project // quilt block hoop art

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Calling all fan of quilts and quilty things, even if you aren't a quilter. Today I'm showing you how to make a quilt block out of felt and fabric and then hang it up in an embroidery hoop for your wall. It's such a cute way to bring your love of this craft to your decor.

This project starts with inspiration from the felt quilt block ornaments I made last year, which then led to deep-etch dies from Benzie. But also this week I released two new sewing themed patterns: Sew Cute (a sewing machine embroidery pattern) and Sewing Bee (hexagon shaped ornaments with sewing tools). Quilt block hoop art feels like it rounds out the collection.



Because this is entirely sewn by hand, it's a portable project. And unlike making an actual quilt, you don't have any seam allowances to fuss over. Just fit the pieces together!

One thing that makes this different from my felt ornaments (besides the size) is that I've added some print fabric in there. You don't have to do this for the center piece. Make it all felt if you'd like. OR add the fabric to all the pieces! You'll still need the felt to make applique easier and so there's no fraying. But it would be so cute this way!

Now, shall we jump in?



Here's what you need:

Wool or wool blend felt in several colors (I used Swan, Fern, and white from Benzie)
Jeanette's Cozy Quilt Block deep-etch dies and manual cutting machine (optional)
Fabric for the backing (I used Essex Yarn Dyed Classic Wovens in Gingham Mustard)
Fabric for the quilt block (I used Quilt Town Missouri Star Small Floral)
Fusible web
Embroidery floss
Embroidery hoop
Iron
Needle
Scissors

The fabrics I used were courtesy of Missouri Star Quilt Co. You can save 20% on orders of $50 or more when you use my MSQC Partner link! Valid on most items through April 30, 2024 (and probably beyond!)



First, you're going to need to fuse the fabric to the felt. For the center, I used a piece that's a little larger than 2 inches square.



Next, cut out all the pieces.

I used the deep-etch die to make this fast and accurate. I needed to do two runs through my die cutter for the pieces where you see a second piece of felt. It was so great being able to cut the felt and fabric fused piece with the die cutter too. So easy!

If you don't want to use the dies, here's what you'll need to cut:

one 2x2 inch square
four 1x1 inch squares
four 1x1 inch squares cut into eight half-square triangles
two 1-2/5 inch squares cut into four half-square triangles



Arrange all the pieces to make sure they fit.



Embroider a face on the center square if you'd like. I just added my signature smile!



Next, place the backing fabric in an embroidery hoop and start placing the pieces where you want them. I used the gingham as a guide for placement and eventually for stitching.



Stitch each piece in place with two strands of embroidery floss and whip stitch. Come up through the backing fabric and down close to the edge of the felt pieces.



After you stitch the center square, add the small triangles. Align them to the corners of the center square. There will be a small gap where they meet on the side of the square, but that's okay.



Add the small squares and large triangles last. They should fit in the open spaces just right!



Now you can finish off the edges of the fabric and bring them to the back of the hoop. Or use this to make something else, like a pillow!



I love its happy little face and the texture that felt applique brings. You want to reach out and touch it!




The colors and fabric combination I used for this are a little different than what I would usually do, but I happened to see them together and loved them. And that's another great thing about a small project like this. It's a perfect place to try out something you haven't before. If you like something more unusual, but don't want to commit to a whole quilt, make a mini one for your wall in a single evening!

Happy stitching!

project // simple scissors sheath

Do you make sure to keep the blades of your sewing and embroidery scissors safe from harm? A simple sheath protects the scissors, along with your stitching (project bags get crowded sometimes!) or even your toes. Yes, those points do hurt when they fall to your feet. Today I'll show you how to make these fast and easy sheaths that keep your scissors in great shape while they look cute too!

This pattern and tutorial have two sizes and shapes for two new pairs of scissors that I have. Larger shears, and smaller, precision scissors. And while a sheath is usually just something to cover the blade, this has the scissors sliding in so it's more sheath like, and less pouch like. Call it what you will!



I LOVE these scissors. I love most scissors, but when I got my first pair of these little babies, I was smitten. They are simple and cute, but more importantly, they cut like a dream. I HAD to have all the colors. (Sadly, at the time of writing, they are temporarily sold out at Missouri Star Quilt Co., where mine came from).



But this is what happens when you drop your enamel-painted scissors. You see, I tend to carry my work around the house with me and sometimes even when I'm just sitting there working, I drop my scissors. A lot. Multiple times a week. And I've damaged several pair this way.

So I'm hoping to get better about keeping them in a sheath or a little case to minimize this problem of mine.



This project expanded when Missouri Star Quilt Co. sent me their 8" Everyday Scissors (affiliate link). And I'm so glad they did! First, it meant I got to make another scissor sheath (technically, I didn't need to...they come with a plastic sheath and a plastic pouch). But they also made cutting out the layers of felt and fabric for this project a lot easier.

While I may not carry these scissors around the house with me the same way I do with those I use for embroidery and hand sewing, I like having them look cute. I went full Missouri Star and used their Quilt Town fabric line, which has their logo and everything.

If you'd like to make a simple scissors sheath, maybe for the MSQC Everyday Scissors or other shears (including pinking or scallop shears!), read on! And I've got the pattern for the smaller sheath too!



Here's what you need:

Fabric (two 10x10 inch squares for the large sheath or two 7x7 inch squares for the small sheath)
Wool or wool blend felt (10x10 inch for large or 7x7 inch for small)
Fusible web (10x10 inch for large or 7x7 inch for small)
Ribbon (optional - I used the ribbon from my fat quarter bundle)
Embroidery floss
Iron and ironing mat
Pencil
Scissors
Chenille needle

DOWNLOAD THE SCISSOR SHEATH PATTERN PDF

The Quilt Town fabric and the Everyday Scissors both were courtesy of Missouri Star Quilt Co. I'm an MSQC partner, which means you can save 20% on most items for purchases over $50 through April 30, 2024 when you shop using this link. (Bonus: using my link also helps support the work I do!)



First, you need to layer the materials as follows:

Fabric wrong side up
Fusible web
Felt
Fusible web
Fabric right side up



Iron the layers to fuse the fabric to the felt. You'll need to iron the fabric on both sides.



Fold the fused piece in half, with whichever side you want showing on the outside of your sheath.



Cut out the template and place the long straight edge on the fold. Trace the other sides with a pencil.



Cut out the sheath. The Everyday Scissors cut through all these layers with ease!

By the way, the process for both sheath sizes is exactly the same. On the size/shape is different. Er...except for the ribbon in the next two steps, which I left off of the smaller sheath.



Cut a small piece of ribbon and fold it in half. Because my fat quarter pack came with this adorable printed ribbon, I HAD to use it here.



Place the ribbon between the layers. I put mine on the side close to the end that will remain open. The ribbon tab is completely optional, but I thought it was cute.



Stitch along the edge with running stitch, using all six strands of embroidery floss for a nice bold look.

After I stitched my first sheath, I realized that I probably should have added some stitching to the open edge. I went back and did that after I was finished, and I'm glad I did. When I made the second one, I stitched the straight edge that ends up being the opening first, then I stitched the other sides together.




And that's it! I love that the insides of these also have a cute print, and the fabric makes it less likely that the really pointy scissors won't poke the felt.

If you want to, you can also add a snap to prevent the scissors from sliding out. We'll see how I do with mine and if I think I need the snap.



Really I'm just hoping that my new little enamel-handles stay safe and happy now.



At the very least I'm happy seeing these in their lovely fabric homes!

project // disney snacks mickey pretzel felt ornament

I'm not sure why, but soft pretzels shaped like Mickey Mouse just taste better. And if I'm turning iconic Disney snacks into felt ornaments, a Mickey pretzel was a must!

Now, this one looks a little different than the actual pretzels, which you can see below. But believe me when I tell you that it looked SUPER weird when I was trying to make this match. In fact, even Disney themselves changed the look when they released the pretzel items in their Disney Snacks merch line earlier this year.

Take a look at the comparison and tell me that this is still a Mickey Pretzel. Right?





These photos tell a story. It starts with me deciding that I wanted a picture of a Mickey pretzel in front of the Pixar Pal-A-Round, formerly Mickey's Fun Wheel. But there aren't a lot of places that have Mickey prezels at Disney California Adventure. So I took a photo near the Animation Academy (close to where I got my pretzel!). But then I decided that my favorite wall in all of Disneyland was RIGHT there, so this was a good place for a photoshoot. You know...me in my ears...enjoying a pretzel with ears.

We then hike over to get the photo with Mickey in the background and my sister gasps! "You actually took a bite? But what about your photo?!?" And I told her that it was just as authentic this way. And it tasted great too!



Now here's the scoop on making this ornament. Each ornament in this series goes together the same way, which is pretty much the same as much other felt applique ornaments. This one is just easier. You can watch my YouTube video showing an ornament from start to finish. (It's a different pattern, but you'll get the idea!).

This design has just one piece for the pretzel itself and then a bunch of french knots for the salt. You've gotta have the salt.

I used wool blend felt from Benzie Design (affiliate link). I cut the circles with my Circles and Scallops die, also from them, but you can use the circle templates in the PDF with plain or decorative scissors if you'd like.

I used freezer paper to cut the pretzel shape and carefully cut out the center sections.

You can embroider the details through the paper before carefully tearing it away, but it's actually easier for this one to remove the freezer paper and freehand the stitching. You can also use seed beads for the salt if you'd prefer!

Next, I stitched the pretzel down to the front circle with a tiny whip stitch and two strands of embroidery floss.

To assemble the ornament I used running stitch around the edges, then I filled in with a second round of running stitch. This is technically holbein stitch and it looks the same on the front and back.

Then I just used embroidery floss to make a little hanger. Other than the salt french knots, this is a fast one to make and perfect for any Disney Snack fan. Of course, now I'm wondering if I should have added a little cup of "plastic cheese"!

DOWNLOAD THE MICKEY PRETZEL ORNAMENT PATTERN

project // felt honey bee essential oil diffuser

Do you love felt ornaments and essential oils? They go really well together because this wool felt bee ornament is also an essential oil diffuser!

I pretty much only use essential oils for the scents and how they fill the air with wonderful smells. So when I thought about how felt is often used with diffusers, I went...wait. What would happen if you put these oils on a wool felt ornament? I did some testing with scraps of Benzie felt and was SO HAPPY with the results that I decided to make a whole thing.

And you can too!



Today I'm sharing a free pattern, but you could use my other felt ornament patterns as diffusers too.

I will say that while I tested how the oil and felt interact, I haven't tested it long term. I'm not sure at what point it would look gross or if it would get sticky or break down. But the point here is to have a handmade object that you use for a specific purpose. If it doesn't last a really long time, I'm still happy!

The ornament base for this uses my new Hexagons and Scallops deep-etch die from Benzie. When I started planning this die, the original idea was for a set of hexagons with some shapes you could use to also make bees and flowers. Because bees...honeycombs...hexagons...

When working with Benzie, we ultimately decided to make the set ONLY hexagons, but I still had these little bee shapes and so I thought it would be fun to share them here! But first I have a few more things to say about these hexagons.

The dies are great for making ornaments, and many of my felt ornament designs will fit on this. I'll also be creating some NEW patterns with the hexagons specifically in mind. The varying sizes allow you to make mini ornaments too, and I'm working on more projects to really put these shapes to use. I have other new dies too, and you can find them exclusively from Benzie Design.

Benzie Deep-Etch Dies (affiliate link)

Now, let's make a bee ornament that's also a diffuser! You will need:

Wool or wool blend felt
Embroidery Floss
Hexagons and Scallops Dies (optional)
Scissors
Freezer paper (optional, but helpful!)
Pencil
Iron
Needle

Bee Diffuser Template PDF



Using the Hexagons and Scallops die, cut two large plain hexagons and one large scalloped hexagon.

Normally I just use a front and back, but because we're putting oil on this, having an extra layer ensures that none of the oil comes through. I've tested this and it didn't come through with two layers of felt, but this is extra assurance. Plus the layers look cute!

You can use the bee and flower pieces on other ornament shapes if you want. Or just cut out several hexagons by hand!



Trace the pattern templates onto freezer paper. For the bee, you need one large bee shape and two smaller wing/petal shapes. For a coneflower like I made, you'll need one circle and three smaller wing/petal shapes. You can also make a different flower with more petals if you want.

Iron the freezer paper onto the felt.



Embroider the face and stripes onto the bee before you cut it out. I used french knots for the eyes, a scallop stitch for the mouth, and back stitch for the stripes, all with three strands of black embroidery floss.



Cut out all the pieces and peel off the freezer paper. For the embroidered bee, carefully tear away the paper.



Arrange all of the pieces on the top hexagon. You can use a drop of glue to hold the pieces in place if you'd like.



Using two strands of matching embroidery floss, stitch around the edge of the flower center. Be sure to stitch through the petals as you do this. Use the same process to stitch around the bee body, stitching through the wings at the same time.

You can leave the flower petals and bee wings unstitched so they can stick up from the base. It's cute and 3D this way!



Layer the three large hexagons like a little sandwich. Make sure the front and back hexagons are in alignment with each other.



Using three strands of embroidery floss, stitch around the hexagon with running stitch. Hide your starting knot between the layers of felt.



When you reach the start, go back and stitch in the opposite direction, filling in the gaps with the running stitch. When you finish, hide the ending knot between the layers of felt.



To make a hanger, slide your threaded needle between the layers of felt at the top point of the hexagon.



Bring the ends of the thread together and tie a knot.




To use your ornament as a diffuser, add a few drops of essential oil to the back. The oil will show for a few minutes, but then it will start to soak in and dissapate, leaving the smell behind. I found that the aroma lasted a few days before I needed to add more oil.



I went for orange essential oil because it felt like something a bee would like. I don't have too many scents right now, but now that I know I can make these little hanging diffusers, I may need to add to my supply. Especially with so many scents available!



To go with my little bee, I also made a honeycomb that doesn't use any extra patterns. It's just all cut using the Hexagons and Scallops die. Of course, I added a little face because things are better with faces! And now I just need some honey essential oil to use with this one!