You have two layers of felt - a front and back - with a shape of some sort that will be tucked inside and extend beyond the edges when the two main pieces are sewn together with the blanket stitch.
Read MoreThis pretty felt tree can be made in any colors to accent your decor. At five inches tall, it looks great as a small centerpiece or alongside your favorite little stuffed animal.
Read MoreA French knot is a scary little embroidery stitch that, when mastered, is more fun than milk and cookies. It creates a lovely, tactile,
Read MoreIt's Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow I am headed to Brooklin, Maine, to spend the day with my daughter and her family. Brooklin is a tiny hamlet (population 824) on the Blue Hill Peninsula in Downeast Maine. It's the middle of nowhere. Gorgeous nowhere.
The leaves are falling, the crows are calling! Time to stitch some Halloween spookiness!
Read MoreEvery now and then a blog post is extra special. This is one of them. Oliver Rabbit and I had a busy summer full of craft fairs, custom orders and pattern development. Halfway through the heat of it all, I received an email from one of my readers. It wasn't an ordinary email; it was Karen's story about learning to sew:
Read MoreThe whip stitch is a simple hand-sewing method that can be used to sew two pieces of felt together. It is popular for making softies because . . .
Read MoreThe cozy days of winter are here - hot tea and new sewing projects. Hmm. Wisteria and wine! With Valentine's Day around the corner, I put together this tutorial to make a simple wool felt centerpiece with appliqued hearts.
Read MoreTo bestow a gift that you make yourself can bring immeasurable joy to both you, the creator, as well as the recipient; the value is two-fold and encapsulates emotional elements of life that satisfy our human condition.
Read MoreThe DIY movement brought about a desire to up-cycle used clothing for our creative sewing projects. Notably, we all began to scour thrift shops and rummage sales for wool leftovers to toss into our washers and dryers and turn into felt, myself included.
Read MoreIf you're like most, the new year represents a fresh start and a great time to get your sewing space organized. We all know how challenging that can be :)
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‘cause they party while we sleep
thoughts on bears for inspiration. imagination. and clarification.
bear bear. pictured above on the left was the first stuffed bear my dad bought me. into my stroller he went with size enough to hide my infancy. instant love.
corduroy. the other, came later. he reminded my dad of his own old bear, carried by the arm as a child - crookedly dangling with weighted feet. I did the same for years.
every dream. every vacation. every sleepover.
and still, they come on our adventures in nova. sometimes with friends.
i always believed my bears partied while i slept. raided the fridge, painted their faces, danced. filled the bathtub with water for a pool party. perhaps they climbed out the window and went exploring. built forts, played cards. took a nap. who knows, maybe now bear bear and corduroy drink wine and philosophize. read my extensive poetry collection. write letters or discuss the fate of the planet. the fate of the bear. and yes.
i still believe it.
or imagine it. or
live it.
thedrunkbear shares studio time with oliverrabbit
and no. it's not about getting tipsy. 'matter of fact it’s quite the opposite. 2a for misconceptions and bear - stories you'll find at thedrunkbear.com will tell you. get drunk. bear down. is well, sort of like . . get passionate. dive in. get happy. dance away. get creative.
so. oliverrabbit and thedrunkbear got together and created
bear.
that’s right.
just bear.
get drunk, bear down
read a poem and sew an adventure
Cheers!
Laura
thedrunkbear.com
It's coming on that time of year when baking cookies, festive decorating and sewing hand-made gifts are at the forefront of my thoughts. This primitive cat tutorial is my hand-made gift to you!
Read MoreIt seems only fitting I take a trip down memory lane to introduce my new Santa Doll Pattern. When I was eight years old, my grandmother traveled from Louisiana to the northeast for a summer visit. We took a trip to John Wanamaker's Department Store in Philadelphia.
Read MoreWool Felt Santa Doll - Pattern WIP
Read MoreI love felt stars, especially pointy ones, and I love sewing wool felt with the blanket stitch. I must admit; however, stitching points is not my favorite part of creating a holiday ornament.
The more I make, though, the better I get :)
I know. That's not a monster. It's a moose :)
Read MoreSewMamaSew, a blog about the history, craft and artistry of sewing, recently ran a comprehensive series on their site entitled, "6 Weeks of LOVE for Softies." Throughout this awesome collective the term, "softie," encompassed stuffed animals, cloth dolls, soft sculpture and fabric toys.
Read MoreI put together this DIY home dec project for you to make. It is suitable for all skill levels and perfect for the beginner just learning to work with wool felt appliqué.
Read MoreHere is Peter CottonTail - hoppin' on over to bring you a delightful basket full of sewing fun! What's more adorable than little plush rabbits! Easter is on its way - make something special to tuck alongside the colored eggs and jellybeans.
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