project: simply stitched star pin

Can you believe that July is almost here? For my fellow Americans, that means just one week until Independence Day! Wow!

July 4th will likely be only a small celebration around here, but I thought a simple little star pin would be fun to make for the occasion. And hey...this is the kind of thing you can add to a jacket or bag for any day you need to celebrate being a star!



The star you see stitched up is from my Twinkle Twinkle pattern set, but it's here in a PDF for you to download, along with another star: a Sheriff's Badge! Perfect for kids who like playing dress up or mom's who need to lay down the law.

Here's what you need:
Felt (I used wool blend)
Embroidery floss
Craft glue
Safety pin

Also:
Scissors
Needle
Pattern
A means of transferring the pattern (disappearing ink pen, tracing paper, etc.)



Transfer the pattern to the felt, then stitch it up.

For this I used a transfer pen, and I could just barely see through enough to trace. Usually, I use tracing paper and stitch through the paper and felt at the same time, then tear the paper away.



Hold a second layer of felt behind the embroidery, then trim around the embroidery so you end up with two pieces of felt in the same shape.



Apply a thin layer of craft glue to the back of the embroidery, then press the second piece of felt onto the glue. Don't press so hard that the glue comes through, but be sure it's good and stuck.

Allow the glue to dry with the felt laying flat.




Cut a small square of felt that will just fit your safety pin. Use craft glue to attach the pin and felt to the back of your star.



Once the glue is all dry, you'll have a pin fit for a star!

You could also use a standard bar pin back for this, but I never seem to have them on-hand. Safety pins, however, I have tons of!

Also, the craft glue makes this a quicker project and I like that it adds a bit of stiffness to the felt when it's dry. But if you want this to really last, sew the pin onto the back, then stitch the two layers of felt together.

How will you wear your star pin?