pattern // triple star (perfect for a summer table runner!)

Celebrate summer with a super easy embroidered table runner! This free Triple Star embroidery pattern is perfect to stitch onto table linens and lots of other things too. Stars are a patriotic symbol, but depending on the colors you use, they can just be cute.

I'm showing off my pattern on table runner that I made with literally two simple hems. That's because it's made with toweling. This material comes by the yard and the sides are pre-hemmed. That's because it's designed for making, well, towels. Of course, you can do so much more with it!



Back in February I showed how I hemmed and embroidered the toweling to make some towels with a Triple Heart design. The "triple heart" and now "triple star" idea comes from ranches with similar names because the bandana print feels very dude ranch to me.

The bandana toweling I used for both the kitchen towels and the table runner was provided by Missouri Star Quilt Co., and they have it in several colors. They also have other toweling with some very cute fabric patterns. If you order from MSQC and use this (affiliate) link, it really helps support the work I do.

The process for making the table runner is pretty much the same. The only difference is the length. To make the runner, I used two yards of toweling and left it UNCUT. The towels were two yards cut into three towels.

After you trim the ends to make sure they are straight, you just double fold the ends and stitch across. Add the embroidery, and you're done! You end up with a runner that's about 18x70 inches.



I haven't embroidered my runner just yet, but I didn't want to wait any longer to share this pattern and idea with you. At least I've done the hemming, right?

DOWNLOAD THE TRIPLE STAR EMBROIDERY PATTERN

Now, as I sit here thinking about this delightfully easy material to make things with, I'm considering more uses. Placemats would be fun because you'd just need to cut the fabric down to 12 inch pieces. And I've been considering making some narrow curtains too.

Of course, any simple project where you can add embroidery is a good idea in my book!

project // kawaii hexagon mini pincushion

Pin cushions often are cute just because they are. But I wanted to make something extra cute and kawaii so I made one that's mini and has a sweet smiling star on it! The design and the colors are absolutely inspired by Sanrio's Little Twin Stars, who aren't really stars, but that's not even the point.

I also wanted to see if I could use my Hexagons and Scallops deep-etch dies from Benzie to make a mini pincushion. Really, I love finding all kinds of new ways to use these shapes so this was a natural fit.

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AND...I also used my Squares and Scallops die to make a matching needle book! The pattern and tutorial for the needle book is over on the Benzie DIY Inspiration blog today, so go over and check out that out. It has the same colors and designs mixed in so you have a little felt spot for all your pins and needles.

Crafting should be cute, right?



The design on this pincushion fits on a 1.5-inch hexagon (each side measures 1.5 inches) so you could make something similar without the Hexagons and Scallops die. BUT I do love the deep-etch dies and I keep making more patterns to go with them. Just saying...

Now, how about we make a little pincushion?



You will need:

Wool Blend Felt in kawaii colors (the sample uses pink, lemonade, swan, foxglove, and coral)
Embroidery floss to coordinate with your felt (the sample uses DMC 310, 727, 598, 3608, and 3706)
Hexagons and Scallops Deep-Etch Die and Cutting Machine
Freezer paper
Pencil
Iron
Scissors
Needle Glue (optional)
Stuffing
Poly-pellets (optional)

KAWAII HEXAGON MINI PINCUSHION TEMPLATE PDF



First, choose the colors you want for the base of of the pincushion. Cut out two scalloped hexagons and one plain hexagon.



Trace all the other pieces onto freezer paper and then iron them onto your felt. Cut out the pieces and then peel off the paper from the wedges. Leave the paper on the star.

I made four wedges out of each of three colors. The shapes are reversible, so don't sweat it if they get mixed up a bit!



Embroider the face on the star using three strands of black embroidery floss. The eyes are French knots and the mouth is a scallop stitch. After you stitch the face, carefully tear away the paper.



Arrange the wedges on the plain hexagon. They'll make a smaller hexagon in the middle. You may find it helpful to hold them in place with a dot of glue.



Use two strands of matching embroidery floss to stitch down each of the pieces. Use whip stitch close to the edge of the felt.

It's okay if you can't get the pieces to match up perfectly in the middle. That part will be covered by the star.



Add the star to the middle just like you stitched down the little triangles.



Layer all of the hexagons so you have the two scalloped hexagons at the back, with the decorated hexagon on top. Using three strands of embroidery floss, stitch around the sides with running stitch. Leave one side of the hexagon open.




Add some Poly-pellets and then some stuffing to your pincushion. Try to get the pellets on the bottom and the stuffing on the top. The pellets are there more for weight, so you can also skip them entirely.



Stitch the opening of your pincushion closed and make sure it's securely knotted. This is especially important if you used the Poly-pellets.



Add some pins and you're set! Cute pins are always a plus.




The cutest little pincushion to hold your pins. The only thing better is when you also make the matching needle book.



Because sometimes I just quickly stick needles in a pincushion, but that's not so ideal. I'm going to make a point to use my needle book as intended. Oh, and if you go check out the post for making this companion piece, you'll find that it has a secret helpful bit of magic that holds more than just needles!



Know what else would be cute on a mini hexagon pincushion or even the cover of a needle book? My Sewing Bee felt ornament designs!

Happy stitching!

project // disney snacks mickey ice cream bar ornament

What could be better on a warm day in the happiest or most magical place on earth than a Mickey ice cream bar? How about one that doesn't melt? Make a felt ornament version of this classic Disney snack and you can enjoy it forever.

I'm a big fan of the Disney parks so this year I've been making kawaii Wild Olive-style Disney snacks out of felt and embroidery. The patterns are all free and you can find all of them here.

My mom would like me to make enough of these to fill a small Christmas tree, and honestly, I'm on my way to that! If you like that idea too, join me in making Disney snacks felt ornaments.

But now, let's stop in at Disneyland...

Since I'm not a big ice cream eater, I didn't get an actual Mickey ice cream bar to take a picture along with my ornament, but I almost think this is better. Because I love how at the ice cream carts they have plastic versions of all the treats. Seriously, how fun would it be to have one of these?

Anyway, I opted to use a prop ice cream as, well, my photo prop. Very original.



Let's move on and talk about making this ornament. All the ornaments in this series go together the same way. They are very much like my other felt applique ornaments, but a bit simpler. You can watch my YouTube video showing one of my Halloween ornaments from start to finish.

The Mickey "premium" ice cream bar is just two pieces. The chocolate part and the stick. Easy!

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. Scallops are my favorite, but pinking shears work great too!

Freezer paper is helpful to cut the small shapes. Before removing the freezer paper, I stitched the face with three strands of black embroidery floss. It's just two French knots and a scallop stitch.

Next, I layered and stitched the pieces onto 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. By the way, most of the time I add a tiny bit of stuffing inside my felt ornaements, but for these Disney Snack ones, I've kept them flat. I kinda like them both ways!

Then I just used embroidery floss to make a little hanger.

DOWNLOAD THE MICKEY ICE CREAM BAR ORNAMENT PATTERN

This one is pretty quick to stitch, so you might be able to make it faster than it takes for a Mickey bar to melt. Okay, maybe not at Walt Disney World in summer.

Speaking of summer, I have a new set of felt ornaments available in my Etsy shop!



It Felt Like Summer includes nine designs with tropical themes and all the things that make you think of summer vacations. Hang them on an all-seasons tree, use them as air fresheners, make them into a little garland, or just add them around your home to make you smile!