project // embroidered advent candle garland

Advent wreaths come in many shapes and sizes, and this one isn't even a wreath at all, but rather, an Advent candle garland. It's stitched with words and icons (Wild Olive style!) that represent each week, and it's an easy project to make through this season.

We love to celebrate Advent at my house. Celebrate may not always be the right word, actually. Observe might be closer, because sometimes there's some sadness and longing that comes with Advent. But all of that helps make Christmas more of a celebration.

And I don't know about you, but even when I'm thinking that I'm ready for Advent, I'm rarely actually ready. Case in point: I started this project on the first Sunday of Advent. Ideally, I would have had this whole thing ready to go and display each week. Instead, I'm making it along the way. And you know what? I like that. It's part of the process of waiting well.

The idea I had was to make an embroidery for each week. (Last year I made some larger patterns) Then I thought about the candles, and tried to come up with a way to include them, and then...what if the candles were a garland! It's abstract, with a yellow tab for the flame, but if you squint, you'll see candles. Maybe at some point, I'll add some greens in between, but for now, I have green sparkle string.

If you'd like to work on this along with me, please do. Below you'll find the first two patterns for weeks 1 & 2. They are hope (with an anchor...see Hebrews 6:19) and peace (with a dove). Both are on purple candles.

In the next few weeks, I'll share the patterns for the joy, love, and Christ candles.



You will need:

Purple, pink, and white felt (I use Benzie Design felt!)
Embroidery floss
Tracing paper
Yellow fabric scraps
String

DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN FOR WEEKS 1 & 2



To make each candle, trace a pattern onto thin tracing paper. Baste the paper onto the felt. I used to always use pins for this, but basting the paper is a little easier for me because there's nothing for the embroidery thread to catch on.

Stitch through the felt and the paper as you embroider the design. I used all six strands for this. On the eyes for the anchor, I wrapped the needle just one time for the french knots so they were tiny.



Tear away the paper and trim the felt down to 2"x5". You may find that it's simpler to cut the felt to size before you stitch from the previous step.



Cut a small rectangle of yellow fabric and fold it in half. Hold it behind the top of the felt piece and stitch it in place. I stitched with running stitch, then went back and filled in the gaps with running stitch, which, by the way, is called holbein stitch.



Thread a hanging string through the candle tab/flame. Tie a loop in each end and add candles each Sunday in Advent!



I'm working on this project week by week, but this gives you an idea of where we're going. Normally I'd feel bad about not having a finished project to show, or even having all the patterns ready! But Advent is about waiting, so this is probably okay!

You can find the patterns for weeks 3 & 4, plus the Christmas Day calendar here.

project // easy-stitch watermelon hoop art

When August rolls around, everyone is talking about going back to school. But I for one am not ready to abandon summer. So today I'm sharing a fast and easy embroidered watermelon hoop. You'll be able to finish it in a day and enjoy it a long while before the season changes.

Despite the fact that it may be a little off-season, when I suddenly thought about stitching a watermelon, I jumped on it. Consider it my way of preserving a little more of the summer. And you can join me!



You will need:

Wooden embroidery hoop
Green paint (I used plain and glitter)
Watermelon-colored fabric
Brown or black embroidery floss
Paintbrush
Embroidery tools




Start by painting the embroidery hoop green. I used a medium green and painted a couple coats so it was even. Next I added a few coats of green glitter paint.

Instead of glitter, you could use a lighter green to add some wobbly lines like you might see on a real watermelon.



Hoop up your fabric and thread a needle with brown or black embroidery floss. I used all six strands for mine so the embroidery would be bold and show up well.

If you want a face on yours (because it's cute and kawaii!), start with that. Pick a spot and embroider the face with two french knot eyes and a scallop stitch mouth.



Now, add detached chain stitch (single lazy daisies) watermelon seeds all around the face to fill in the hoop.



When the embroidery is done, finish off the back of the hoop however you want, and you're done!



The process of painting the hoop and waiting for it to dry between coats takes longer than the actual stitching. That's how fast this little project is! But it's a great way to hold onto a little bit of summer.

And you could use this same concept to make other kinds of embroidered fruits. For example, you could make a series of different types of melons. Or if you wanted to be a little more seasonal, paint the hoops in apple colors, then use an off white fabric and stitch just a few seeds along with the face. Try it!

Happy stitching!

project // mixed materials dmc stitchable cuff blog hop (and giveaway!)

You all know that I love DMC embroidery threads, and anytime I can team up with them, I'm happy to do so. Which is why I'm thrilled to be part of this week's blog hop featuring projects that use a range of their products. If you haven't tried DMC's Stitchable Cork, Stitchable Mesh, or Stitchable Cuffs, you'll definitely want to after seeing all of this inspiration!

At the end of this post you'll find all of the links to make your way through the blog hop, as well as a giveaway for a fantastic DMC prize pack (yaaaaayyy!!!). But right now I get to show off this cuff bracelet I made.



This is actually the third stitchable cuff that I've made. Which is funny to me, because it's kind of designed more for cross stitch than for embroidery. But that doesn't mean you have to use it that way! The first cuff I made was stripes of rainbow colors. Then I created some patterns for stitching a waves, a feather, and a friendship bracelet. Now, I thought I'd try something a little different.

Instead of only stitching, I decided to add in some fabric. In fact, my first thought with this was to use couching, but then I decided to work fabric into the bracelet other ways too.

This post is more of a guide and less of a specific tutorial. You should definitely feel free to layer and stitch your own bracelet however you like. I bet you could even layer in some Stitchable Cork or Stitchable Mesh!



You will need:

DMC Stitchable Cuff
Fabric scraps
Size 8 perle cotton or embroidery floss
Scissors
Needle



Cut a thin strip of fabric. Mine is about 5/8in by 4in.



Stitch the fabric to the cuff with running stitch, working through the pre-punched holes. A large knot will work for starting your stitching, or you can secure the end of the thread by stitching over it on the back.



Add more stitching to hold the fabric in place. Oversized cross stitches work, as do straight or angled stitches.



Next stitch something teeny tiny. I freehanded this little heart with a face. An initial would also work really well here. Trim the stitching down to a tiny rectangle that will fit on your bracelet.



And stitch that little piece onto the bracelet. You can overlap the first piece of fabric if you like. And use whatever stitches you want. I just went with running stitch around the edges.




This next part is the couching that I was initially thinking of. Take a thin strip of fabric (mine is 5/8in wide) and twist it tightly. Then, lay it on the bracelet and stitch it down with diagonal stitches. Clips are very helpful for holding it twisted and in place as you work!

You can even add a second color of stitching as you see below.



Trim off any extra fabric.



Add any extra stitching that you want, or leave it at that. Which means, this bracelet is finished!



I absolutely love the layers of stitching, pattern, and bracelet base, not to mention the varying textures. Plus, it's a fun way to work in precious bits of special fabrics.




What do you think? Do you have a favorite fabric you'd want to feature on a bracelet like this? Leave a comment and tell me how you'd stitch up a DMC Stitchable Cuff. Then, fill in the official entry through Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There's a giveaway like this running at all of the blogs in the blog hop, so be sure to check them all out to increase your chances...and to see some really great projects!

Monday July 24:
Beverly McCullough - Flamingo Toes
Tuesday July 25:
Amy Bell - Positively Splendid
Kari Sweeten - U Create
Aimee Ray - Little Dear Trackst
Wednesday July 26:
Michele McDonald - The Scrap Shoppe
Jessica Anderson - Cutesy Crafts
Amy Byrne - Random Acts of Amy
Thursday July 27:
Jodie Rackley - Lova Revolution
Liz Welker - The Pretty Life Girls
Mollie Johanson - Wild Olive (you're here!)
Friday July 28:
Beverly McCullough - Flamingo Toes

For more information on DMC's Stitchable Cuffs, watch this:

Note: This post was sponsored by DMC. But I stand behind their products and have been a huge fan since I was a kid!

project // guinea pig cushion

When I heard that July 16 is Guinea Pig Appreciation Day, I knew that I needed to do something to show my own appreciation for these sweet little critters that have captured my heart. Last year I made a pouch for them to laze about in, and they love it. So it seemed like time for another DIY designed for guinea pigs. Although this one would also be fun for humans too!

The idea for this came when one of my piggies was sitting comfortably in a bean bag chair watching an old episode of Scarecrow and Mrs. King on DVD. She was nestled in there and just so very cute. True story.

So I thought, what if they had their own piggy bean bag? Well, this isn't exactly a bean bag, but it is a soft and slightly squishy spot for piggies to watch some Netflix.



Of course, even when you're crafting for critters, you can make things cute. So I made my cushion look like a guinea pig. It's styled a bit like the stuffed guinea pig in my book, Stitch Love: Sweet Creatures Big and Small. Because of this, I think it would just as fun to make this as a little pillow for a piggy fan!



You will need:

No-pill fleece - guinea pig colors
Wool blend felt - black and pink
Embroidery floss - black, pink, and white
Sewing notions
Sewing machine

DOWNLOAD THE GUINEA PIG CUSHION TEMPLATE PDF



Cut two large body pieces from fleece. I used cream for the top and brown for the bottom.

To do this, place the pattern piece on the fold, paying attention to the stretch arrows on the template (not shown above). I extended my pattern piece to the edge of the paper, but you can cut it off for a stubbier guinea pig.

Cut around the edge adding a 3/8-inch seam allowance.



Cut the front and back accent pieces with an added seam allowance around the curved ends, but not on the swerve.



Pin the accent pieces to the top body piece and sew along the swerve. (That's officially now my technical term for that wavy bit.)



Cut out two eyes from black felt, and two ears and one nose from pink felt.



Arrange the face pieces so they look cute and start stitching them down. Use three strands of matching thread to tack down the edges of the felt.

Embroider the mouth with pink embroidery floss. I used chain stitch to make a thicker line, although satin stitch would probably be better for making super cute and smooth guinea pig lips. I did use satin stitch for the teeny tongue.



Use all six strands of white and a french knot to stitch the highlight on the eyes.



Pin the top and bottom together, wrong sides facing. If the edges don't match up exactly, don't worry. You can trim them down later. Just be sure that you are able to catch the fabric as you sew.

Sew around the edges, leaving one of the sides open.



Cut a few more pieces of fleece using the body template. This time, don't add the seam allowance. Also, you don't need to follow the stretch guide, so cut them however it fits on your fabric.

I cut four pieces, but you can do more or less.



Slide the fleece pieces inside the guinea pig so they fill the body.



For some extra stuffing, I cut up a bunch of fleece scraps that would have gone in the trash. These, I put between the layers of fleece.

By the way, I opted to fill this with fleece because it won't be as soggy/lumpy as stuffing when it gets washed. That said, I expect that it will shift a bit when washed. I haven't tested it yet, but will update here when I do. I plan to just scrunch it around to keep my piggies comfy.

As an alternative, you could tack through the layers to make it a little quilted and keep the layers from moving. I may still do that. Or, if you're making this into a pillow for you, just use regular stuffing.



Sew the opening closed and trim the seam allowances as needed.



Let your pet try out their new cushion!




Lieutenant Nibbles is definitely enjoying her new comfy spot, and looking cute at the same time. Do you think she's noticed that her cushion looks a little like her?




No time to notice that she's sitting on a guinea pig...she just wants to know if you have any food for her!

project // embroidered plush alpaca softie

At my house, we love llamas. There's a good chance that this is mostly due to The Emperor's New Groove, but they're also just kind of fun. Alpacas don't have the same kind of comedic charm, but they are cuddlier, which is why I thought that an alpaca softie would make a great plush. So today I'm sharing how to make a mini embroidered alpaca softie!

This is part of a month-long series called Sew a Softie. This isn't the first series like it, but if you haven't heard of it before, Sew a Softie is basically an initiative to encourage kids and adults to sew fun things together. Visit their site to find a whole month's worth of softie tutorials for July!



This alpaca requires some knowledge of embroidery, but you only need to know the basics. Of course, you could use fabric paint to add the decorative blanket instead. And while I'm showing this made on a sewing machine, you can do all of the sewing by hand if you'd rather. Ready?

Here's what you need:

Flannel - 1/4 yard
Embroidery floss
Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy -or- a water-soluble pen
Embroidery hoop
Scissors
Needle
Pins
Pinking shears
Sewing machine
Stuffing

DOWNLOAD THE ALPACA SOFTIE PATTERN



Print out the pattern page and print or trace the blanket pattern on Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy. To do this, I used this method for saving scraps of Sulky.

Place the flannel in an embroidery hoop and stick the embroidery pattern down onto the fabric (or trace it with a water-soluble pen). Be sure you position the pattern so that you have room for the template outline in the correct place.

Embroider the pattern with three strands of embroidery floss. You can use whatever stitches you like, but I used chain stitch, back stitch, french knots, and satin stitch.



Soak the Sulky off and then let the flannel dry.

Cut out the pattern template and pin it over the embroidery so that the markings on the pattern match up with the stitching.



Flannel like this frays pretty easily, so it's best to cut out the pieces with pinking shears.

Cut around the embroidered front, then flip the pattern piece over and cut out the back.



Place the front and back pieces right sides together and pin around the edge.

NOTE: a simpler way to sew this is to place the pieces wrong sides together, which will give you a softie with raw edges.



Sew around the alpaca with a 1/4in seam allowance. Leave a 2in opening for turning, and back stitch at the start and end of the sewing.



Clip the curves, trim the top of the ear, and snip the angles at the ear, base of the neck, and the top of the legs.



Turn the alpaca right side out. Fill it with stuffing, adding it in bits so it doesn't become lumpy. Fill in the head/neck and legs first, then fill the body. It should be soft, but full.



Sew the opening closed with ladder stitch.



Your softie is all finished and ready for a snuggle!

A soft and cuddly alpaca like this would make a great gift for a baby. Especially if you add a rattle insert inside.



I thoroughly enjoyed working the embroidery on this and it went pretty fast. It's actually a little different for me to make a thing that doesn't have a face. Even more so when it's an animal that usually does have a face! But the embroidered blanket wanted to be the star of the show.



Happy crafting!