” x 6” strips. Place your strips in piles by color. Glue your 1st strip in a circle overlapping the ends about 1 inch. Repeat with all remaining strips, threading your next strip through your last circle and alternating colors, as you add circles to your chain. Using your choice of thread, hand stitch an X on the overlapped portion.

This tutorial is our 12/05/2018 advent calendar feature. Products linked in this post will be 10% off that day only. 

I hope you enjoy this project!

Cheers,

Samantha

Wine Coasters - Tutorial

It's party time! December is full of holiday events and family get togethers, and with them comes the ever present problem of figuring out which glass is yours. Especially if you've already had a drink or two :) 

Wine charms are the classic solution, but they don't protect your furniture (and they're not as fun to make).

Why not make yourself, or your host a set of wine coasters? I'll show you how.

I got carried away with holiday spirit, and made two different styles of wine coasters. A stitched and cut wool set (above), and a fun mixed print fabric set (below). Both styles are quick to make and use minimal materials.

The wool coasters are made with one pack of 5" WoolWerks squares, and some contrasting thread. I love how they turned out!

I used the Merry n Bright color-way for my set. Each package has enough squares to make five coasters. I used two of my squares to test out stitch patterns, so my set only has four coasters. 

To make the coasters, print the template and stitch through the paper along the pattern (1). Once you've removed the paper (2) all you need to do is trim (3-4), cut your bottom circle, and glue the two together. 

For full, detailed, instructions download the free Wooly Wine Coasters pattern. Materials: WoolWerks 5" pre-felted wool squares, thread, craft glue. 

We carry four color-ways of WoolWerks so you can go crazy making coasters and still have unique combinations. 

Use a small (14mm) rotary cutter and a sharp pair of pointed tip scissors. They will greatly improve your results, and mood. We won't talk about what was said, when I tried cutting my circle out with a large rotary cutter. Also, be sure to use a good quality glue that is made for fabric. Ordinary glue will soak into the wool and not hold the two layers together. 

The fabric coasters are even easier to make than the wool. In simplest terms: you cut 5 circles, sew one seam, clip and flip. I think that qualifies as easy, but they don't look it!

Depending on the fabric combination you choose, the coasters can look modern, classic, or funky. You can choose fabrics to match a theme (holiday, birthday, etc.), your favorite colors, or coordinate with your decor.

We sold out of the fat quarter bundle I used in my coasters, but there are so many options that would look great. 

We have some fun holiday 6 packs, sophisticated white Christmas 6 packs, and a number of beautiful non-holiday options. 

For full, detailed, instructions download the free Fabric Wine Coasters  pattern. Materials: 6 fat quarters, 15" x 20" cotton batting, & thread. 

If you found this post in our December 1st Advent Calendar Newsletter... Hi, So glad you came! Don't forget that materials featured in advent calendar newsletters are 10% off for that day only. 

If you found this post, but don't get our newsletters, and want to, sign up here. December 1st, 2018 only, all materials linked in this post are 10% off. 

Cheers,

Samantha

 

 

 

 

 

Hedgehog Fibres - Yarn of the Month

This month we want to introduce you to Hedgehog Fibres. Hedgehog Fibres is an Irish artisan yarn and fibre dyeing studio located in Co. Cork, Ireland. 

Yarn dyeing started as a extension of Beata Jezek’s other hobbies - spinning, knitting and crochet. Beata says “Soon after I took up knitting, I realised I really wanted to create my own yarn line of soft, squishy yarns in beautiful colours. It's the colours I want to knit with, the colours I want to wear and the colours I can't live without.” Hedgehog Fibres colours reflect Beata’s personal style and range from dark, rich and earthy to crazy, fluorescent and vibrant depending on her moods - but always colours she loves! Originally from Slovakia, Beata has called Ireland her home for over a decade. In Slovakian, Jezek means hedgehog so in 2008, when knitting friends pushed her to sell them yarns, Hedgehog Fibres was founded.

This gorgeous yarn is now available at Stitchin' Post in Merino Sport and Kid Silk Lace and is 10% off all November. 

 

7 Things I Wish I Knew When I First Started Knitting

Recently, I was reflecting on when I first started knitting and what I have learned since then.  Here are 7 things that I really wish I had known when I first started that would have made me more successful in the beginning.

 

 

Gauge matters!

    When I first started knitting I never took a gauge, I didn’t know to care.  The I tried to knit my first pair of socks (they were hilariously bad, for more reasons than just the bad gauge) and when my socks didn’t fit I couldn’t figure out why.  I had followed the pattern exactly, but they were WAY too big.  If I had taken the time to take a gauge I would have known to change my needles so they might have fit (at least better anyway).

 

Invest in good needles:

    When I first started knitting I used whatever needles I could find or that were given to me.  This was great when I was starting, but as I got better I found that I could work faster and with a more consistent gauge if I used good quality needles.  My thoughts on needle    purchases are that I would rather buy a good tool that will last me a lifetime than a product that I won’t love in a year.  Plus, you reuse needles, and rarely reuse yarn.

 

 

Not all yarn is created equal:

    When I first started, I had no idea about plys or fiber content and what fibers lend themselves to which kinds of projects.  Granted, this knowledge comes with time, but I wish that I had known that I did not know this.  I used whatever I had for whatever project I had in mind. This means I have made socks (that didn’t last) out of single ply yarn and I attempted to make a bag out of lace weight yarn.  I also didn’t know about different weights of yarn and hurt my hands trying to use worsted weight yarn for socks on a tiny needle (see again gauge). 

 

A notion case is a must:

    I didn’t know about all the notions that I would ultimately end up buying and using regularly so I had no idea that a case is a great idea. I keep my stitch markers, little scissors, tapestry needles, yarn scraps (you never know what you’ll need), tape measure, cable needles, needle gauge, crochet hook, and a pencil in my little knitting tin (you could use anything).  This also makes it easy when I travel to grab my whole tin and I know that I will be prepared for anything that happens while away from my living room. 

 

 

There are no mistakes:

    When I first started knitting, like many others, I found giant holes in my knitting and weird amounts of stitches.  Sure, when I started these seemed like the end of the world and I needed to rip everything out and start over.  I wish I had kept my first project and not frogged it so I could look back and see how far I’ve come.  What I learned years later was that all those “mistakes” I would come to do intentionally.

 

Be fearless:

    This goes with the last lesson, but to not be afraid if something is too difficult and try it anyway.  I did not learn and get better by only staying in my comfort zone.  Challenging yourself is the best way to get better at something!

 

Ask for help!

    I was so scared to ask for help and face someone’s judgement that I didn’t know how to knit the second row (true story, just move that needle to your left hand again and keep going!).  But I was lucky to have a great local yarn store that could answer my questions.  I wish I had gone and asked more questions early on.

 

BONUS!

Buy enough yarn for your project

    I cannot tell you how many times I have looked at a pattern and thought to myself “Oh, I only need 1 ball for this!”.  This is not true! Look at how many yards are in the recommended yarn versus what you are actually using because some skeins have 500 yds and some have 90 yds.  I also learned that it is much easier to return a skein that was not used than it is to find the same yarn, in the same color, and forget about finding the same dye lot!  I learned that it was so much easier to just buy enough from the get go.

 

Happy knitting!

 

Katie

 

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Sliced Pinchusion - Simply Color ORANGE

Orange! A citrusy fruit and a bold color in the quilting world. And sometimes a very handy pincushion! 

This month we are looking at the color orange and what would be better that making an Orange Slice pincushion? Check out the full pattern in the Simply Color ORANGE book by Lucky Spool. 

For this special project you will need a square of orange fabric, orange felt, green felt, scrap white felt, white bias tape, a lightweight fusible interfacing, white thread, green floss and Polyfill. 

To start off, fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the orange fabric. Use the Slice template provided in the book to cut two slices from the interfaced fabric. With white thread, stitch three times over, six straight lines. You can follow the template line placement or draw on with a water soluble pen. Repeat with the second side. 

Cut a small circle from the white felt scrap and cut in half. Sew one half onto the center of the both slices. 

When assembling the two sides of the orange, right sides together, stitch a 1/4" seam on the top edge and press seams open. With the white bias tape, pin around the now circular piece about a 1/4" inside the outer edge of the entire circumference. fold one end of the tape over the other end. Edge stitch along both sides of the tape to secure in place. 

Right sides together, pin the cut orange felt to one edge of the slice. Stitch a 1/4" seam to the opposite side. Repeat for the other slice but leave room in the middle of the slice to turn right side out. 

At this point you can add a little handle loop from brown fabric with brown bias tape. 

Fill with Polyfill (we added crushed walnut shells for weight) and hand stitch the opening closed. 

To add the leaf, embroider the the veins onto the leaf, place on one end of the slice and attach keeping the stitches hidden and to not go through the top of the felt with a few tacking stitches. 

Stick a few pins in and you are done!

 

To see and do more projects in the juicy Orange color, check out the Simply Color ORANGE book and the other colors like purple, blue, red, green and yellow.

 

Happy stitching!

 

 

Sue Spargo Bird Play

A couple of weeks ago, we here at The Stitcin' Post had the pleasure of having Sue Spargo instruct some of her special techniques and patterns. We are always so honored to have teachers from all different areas of fiber arts come and teach here, and Sue is defiantly one of them. 

If you've never taken a class from Sue, we highly recommend you do! She is a wonderful and charismatic woman and teaches one on one when you need a little help getting a stitch.

(Bird Play; Chicks by Sue Spargo)

  

(Busy and focused students stitching away at their projects)

 

(When you have a question, who better to ask than then instructor herself?) 

 

(Keeping focused and busy at work) 

 

(Bird Play - 10 Birds by Sue) 

 

If you are intrested in taking a class from Sue, in May 2015, Sue will be here to teach two workshops:

Textural Study 
$300
3-day workshop (includes lunches)
Thursday-Saturday, May 28 - 30, 2015
9-4 pm

and 

Fun Wool Piecing 
$100
1-day workshop (includes lunches)
Sunday, May 31, 2015
9-4 pm

You can find these workshops and more at www.stitchinpost.com  

Happy Sewing 

 -The Stitchin' Post