pattern // wwjd? kawaii style!

The letters of the 90s are back: WWJD. And I'm bringing them to embroidery with this free pattern featuring my kawaii style!

WWJD? or What Would Jesus Do? is a phrase or question that I've kept in my mind ever since I got my first WWJD bracelet way back when. My own bracelet was hunter green, and then I got a black one as well. It was the thing to have, but I never want it to just be a nice idea. I want it to be the very thing I live by.

What WOULD Jesus do? Sometimes it's hard to know exactly, but at the very least I can know some things he WOULDN'T do. I also know that I mess this up all the time and I'm certainly not always living and making choices like Jesus. But bit by bit, hopefully I become more like him in the way I go about my days, months, and years.

So it felt like a good time to make a little embroidery pattern that can serve as a reminder for myself. And if you'd like that reminder too, I offer this free pattern.

DOWNLOAD THE WWJD? EMBROIDERY PATTERN PDF

I haven't stitched my own yet, but I'll be doing the letters in three strands of chain stitch, just like I did for my Do the Next Right Thing hoodie. The faces are French knots and scallop stitches.

If you print the pattern at 100% it will fit in a 5-inch embroidery hoop, but it would also be great on a t-shirt or hoodie. Just something to show what you believe, while not forgetting how to orient your life.

Simple stitches. A simple idea. But harder to live. And that's okay.

If you're someone who wants to base your life off of Jesus and what he would do in any situation, be encouraged. It's worth pausing to ask this question. And even better if you ask HIM for help. Get to know him and you might just become more like him.

pattern: teeny tiny lanterns

Lunar New Year is a great time to stitch up some little lanterns. These ones are teeny tiny, which might just be my favorite kind of embroidery! After I did the lantern embroidery, I threaded a bit of floss through the hanger on the lantern, then secured the ends of the thread in the hoop edges. I like that it looks like it's hanging there!




I created this pattern and wrote the original post for this way back in 2012, but I was thinking about the patterns again and I'm going to stitch another...and maybe a few more! I grabbed some adorable fabric that will end up giving my lantern a subtle rain bow on it. Pattern traced, and now I just need to stitch.

And pulling these out again made me think about the shapes and wonder how accurate my designs were from way back when. Thankfully I had a few photos from the Lunar New Year celebration at Disney California Adventure to compare them to:




The faces weren't on the actual lanterns, but I just HAD to add some Wild Olive flair to them! I also realize that Disney may not be the MOST accurate celebration, but I think it's still a decent representation. And the colors might just inspire my own new stitching!

In the pattern, there are a total of four lantern styles that I've drawn up for you. Embroider just one or a whole bunch of them on a string! They're tiny and quick to stitch!

Download the Lunar New Year Lantern Pattern PDF

If you stitch some of these up, I'd love to see them! Tag me (@molliejohanson) on Instagram, or leave a link in the comments.

project // cross stitch postage stamp pin

When I think about Valentine's Day, I often think about mailing cute envelopes with adorable stamps on them. Making your own cross-stitched postage stamp as a pin is a natural next step, don't you think?

Just imagine wearing this for Valentine's Day or even beyond!




This simple project is a great way to stitch something small and get in some slow stitching without the overwhelm that can come from large cross stitch projects. The design I used is from a new cross stitch pattern in my Etsy shop.

The Hearts Day Mini Stamp pattern features 20 different mini stamp designs, including the one shown in this project. The full pattern allows you to stitch all the stamps with their little perforated border, but for this pin, I used only the inside part of one stamp. You could use ANY of the designs for this.



Instead of using the perforation in the cross stitch, the backing for this pin is felt cut out using the small stamp border in the Stamp of Approval deep-etch die set (affiliate link) I designed for Benzie Design. The dies create a perfect stamp shape every time, and I knew they'd be perfect for this.

Okay, so the truth is that I knew they'd be perfect because I designed the cross stitch patterns with this die in mind. They are exactly the right size when you stitch them on 14-count Aida!

Now, let's get on to this project!



Here's what you need:

Hearts Day Mini Stamp (no perforation) stitched on 14-count Aida
White Felt Stamp cut with small Stamp of Approval die
Embroidery Floss
Needle
Pin Back
Tacky Glue
Note: The pin back I used was a little longer because my stamp is wide. If you make a tall stamp, be sure your pin back will fit.



Trim the cross-stitched stamp down so there are two rows of Aida on each side of the stamp. Center it on the felt stamp piece.

Use one strand of embroidery floss and fold it in half, threading the cut ends through your needle. Starting at one corner, come up through the felt and Aida one row away from the stitching. Go back down one stitch away on that same row.



On the back of the stamp, slide your needle through the loop of thread and pull to tighten it. This is the loop method, and it will secure your thread without a knot.



Stitch around the entire stamp with running stitch, making each stitch one square of Aida.



Secure the end of the thread with a knot between the layers of fabric and felt. Use Tacky Glue to attach the pin back. Be sure it's facing the right direction!

Allow the glue to fully dry.



Now you have a postage stamp pin that's ready for Hearts Day! Of course, if you're a fan of mail, stamps, or the like, this is a good accessory any day of the year.

Do you love stamps? My grandpa collected them, so I kinda feel like the stamp patterns I've made are an ode to him. Now the big question is, should I design more mini stamp cross stitch patterns?

project // felt pom snowgies magnets

Do you want to build a snowman? Come on, let's go and play with felt poms! Specifically, let's make some little Snowgies from Disney's Frozen!

I promise that this blog is not turning into all things Disney, but as a fan, when I have an idea for something cute to make out of lovely craft supplies, I have to do it. Today's project came to me when I was riding Frozen Ever After at EPCOT. During one scene you see the little Snowgies (and if you haven't seen them, Google them and then watch all the shorts that they appear in...Olaf Presents is especially hilarious).

The moment I saw them (which wasn't the first time), I suddenly envisioned them made from Benzie Felt poms. Fast forward to January, and I got all my supplies and started making them. There was some trial and error, but when I showed this version to my sister, who is a huge fan of Frozen, she gave me the "awwwwwwww" and I knew we were on track.



They really are adorable just as they are. They might be fun for kids to play with this way. And I also think there are ways to make them so you could have them sitting to go on a shelf or something. But I've been on a magnet kick lately, so I made mine into magnets that I can stick up near my desk or on my photo clamps just for fun.

Now, let me ask again, a little differently this time...Do you want to build some Snowgies?



Here's what you need!

Benzie Felt Balls (affiliate link) in 3 Sizes: Medium, Small, and Extra-Small
Wool Felt Scraps in Black, Light Blue, and White
Magnets (I used super strong ones)
Hole Punch
Scissors
Tweezers
Hot Glue
Tacky Glue
E6000 Glue

Now, I know that three kinds of glue is kinda overboard. You don't have to do this, but it's what I used and here's why: The hot glue is so fast and easy for attaching the poms to each other. The Tacky Glue is a little easier for adding the face. And when using super strong magnets, Benzie recommends E6000 because you really need those to hold to the poms.

If you craft a lot, these are all glues that you should have in your supply storage!



Use one medium felt ball for the head, one small felt ball for the body, and two extra-small felt balls for the feet. Attach them with hot glue and press them tightly together so the glue doesn't show.

You can arrange the feet in different ways and if you look at images of Snowgies, you might get some more cute ideas!



Use the hole punch to cut out two perfect black circles. If your hole punch struggles to do this, try ironing freezer paper to the felt first. You can also hand cut them if you'd rather.

Cut out the mouth with scissors. The blue part is a 1/2-inch wide half circle. The tooth is a teeny white rectangle.



Use Tacky Glue to attach the blue part of the mouth first. I found it helpful to glue the back of the felt piece.

Add the eyes above the mouth. I found it easier to add dots of glue to the head and then add the eyes.



Add the teeniest bit of glue to the top of the mouth, then attach the felt tooth. Tweezers are super helpful for this!



It's a happy Snowgie!



Finally, attach a magnet to the back of the head using E6000 glue. Let this cure before sticking the magnet onto anything else or it may pull off the felt ball.




If one Snowgie is good, more Snowgies are better! They can be friends this way, I think that makes them even cuter. You might even try arranging the feet differently or giving them unique facial expressions!

Now my only issue is that I will have the song "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" in my head for days. And I'm sorry/not sorry if I did that to you as well. We might as well give in and start watching all the Frozen things while we craft!

Psst...if you like Frozen 2, don't miss the embroidery pattern I shared recently! I'm still loving my Do the Next Right Thing hoodie!

pattern // do the next right thing embroidery

In the movie Frozen 2, the phrase Do the Next Right Thing comes up, and Anna even sings about it, and I decided to embroider it! And you can too with my free embroidery pattern!

It's just a little bit kawaii-Mollie, with my signature faces stitched on the crystals around the words.

And I love it's sort of secretly Disney. Only the people who know will know. But the message of Do the Next Right Thing is one that is good for all of us. It's something that I definitely connect with and one that I need a steady reminder of.

I first started thinking about this pattern pretty early in 2024, then decided it would be perfect as a hoodie to wear to Walt Disney World. We had a trip planned for December, so it all felt perfect. Of course, I had all manner of things going on and my Frozen 2 sweatshirt felt like a low priority.

Thinking that I would need to just put this idea off for a while made me sad, but it was fine. And then my mom made a suggestion. What if I were to embroider my hoodie while on the big roadtrip from Illinois to Florida?

And so that's what I did.



Not only did I finish all the embroidery while on the road, but I was able to wear it on our first day of visiting the parks and going to EPCOT, where you can ride Frozen Ever After and walk through spaces that are a lot like Arendale!

Did I take the opportunity to have my photo taken there? Yes, I did!

If you would like to make your own Do the Next Right Thing hoodie (or a tee, or even a pillow or hoop art), you can grab the pattern below. It's sized as I used it for my sweatshirt, but you could print it at a lower percentage to make yours smaller.

DOWNLOAD THE DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING PATTERN PDF

For a design of this size, I recommend using Sulky Stick n' Stitch (also called Sticky Fabri-Solvy). It's especially helpful on a thick material like a hoodie.

The colors I used are DMC 964, 958, 156, 211, 3609, and 310. I just tried to space out the colors in a way that wasn't too much of a pattern, but still felt like they were balanced. You could, of course, stitch this in other colors, or all in one color.



For the words, I used three strands and chain stitch, while for the crystals, I used three strands and back stitch. The faces are three strands with French knots and scallop stitch. Like with all my patterns, if the kawaii faces aren't for you, you can just skip stitching them.




Real talk here. Some days life can feel a lot like it did for Anna during the moment of this song in Frozen 2. When I feel that way, I remind myself to do the next right thing. Whatever that might be. Sometimes it's big and sometimes it's small. But do the next right thing.



Happy stitching, friends!

tutorial // muppets christmas carol tees

The Muppet Christmas Carol is an absolute classic so you will love making a custom tee with Gonzo and Rizzo! The characters are made with felt applique, and the come with a fun extra too. But first, let me show you the inspiration (besides the movie!).

Last year I made this felt ornament of Muppet Christmas Carol Gonzo and Rizzo with some very tiny pieces. And I used those same patterns to create characters that would fit coming out of the pocket of a long-sleeved tee.



I started with Rizzo, but I couldn't only make Rizzo the Rat, I needed to make Gonzo as Charles Dickens too! And these tees aren't just about the pocket characters, they also have a fun message running down the arms.

In the movie, Gonzo introduces himself by saying "I am here to tell the story" and Rizzo famously says "And I am here for the food."

Well, my sister goes to Disney parks for the food. And with a trip planned, I knew Rizzo's line would be perfect for her! So I made Rizzo for her with his line, and for myself, I made Gonzo. I altered his line a little bit to have it make more sense for me. Because I'm very much about the story, the history, and the full Disney experience (and also the food a bit too...ha!).

So here's what you'll need:

A long-sleeve tee
Wool or wool-blend felt
Embroidery floss
Glue
Stitchable Alphabet deep-etch die from Benzie Design (affiliate link) - optional

DOWNLOAD THE GONZO AND RIZZO PATTERNS



A lot of this process is like making the felt ornament version. But for this, you may want to pre-wash your tee and the felt to avoid uneven shrinking.

Start by cutting out all of the pieces for your character. Freezer paper makes this a lot easier. Add the embroidery to the pieces.



Use a bit of glue to hold the pieces in place on the tee. Be sure to place your Muppet into the pocket a little so you can't see the bottom when the pocket opens a little.



Stitch the pieces down with two strands of matching embroidery floss.

For Rizzo, I used tiny running stitch. And then when I went to make the Gonzo tee, I didn't have the Rizzo shirt in front of me and so I forgot about the runnings stitch and used whip stitch, like I do with my felt ornaments. Either will work!



Cut out felt letters to add a phrase to the sleeve if you want.

I cut the letters out using the Stitchable Alphabet deep-etch die from Benzie Design (affiliate link). Like with the pieces for the characters, I used a tiny bit of glue to hold the letters in place.



To stitch the letters, the die-cut letters have stitch markings that let you stitch through the holes. Use six strands of embroidery floss and holbein stitch, also called double-running stitch.

Working in the sleeve is a little tricky at times, but it helps to stitch with the sewing method.




And now you have a fun shirt celebrating a classic Christmas movie!



The Christmas season is a perfect time to wear this, but especially in a space filled with Muppets EVERYTHING, including PizzaRizzo.



The only thing I might change if doing this again is that I would check the sleeve length FIRST. The sleeves were a tad bit long, and if I knew that, I would have made the lettering higher on the sleeve and maybe a bit tighter. I kept wanting to scooch the sleeves and that wasn't so great for the felt letters.

But I was impressed with how the letters did after a full day at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We'll see how everything does after repeated launderings!

Now, 'tis the season to be jolly and joyous...in an adorable custom long-sleeve tee!

pattern // disney gingerbread cookies

At my house, everyone's favorite treat for the holidays, but also any day, is a Mickey Gingerbread Cookie. And I HAD to make an embroidery pattern of not just Mickey, but some of his pals. But as gingerbread.

The first time my mom had a gingerbread cookie at Walt Disney World, she was hooked. I also had a gingerbread piece from one of the resorts where they have gingerbread displays and it was just so yummy! So I found a copycat recipe and we started making them at home. Simply because we don't want to wait until a trip to the parks to enjoy them!

Along with loving the cookies themselves, we've become big fans of a game called Cookie Swap. It's a simple card game that requires a good memory and a bit of luck, and it's filled with favorite Disney characters all in the form of gingerbread cookies!

With all this love of Disney gingerbread, and with all the Disney Eats patterns I've made this year, I couldn't wait to bake up some new patterns.

You can download the pattern below, which is really four embroidery patterns: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. You can stitch them on anything you like! I made mine into felt ornaments, so I'll show you how to do that too.

DOWNLOAD THE DISNEY GINGERBREAD EMBROIDERY PATTERN PDF



For my ornaments, I used Benzie Design's cinnamon wool blend felt. (affiliate link)

I'll share most of this as a regular tutorial, but first, let me tell you about how this started. I tested out using an iron-transfer pen on felt and my test went great! So I ironed the full pattern and the transfer was uneven and hard to see. So I sort of went over it with pencil.I can't recommend this method, but it is what I did.

I'd probably suggest pre-soaking your felt and then letting it dry, ironing it, and then use Sulky Stick n' Stitch for the pattern. Or you could use tracing paper, but that's a bit harder.

Now for more traditional instructions!



Use three strands for everything. Embroider the outline with chain stitch. Stitch the eyes with scallop stitch (and straight stitches on Minnie and Daisy!). Embroider the mouths and other details with back stitch. Embroider the solid noses, rosy cheeks, and Mickey's large buttons with satin stitch.

Use French knots for small buttons. Stitch the zig zags on the arms and legs with zig zag chain stitch.



Trim around the outside of the embroidery, leaving about 1/4" of felt showing. This makes it look more like a decorated cookie!



Apply a thin layer of craft glue on the back of the embroidered cut out.



Cut a 6-inch piece of string or embroidery thread and tie the ends together with a knot. Glue the knot at the top center of the ornament.



Press the glue side down onto matching gingerbread felt and let it dry. Be sure it's drying flat!



Cut around the cookie, holding the ornament hanger out of the way.



Now Mickey is ready to hang on your tree!

You can, of course stitch the layers of felt together instead of gluing them. But what I like about the glue is that it also gives the felt some stiffness and that's nice for a cookie like this.



Now I just need to stitch up more of the characters...and then design even more cookie patterns!