project // crystal ball felt ornament (with benzie deep-etch dies)

This post contains affiliate links. 

The future looks bright thanks to this adorable felt crystal ball! You might not have known that you needed a kawaii crystal ball ornament, but I'm telling you, you do. It's sparkly and cute, and we all need more of that in our lives.

I created this with deep-etch dies I designed for Benzie Design, but I'm using them in different ways. This uses two sets: first, my Circles and Scallops set, which I made to go along with the felt ornament pattern sets I make, and then a new Snow Globe Base, designed to go along with the first set and make snow globes.

Find all the deep-etch Benzie dies here.

As I was making some snow globes (scroll down to see them!), I noticed that they kind of looked a bit like a crystal ball too. And just like that, I could see into the future.



My fortune was that I got to make this super cute ornament that just makes me smile every time I look at it. Plus, I love adding sparkles and this was just a whole new way to do that.

So get your manual die cutter out, grab these dies from Benzie, and let's get stitching!



You will need:

Clear Vinyl
Wool Blend Felt (I used white and pink)
Embroidery floss
Circles and Scallops Deep-Etch Die
Snow Globe Base Deep-Etch Die
Manual Cutting Machine
Sequins and/or Themed Confetti
Iridescent Shred
Scissors
Needle

You will need to cut out one white plain circle and one vinyl scalloped circle. You also need to cut out two pink snow globe base pieces. For mine, I used the largest set of circles and the largest base, but you can also do this with the next size down for each set.

In fact, the smallest base also works with one of the smaller circles in the set, but you probably want to only use the plain circle for that.



Embroider a little face on one of the base pieces. You can use a pencil to mark the placement, but it's fine to just stitch this freehand. Here's my quick video tutorial on these faces!



Layer to felt and vinyl circles and stitch around them with running stitch. Use three strands of embroidery floss and follow the stitch markings on the vinyl piece.

Stop about two-thirds of the way around.



Add some sparkly filling to your crystal ball. Depending on what you're adding to yours, you may need to layer the filling or arrange it a bit before you close up the opening.



Finish stitching the circle and then go back opposite direction and fill in the gaps with running stitch.



Sandwich the circle between the two base pieces so it looks like the ball is resting on the base. Stitch around the base with running stitch, then go back in the opposite direction just as you did to sew around the circle.



To make the hanger, slide your threaded needle under two stitches at the top center of the crystal ball.



Tie the ends of the embroidery floss together with an overhand knot and trim the thread.



Now, let's look into the crystal ball and see what your future holds...I see...cute crafting ahead!



This crystal ball is a fun way to use the dies that I designed, but if you want to put them to work more in their intended way, head over to the Benzie blog where you'll find my tutorial for making Spooky Snow Globes! There's even a ghost pattern for you to work with, but you can make snow globes like this with almost all of my round felt ornament patterns.

There will be more of these snow globes popping up in my crafting for the foreseeable future...I know because it was in the crystal ball!

pattern // autumn cuties cross stitch

We are officially in the season of autumn here, and I couldn't resist making a new mini cross stitch pattern! This really is a small pattern, but it's a fun way to celebrate my favorite season of the year in a big way. Best of all, it's free!

The chart itself is technically 33x33, but each block with a design is just 15x15 stitches. They are baby charts! This is designed to stitch all together as one mini pattern, but you could very easily stitch each section just on its own. Because they would make ADORABLE pins or magnets.

You can also easily adapt the colors. For example, if you wanted to make the pumpkin on its own, you could use black in the background for more of a Halloween look. Love yellow apples? Swap the yellow and red in that block, and maybe do the same in the leaf block!

Because the design is square, it would be so cute in a tiny frame, but you could also make it into a little ornament like this tutorial from Caterpillar Cross Stitch.

DOWNLOAD THE AUTUMN CUTIES PATTERN

I can't wait to see how YOU make your Autumn Cuties cross stitch!

project // mickey caramel apple ornament

It's the autumn season, and that means caramel apples! But of course, this isn't just any caramel apple. This is the kind you get on a trip to Disneyland or Walt Disney World. The kind that looks like Mickey Mouse.

In fact, you can get lots of styles of caramel apples, including the Grogu/Baby Yoda version. I've watched them make those and it's so amazing!

But Mickey is a classic and I specifically remember my aunt buying several on a trip to Disney Springs. One for eating right away and a few to take home. It might be the only time I've eaten one of these!



If you've never had one of these, it's caramel apple like most. Apple on a stick and dipped in caramel. But then we get to the fun part. The ears are made of marshmallow, stuck to the caramel, and then the whole thing gets dipped in milk chocolate. To finish it off, they dip the bottom in melting chocolate, add candy buttons (or polka dots for Minnie!) and then cover the melting chocolate with colored sugar. And that sugar sparkles!



I didn't manage a photo of an actual Mickey caramel apple with my felt ornament version, but I did find a sipper from the Disney Eats line of merch! I think I captured the look quite well. And this way my ornament didn't get sticky either. Ha!

But now let's talk about how to make this. For all of these Disney snack felt ornaments, I don't have a full tutorial, but rather, a little overview of the process. They go together pretty much like my other felt ornaments.

The felt is wool blend from Benzie Design (affiliate link). I cut the all 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 cut out all the the pieces with freezer paper, and embroidered the face and sugar sparkles through the paper before carefully tearing it away. And yes, those buttons are tiny, but you can absolutely cut them out. This is where the freezer paper really makes the difference.

The pieces are layered and stitched 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 so it looks the same on the front and back.

DOWNLOAD THE MICKEY CARAMEL APPLE ORNAMENT PATTERN

Tell me your favorite Disney Parks snack that you'd like to see come to life in felt!

sewing the msq fancy zip travel tote (with an add-on!)

How do you feel about sewing zippers? They honestly make me so nervous that I don't think I've ever (until now) sewn one on a machine. I've hand sewn them, but that's different. But Missouri Star Quilt Co. sells Fancy Zips that have cute little designs and they go on the outside, and that felt less intimidating to me.

Now, let me start by saying that I'm an MSQ Partner, which means they send me things and I have an affiliate link, and sometimes I get to offer special discounts or giveaways from them. So this project is fully thanks to them, even though I chose all the materials and the pattern.



I got a pack of Fancy Zips first, then I found their Fancy Zip Travel Tote. I think they have a video for making this too, but I got the printed pattern. I prefer written instructions with photos or illustrations because that's how I learn and process things.

Then I found this SUPER cute cheater print with hexagons. This is from Riley Blake's Bloomberry line by Minki Kim. I love it. And the lining is from the Spring Gardens line (which I got much earlier this year).



One of the things I read about this pattern is that zipping and unzipping was a little harder because you need to hold the bag in some way while you do that. So I had an idea!

Since the outside would be all hexagons, what if there was a little hexagon tab at each end? And what if I added a face to make it very much "me"? Never mind that I was already sewing a zipper like this for the first time. I wanted to make the project my own! And I did.

Just to be clear, I had to sew the zipper twice. And it's still a little funky. First I sewed too close to the edge and then I sewed not close enough. Or maybe the sewing was in the right spot, but the fabric edge wasn't.

At any rate, I made the thing and I love it and I'm so glad to have the little hexagon tabs. So I'm sharing them with you here so you can add them too!



First, thread-baste four 1-inch EPP hexagons.

These linen hexagons were actually prepped like this on my Happy Hexagons templates and just sitting in my EPP box. Yay, past me!



Remove the paper templates, and if you want, stitch a face on one or two of the hexagons. I used my classic little smiley.



Next, stitch two hexagons together, back to back. Do this again with the remaining two hexagons. I used three strands of embroidery floss and running stitch.

Set aside the hexagons and start making the travel tote, following the pattern instructions.



After sewing in the zipper, but before you sew the ends together, place a hexagon between the layers at each end of the zipper. The front (face side) should face the zipper, with the top of the hexagon aligned with the raw fabric edges.

Finish sewing the bag, following the instructions as written.




And now you have a Fancy Zip Travel Tote with happy little tabs to hold while you open and close it! There are still times when I end up grabbing the bag a bit to finish zipping, but that's mostly due to my sewing issues. Seriously. Why is machine sewing still so hard for me? Ha!

It's okay. I also still love it. Especially when I can make a cute bag like this!



And for me, the real test of a pattern (sewing or otherwise!) is "would I make it again?" The answer is yes. I absolutely would make this again. I'd make this for gifts and I'd try modifying it in other ways too. Not to mention, I have more of these zippers to use!

If you'd like to make one, head to Missouri Star Quilt Co. (affiliate link), where you'll find all the materials you'll need. Search for "Fancy Zip Travel Tote" and you can choose between the printed and digital versions, and check out the video showing it coming together!

What would you carry in your super cute tote?

project // mickey balloon felt ornament

Get ready to unlock a memory with this new felt pattern! We're stitching Mickey Mouse balloons!

This year I've been sharing patterns for making felt ornaments that have Disney snacks and treats, and while this one isn't a snack, it could be a treat, right? Not all treats are edible!

Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of balloons in general, but there's something special about Mickey balloons. Well, I think probably any balloon at a Disney park because they just seem iconic for the happiest and most magical places on earth.



On a recent trip to Disneyland, my sister was especially enamored with the balloons and kept pausing to take photos and videos. So I also snapped a photo with my felt version!

If you notice, the Mickey balloons they have now are not traditional latex balloons. Instead, they are plastic/mylar, with the Mickey shaped part inside an outer clear balloon. AND THEY LIGHT UP!!! Even more magical!

I feel like I should get one of these for myself at some point. But do I really want to carry it around all day? Do I want to try and bring it home with me? Maybe I should stick to felt.



So now, let me tell you how to make this. For these designs, I don't have a full tutorial, but rather, a little overview of the process. They basically go together like my other felt ornaments.

First, this is 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. Or add the balloon to another project entirely!

I cut the pieces with freezer paper, and I embroidered the face through the paper before carefully tearing it away.

The pieces are layered and stitched down to the front circle with a tiny whip stitch and two strands of embroidery floss. The knot of the balloon is tiny, but you can get it stitched there!

Next, I embroidered the string. For this, I used tracing paper for the pattern and stitched through it, then tore it away.

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

DOWNLOAD THE MICKEY BALLOON ORNAMENT PATTERN

More snacks and cute Disney patterns to come! I'm working on them even now!

pattern // finding nemo cross stitch

If you love Finding Nemo and cross stitch, you've found the right place. Because today I'm sharing something a little different and also very much who I am and what I love. Disney, crafting, and free patterns are very much my vibe.

I'll start by saying the pattern I have for you is kinda big. As in, there are about 12,000 stitches. It makes a design that is a little over 14 inches wide by 4 inches high when stitched on 14-count fabric. That's sort of a weird size, yes, but that's because this wasn't originally a cross stitch pattern.

Back in the spring, I had this idea for making a giant mural that lots of people could work on together. It would feature Finding Nemo characters because the disability ministry at my church would be presenting Finding Nemo Jr. It needed to not be messy (no paint!) and it also needed to be a size and shape that would allow for lots of people working at one time.



I was inspired by the murals they have at EPCOT during their Festival of the Arts, because they work on a paint-by-number grid of sorts. Which I saw and thought "I can do that because it's like a cross stitch pattern!" Instead of paint or stitches, I opted for squares of colored cardstock.

So it started out looking like this.

And while I was confident it would work, I really had no way of knowing for sure until it was in progress and eventually finished. In fact, shortly after it got started I found a few mistakes in how I set it up to print. Thankfully, I could fix them.

But the real magic for me was watching people work alongside each other. Most had never met, but they chatted and worked together. Sometimes adding a single square, and sometimes working for a long time to fill in an entire area. Take a look:







Even a therapy dog paw-sed to help! And I think people had a good time doing this. I know that I did!



When the weekend of the musical production was over, we had to move the mural (which, by the way, measures 16 feet long and 5 feet high). It's still hanging out and looks pretty good, but soon it will end up in the trash. But I knew that it could live on as a cross stitch pattern.

There's pretty much zero chance that I'll be stitching this any time soon. Maybe someday though, because it was so special for me to work on this project. In the meantime, you can visualize what the finished cross stitch version will look like by taking in the finished mural:



Slight changes have been made to the pattern, such as using symbols instead of the numbers for the mural. I also added in one color and updated the colors to what I think will be better for DMC floss shades.



I don't have estimates for how much floss you'll need, but I can tell you that it's a lot of DMC 958 for the background!

Now, how about that pattern! It's shown on one page so you can see it all together, but the real chart is spread out over six pages so you can actually read it.

DOWNLOAD THE FINDING NEMO CROSS STITCH PATTERN

This is, as I said, a bigger pattern that I typically design, but it was too fun not to share. It would make my crafty Disney heart swell to see folks stitch it up, so be sure to tag me or email me so I can see photos if you do!

project // rainbow stuffie (a stitch squad bonus pattern!)

Do you ever have a day where you could use a rainbow? Me too. Instead of waiting for one, make your own! And in this case, you can hand sew your rainbow and give it a cute face too.

Along with being a fun way to make a smiling rainbow, it's also a bonus pattern that goes along with the August Stitch Squad box! If you've never heard about Stitch Squad, it's a new subsription box for crafty kids and tweens. And I had the privilege of desgining these weather stuffies!



Inside the box it has everything you need to make them, plus a bunch more super cute stuff. There's still time to get this box, but it will change to the next one (with a new craft technique) soon.

BUT, if you have the Weather Stuffie box, you might just want to add to the cloud, lightning, and raindrop so you also have a rainbow. And you probably have almost everything you need to make this bonus pattern.

Depending on how you cut the fleece the comes in the box, you should have enough white, aqua, and yellow to make the rainbow. You'll just need some pink (or another color) fleece. I bought 1/4 yard for under $2 on sale.

Making this rainbow is a little more complicated than basic stuffies, but it's not that much different. Are you ready to make one? Let's do this!

Here's what you'll need:

Small amounts of pink, yellow, aqua, and white fleece*
Pencil
Scissors
Sewing clips
Sewing thread
Needle
Black felt
Black and white embroidery floss
Stuffing

*You can actually use any color for the back. White is just a suggestion.

DOWNLOAD THE RAINBOW STUFFIE PATTERN PDF



Print and cut out the pattern pieces, then trace them onto your fleece. Do this for all the pieces except the face.

I made the top bow pink, the middle yellow, and the bottom aqua. The back hafl-circle piece is white. But you can mix it up and use any colors for your rainbow!



Fold the top and middle pieces in half to find the exact middle and then clip them together like shown. The right sides of the fleece should be facing each other.

It looks weird now, but it'll get where we need it shortly.



Bring the ends of the yellow down to match up with the ends of the pink. Keep the right sides facing each other. Use sewing clips to hold them. Then clip the sections between the middle and the ends.

Hand sew along the clipped edge with back stitch about 1/4-inch from the fabric edge.

There will be some areas where it seems like there's more fabric on one edge than the other. That's okay! Just keep sewing, but keep the clips in place until your stitching is right up to it.



Follow the same process to add the blue bottom section of the rainbow. When you're done, it should look like this!



Cut out two eyes and a mouth from the felt. I used freezer paper to cut mine out, but you can cut the paper templates and hold them onto the felt with a tiny dab of gluestick. It will peel right off when you're done cutting them out!



Stitch the face onto your rainbow with whip stitch on the edge of the felt.

You can also use white embroidery floss to stitch a little twinkle on each eye.



Place the rainbow front on the half circle back with the right sides of the fleece facing each other. Use sewing clips around the edges.

Sew around the edges with back stitch and doubled sewing thread. I suggest starting on the bottom edge so the opening is in the blue area.



Turn the stuffie right side out and add some stuffing inside. Don't add too much because it can make the rainbow a funny shape.



Sew the opening closed. I used ladder stitch for this.



And your rainbow stuffie is all finished!

I'm pretty sure that when things are feeling hard and you're stuck with a day that's gray and lonely, hugging a rainbow will help. Even just a little.




By the way, this rainbow uses hand sewing because that's what the August Stitch Squad box is all about. BUT, if you like using a sewing machine, you can use that to sew this together too!

And if you're a Stitch Squad member, hello! I'm so glad you're here and I hope you have fun making all your weather stuffies!