Spring

The daffodils in our yard are just poking their heads through the ground, but I was aching for some flowers, NOW, so I decided to make my own. You can make a garland or 2 or 3 for yourself, too. Hang your Spring Flower Garland up and you’ll feel like you stumbled upon an enchanted flower fairy garden. With a kiss of spring and a promise of warm summer days, bring the outdoors indoors with this lovely Spring Flower Garland. 
 
To make your own you will need:

Spring Flower Garland Kit from Wee Folk Art's Market Place [Available April 23]

Note: Kit includes 100% wool felt, cotton embroidery floss, 100% wool yarn and directions. To finish the project you will need embroidery needles and Size F or G crochet hook.

~OR~

Materials:
wool felt - 8 colors for flowers and green for leaves
embroidery floss to match the 9 felt colors
wool yarn
Size F or G crochet hook (it is small for the 2 strands of yarn you will be chaining, but I wanted the chain dense
embroidery needles
pattern

MATERIALS AVAILABLE IN WEE FOLK ART'S MARKET PLACE: [available April 23]
Spring Flower Garland Kit (Items may be purchased separately)
embroidery needles

NOTE: If you want the front and back side finished, you will need to make a second set of flowers, but instead of blanket stitching around the outer edge of a single flower, you would blanket stitch the wrong side of 2 completed matching flowers together.

TIPS for cutting out felt can be found HERE.

ILLUSTRATIONS of stitches can be found HERE.

Directions:
Make a copy of the pattern.

NOTE: In the first few photos there are only 6 flowers and 7 leaves. When I was done with my first garland, I decided I wanted it longer so I added a dark blue and dark purple plus 2 more leaves.

Using 8 different colors of felt, cut out a petal, large circle and center from each color. Cut out 9 leaves. The eight colors I used were light and dark: blue, purple, orange and pink.

Randomly mix and match the flower parts. The only rule... use 3 different colors for each flower.

For each flower:
Using 3 strands of contrasting floss, blanket stitch the edge of the petals.

Using a running stitch and 3 strands of contrasting floss, sew the large circle to the petals.

Using a running stitch and 3 strands of contrasting floss, sew the small circle to the large circle.

Using a straight stitch and 6 strands of green floss, sew 3 lines creating a 6 point star.

Add a French knot to the end of each point on the star using 6 strands of green floss.

For each leaf:
Using a running stitch and 6 strands of green floss, sew a stem down the center of the leaf. Slightly gather and tie off.

For each flower and leaf:
Add a small loop to the top of each leaf and one flower petal using 3 strands of green floss. To control the size, I attached the floss to the wrong side of the leaf and flower. I then wrapped the floss around the base of my crochet hook for sizing, then tied it off. When adding the loop, you want it to be perpendicular to the leaf, so when you later add it to the crocheted vine, it lies flat and the right side faces forward. 

Making the vine:
Using 2 strands of yarn, chain 40.

Slip a leaf on the hook with the right side up.

Chain 1 catching the leaf loop in the chain.

Chain 12, then add a flower in the same manner. NOTE: Do not count the chain you use to connect the leaves and flowers.

Continue until all 9 leaves and 8 flowers have been add.

Chain 40.

Pull through your last chain and work the ends at the beginning and end of the chain into the chain.

Ready to hang. Note: when you are hanging the garland, make sure the front of the chain is showing and don't twist the chain. Make sure the front side of all the flowers and leaves are showing, then stand back, and smile at the pretty flower garland!

 

One lucky winner will be the proud owner of 6 of Daria's Wool Felted Eggs. Whether you celebrate Easter or simply the arrival of spring, you will want these for your very own!

Their description is as follows:

Are you looking for Easter eggs? I’ve crafted them for you. Please have a look, they are the ideal size for keeping in hand, nice to touch, beautiful, colorful and made of friendly natural materials.

The eggs are about 2" long and 1.5" wide.

The eggs you see on the screen are photographed for example I’ve done a big number of such eggs. All of them are similar but, every one is unique. So the eggs you will get are going to be slightly different.

Normally, Daria sells her Felted Easter Eggs in pairs. What an awesome giveaway to receive 6 of these unique beauties!

I often send you to Daria's shop, Art of Felting, to drool, but I'm sure you never get tired of looking at her exquisite pieces. I know, I don't :) So, as always, hop on over to Art of Felting, make your wishlist, and then come on back, and share your favorite piece. Mine keeps changing, although I'm inclined to say, I want them all :)

 

As for the giveaway, it runs from today, February 29... Leap Day... to Sunday, March 4, at 9:00 p.m. EST, when a winner will be drawn at random. Note: The winner has 1 week to contact us with their snail mail address or a new winner will be drawn.

 

BTW... if you didn't know, Daria lives is Israel. She will gladly ship to anywhere, so everyone has a chance to win :)

AND THE WINNER IS...

Teryn:

Submitted by teryn on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 18:41.

With Spring just around the corner, we're thinking it's time to start some Easter crafting. Fortunately, the folks at Prairie Point Junction (you may know it as Wool Felt Central), not only agrees with us, but want to help get us started. YAY!

Julie, the lovely owner, is sharing 2 of the Felt Easter Sugar Cookie Kits with our readers.

The kits include the pattern by Prairie Point Junction and 1/2 yard of Buttercream felt, plus 9" x 12" pieces each of Baby Blue, Periwinkle, Robin's Egg, Cotton Candy, Mellow Yellow, Peas Soup, White, Pumpkin Spice, Light Brown, and Driftwood. The felt will make at least two of each of the 12 designs. There are also 12 skeins of DMC floss in coordinating colors so you have everything you need for this project.

These adorable felt sugar cookies can be used stacked on a plate for decoration, turned into ornaments to be hung in a spring tree, or as a delightful addition to a wee one's play kitchen.

To enter this contest, simply pop over to Prairie Point Junction, and wander through their extensive collection of unique felt patterns and kits. Be warned... there are billions of lovelies to look at so you might be there a while! Okay... billions is an exaggeration, but they have lots! Then come back here, and leave a comment telling us about your favorite discovery. 

The contest runs from today, Wednesday, February 15 through Sunday, February 19th, at 9:00 p.m. EST when 2 winners will be chosen at random. Note: Winners then have 1 week to contact us with their snail mail address or a new winner will be drawn.

Good luck to everyone. This is such a lovely giveaway, and as always, we are very grateful to Julie for her generosity :) Now... head on over to Prairie Point Junction and check out their patterns and kits. If you've never been there before, prepare to be wowed! 

AND... don't forget... Wool Felt Central is one of our wonderful sponsors and has supported Wee Folk Art from almost day 1! As a special gift, Julie offers a discount to our readers EVERY SINGLE DAY! Simply type in the coupon code WEEFOLKART at checkout to receive a 20% discount off your entire order. How awesome and generous is that???

NOTE: Prairie Point Junction ships to the United States and Canada.
 
 

Wee Folk Art, together with Prairie Point Junction's Wool Felt Central, has a wonderful give away, just in time for your Spring gift giving and decorating!

Our dear friend, Julie, owner of Prairie Point Junction, is giving away 2 FREE kits so you can make your own Spring Bouquet... enough materials to make 18 flowers!

Each kit includes:
1/3 yard EACH of 3 colors of felt (You pick the colors)
12" X 18" Pea Soup for Leaves
8 skeins of floss to match the selected felts  (2 skeins of each color)
1/2 yard of green calico for stems

Note: You will need to provide 12" pipe cleaners and large holed beads

To enter, simply visit Prairie Point Junction's Wool Felt Central, and check out all the dreamy colors. Pick 3 colors you would like to use to make your bouquet. (We used baby blue, pink grapefruit and mellow yellow for the flowers but pick out colors that make you smile :) Then come back here, give a big thank you to Julie, and tell us what 3 colors you would like if you win. Hey, even if you don't think you want to make this bouquet, who wouldn't want more felt to add to their stash?

The contest begins today, Wednesday, April 6, and runs until Sunday, April 10 at 9:00 p.m. EST. Two winners will be drawn at random and their names will be announced and an email will be sent to them. Winners have 1 week to contact us at weefolkart@yahoo.com with their snail address or a new winner will be selected.

So, head on over to Wool Felt Central and start planning! We want to give a heartfelt thank you to Julie for once again giving our readers a chance to win a wonderful kit.

And remember, the directions for making your own Spring Bouquet can be found HERE. Good luck one and all!

If you would like to give someone special a bouquet of flowers this Spring that will last forever, considering making a bunch of these flowers in a array of beautiful colors. Whether you make a single flower or 2 dozen, they are sure to please. But remember... make some for yourself... we all deserve to give ourselves flowers every once in a while :)

MATERIALS

For single flower:
2" x 28" piece of felt for each flower
Green felt for leaf
3/4" x 40" piece of calico for stem, ripped
2 copies of pattern
bead with large hole
4 12" long pipe cleaners
2 copies of pattern

For 18 flowers:
1/3 yard EACH of 3 colors of felt
12" X 18" Pea Soup for Leaves 
8 skeins of floss to match the selected felts (2 skeins of each color)
1/2 yard of green calico for stems
18 beads with large hole
72 12" long pipe cleaners
2 copies of pattern

DIRECTIONS
Preparing pattern pieces:
The pattern piece for the flower will require taping together 3 pieces. Make 2 copies of the pattern. Cut out the 2 end pieces. Cut out 1 center piece.  Tape the 2 end pieces to the center piece, matching the 3 inch sides. You should now have 1 long piece, measuring 3" x 25", with both ends pointy.



Cut the leaf out of the 2nd center piece adding a tab 5/8" x 1". You only need to cut 1 leaf per flower. (Pattern says 2)

Preparing stem:
Using the Ripe and Tear method described HERE, for each flower ripe a strip of fabric 3/4" x 40" from the green woven fabric. Also, cut one square 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" for each flower.

Place a bead on the end of 4 pipe cleaners, and bend the pipe cleaner about 1" down. Twist the end of the pipe cleaners around the long piece of pipe cleaner so the bead is secured. Slightly twist the rest of the length of the pipe cleaners together.





Lay the pipe cleaner on the backside of the square of fabric with the bead in the center.

Wrap the fabric around the bead. Using 2 strands of matching floss, wrap the thread firmly around the bead 2 or 3 times, then tack in place. Holding the remainder of the fabric against the pipe cleaner, tightly wrap the fabric against the pipe cleaner in a spiral fashion. Tack at the bottom of the fabric.


Preparing petal:
Cut out pieces.


Using a running stitch and 3 strands of contrasting floss, blanket stitch the flat edge of the flower.

Mark a 1/4" seam allowance along the curved edge of the flower using a fading or washable marker.

Using 2 strands of floss, sew a close running stitch along the 1/4" line. Leave a long tail.Sew a 2nd running stitch an 1/8" below the first line of stitching. (It will be between the line of stitching and the raw edge.) Leave a long tail.

Holding both tails, gather the flower until it measures 8” - 9". Secure the end so the gathering does not come loose.

Preparing leaf:
Using a running stitch and 2 strands of matching floss, sew around the stem and leaf, gathering SLIGHTLY.

Using a running stitch and 2 strands of matching floss, sew a stem down the middle of the leaf, gathering SLIGHTLY. Note: You just want to give slight contours to the leaf.

Assembly:
Begin rolling the flower around the bead, tacking it with matching thread every 1/2". As you roll and tack, slightly angle the rolled flower down the stem. Continue until the flower piece is completely wrapped around the bead. Secure thread. NOTE: The angling should be slight. Before tacking the petal, practice rolling the flower around the stem, until you find the desired look. Think of a rose.




Wrap the green strip around the base of the flower. Make sure the top of the strip covers the gathering line. Stitch around the flower every 1/4" - 1/2". After the first round is complete, angle the strip so it overlaps the strip above it by half.



After you have gone around the stem a second time, add your leaf. To do this, lay the leaf against the flower, and pin the leaf tab against the pipe cleaners.

Continue wrapping the stem, catching the leaf tab as you go.

Tack about every 1/2", going through the pipe cleaner on an angle downward. At the end, leave a 1" tail that you wrap around the bottom edge and tack in place.

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