Appliques

Here is our latest applique block. I love doing hand sewing, so all these lines were right up my alley! As always, they were designed to fit a 6" x 6" block, but you can enlarge or reduce the pattern to meet your needs.

I'm often asked what to do with the completed blocks. First off... I only sew them to blocks because it makes them all uniform. I haven't used the blocks for anything other than display purposes. But, you can use our appliques in any way you'd use any appliques. I designed this block to use in a panel of a quilted knitting project bag I was making for a friend. I forgot to take a photo, but this is basically what it looked like:

It turned out lovely! How will you use this applique?

The pattern for the Yarn Ball Applique Block can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Enlarge and Reduce can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Cut Out Felt can be found HERE.

The Stitching Glossary can be found HERE.

DIRECTIONS - Refer to pattern and photo for applique placements and cutting instructions.

Make a copy of the pattern.

Cut out felt using the photo and pattern as a guide. Transfer any embroidery markings.

For this applique, stitch pieces to the block following the lines on the pattern. Use a running stitch and 3 strands of floss.

Make sure when piecing together the yarn ball, you do it in the following manner, making sure to cover the overlap lines:

Piece "A"
Piece "B" 
Piece "C"
Piece "D"
Piece "E"

PHOTOS: 6-26-11
 

Statement: My floors are covered in mud. Period. End of story. As the near spring thaw begins to turn portions of our yard into a gooey brown viscous substance, my dogs joyously, nay, exuberantly, prance, dance and generally wallow in the stuff! Don't want this to be common knowledge, BUT, I've even tried dog boots. I think they ate them. Seriously. Or... they are buried somewhere in the yard, and I can just hear them snickering and nudging one another as they bound over the recent boot graves, proud of their clandestine tribulations.

So, no more dog boots. I've resigned myself to believing the mud on my floors is just another way of bringing the great outdoors inside. My floors will again be clean in the summer, but for now, I try not to begrudge them their joyous romps, and keep a mop handy, along with a good sense of humor.

Truth be told, although I'm willing to cut my dogs some slack when it comes to muddy paws, I don't have the same tolerance for humans. We can wipe our feet at the door, AND, wear awesome boots when we are outside. Rain boots have come a long way since I was a little girl. I remember these awful black buckled boots my brothers use to don, and as for me, my rain boots were always a solid colors and blah. Today, Holy Shmolies! There are so many awesomely cute rain boots out there, it rather saddens me when it is time to turn them in for sandals. (Mind you, I love my sandals, too!)  

Today, I am sharing an applique block for what I think are some awesomely cute rain boots. I can just imagine little feet, or big feet as the case may be, stomping in puddles and leaving footprints in mud. As always, this applique was designed to fit a 6" block, but can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs. Whether you are getting ready for spring or anticipating fall rains, hope you find yourself in a pair of playful rain boots, stomping in standing pools of water and negotiating tempting mud puddles!

The pattern for the Rain Boots Applique Block can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Enlarge and Reduce can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Cut Out Felt can be found HERE.

The Stitching Glossary can be found HERE.
 

DIRECTIONS - Refer to pattern and photo for applique placements and cutting instructions.

Make a copy of the pattern.

Cut out felt. Transfer any embroidery markings.

Using a blanket stitch, sew boot to block using 3 strands floss.

Using a lazy daisy stitch, embroider flowers using 6 strands of floss. (Do not add flower centers yet.)

Using a running stitch, sew back handle to boot using 2 strands floss.

Using a blanket stitch, sew boot lining to boot using 3 strands floss.

Using a running stitch, sew front handle to boot using 2 strands floss.

Using a blanket stitch, attach cuff and sole to boot using 3 strands floss.

Using a French knot, embroider center of flowers using 6 strands floss.

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, we are prompted to think about romantic love. But I must admit, I've never really bought into Valentine's Day. Don't get me wrong, I love romance, really, big fan of it, HOWEVER, I don't like "traditional holidays" that mandate romance. Getting flowers on Valentine's Day or Sweetest Day does nothing for me. I guess I'm as cynical as Lucy Van Pelt when she references Christmas, but I extend the message to Valentine's Day... "It's run by a big eastern syndicate you know." : ) No, to me, romance is when Tim brings me coffee in bed, sits next to me instead of across from me at restaurants so he can hold my hand, or when he works from home on days when I am sick so he can let the dogs out. Valentine's Day can't hold a candle to real, everyday romance for me.

That's not to say I don't appreciate Valentine's Day. I love the red and pink hearts, and take it as a gentle reminder to appreciate all the people we love. At Valentine's Day, I tend to think about all the friends that have touched me life. The friends that I have laughed and cried with, those that have remained over the decades, and those whose names have long since been forgotten. Each one has touched my heart, and I use Valentine's Day as a Memorial Day of the Heart : )

Yesterday I had the joy of connecting up with a friend I haven't chatted with in 10 years. As we sat around drinking coffee, I felt as at ease with her as ever. When we left Panera's, I realized we had talked for over 3 hours. Lovely! It is to all of my friends, past and present, that I thought about when I created this applique. I can think of no finer Valentine's gift than to be able to sit around with my friends, sharing, laughing and whiling away the hours. This yummy mug of hot cocoa... actually, for me it works to call it a frothy cappuccino, is meant to be shared with friends. That's why I'm sharing it with all of you : )

On to business : ) This applique block was created to fit a 6" x 6" block, but it can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs. Enjoy : )
 
The pattern for the Cup of Cocoa Applique Block can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Enlarge and Reduce can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Cut Out Felt can be found HERE.

The Stitching Glossary can be found HERE.

DIRECTIONS - Refer to pattern and photo for applique placements and cutting instructions.

Make a copy of the pattern.

Cut out felt. Transfer any embroidery markings.

Using a blanket stitch, sew cup to block using 3 strands floss.

Using a stem stitch, add the cup lines using 6 strands floss.

Using a blanket stitch, sew the side edges of the bottom scalloped band using 3 strands floss.

Using a blanket stitch, sew the side edges of the top scalloped band using 3 strands floss.

Using a running stitch, sew handle to cup using 2 strands floss.

Add French knots in the center of each scallop of the two bands using 6 strands floss.

Using a blanket stitch, sew the whipped cream to the block using 3 strands floss.

Using a stem stitch, add whipped cream detail using 6 strands floss.

Using a straight stitch, add "sprinkles" to whipped cream using 6 strands floss.

Using a lazy daisy stitch, add flowers to cup lines using 6 strands floss.

Add French knots to the center of each flower using 6 strands floss.

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Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2013. All rights reserved.

PHOTO: 1-19-10

When Drew Drew Buns (the inexplicable name I called/call my youngest) was 4 years old, he came in from the season's first snowfall in tears and told me his "wrists were broke". The coat and mittens he wore left a band of young, tender flesh exposed and vulnerable to the frigid temperatures. That evening, I stayed up until I had knitted him a new pair of mitts... ones that nearly reached his elbows when uncuffed! They needed to go on before his coat, so after he donned the mittens, he needed help getting dressed. I suppose we effectively postponed his learning to zip a zipper by a couple of years, but that was a small price to pay. He was now able to romp in the snow without wrist freeze!

He wore those bright red mittens for three years. Amazingly, he never lost one. (Of course, once on, they were nearly impossible to remove :) When he finally outgrew them, I couldn't bear to part with them. Instead of putting them in our community mitten basket, they made their way to our Christmas tree. Over the years, I've tucked those mittens into our family tree, and each time I do, I'm reminded of my little guy.

This Christmas, as two year old Little Lady was busy taking ornaments on and off our Christmas tree, she came upon the pair of her daddy's red woolen mittens. She wanted to put them on. Although they were still too big on her, she ran around, clapping her hands together in glee. I suppose it's only fitting that they should be handed down to Drew Drew Buns' children... circle of life and all, but... I didn't give them away. Oh, I'll make Little Lady her own red woolen mittens that reach her elbows, but I'm hanging on to these, and the memory of my little boy with "broken wrists" :)   

I think most of us have mitten stories (just ask the 3 Little Kittens' Mom :), so I decided to create a Mitten Applique Block. As always, it was designed to fit a 6" x 6" block, but can be enlarge or reduced to meet your needs. I'm thinking it would be kind of cute to cut out backings for the mitts, and add brooch pins to them. Then, you could pin them to a lapel, with a braided cording running between them!

The pattern for the Mitten Applique Block can be found HERE. 

The pattern for the Mittens Applique Block can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Enlarge and Reduce can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Cut Out Felt can be found HERE.

The Stitching Glossary can be found HERE.

DIRECTIONS - Refer to pattern and photo for applique placements and cutting instructions.

Make a copy of the pattern.

Cut out felt using material list above and transfer any embroidery markings.

Using a blanket stitch, sew mittens to block using 3 strands floss.

Using a blanket stitch, sew cuffs to mitts using 3 strands floss.

Using a stem stitch, embroider the 3 crossing lines of the snowflakes using 6 strands floss.

Using a straight stitch, add the snowflake details using 6 strands floss.

Using 6 strands floss, add a French knot to the 6 top ends of each snowflake.

Using 2 strands each of 3 colors of floss, thread a embroidery needle as if the 6 strands were one piece of floss. Chain stitch the line connecting the 2 mittens.
 

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2013. All rights reserved.

PHOTOS: 9-23-09

It is that time of year when Michelle and I tuck away Wee Folk Art for a few weeks to spend time with the family and enjoy a little rest and relaxation. Before "heading out" (actually, we are staying put and everyone else is coming to us :), we wanted to share a little Christmas Mouse with you. Thank you, Fairy, for providing the inspiration. Although I'll still be kicking around Facebook, we will see everyone back here in 2013 :)

This year, Fairy tried out for and won a roll in a local production of the Nutcracker. We were all so proud of her, and not just for landing a roll, but for being brave enough to enter a totally unknown situation and giving it her all! 

Fairy was a gray mouse. Perhaps I'm biased, but I thought she was the most talented and adorable little mousey out there :) She scurried across the stage with all the grace and agility of a real mouse! She oozed talent :)

Michelle asked if I'd make a Little Gray Mouse Applique Block to commemorate her accomplishment. Of course, I did... including the little pink ears and belly. As always, I made the mouse to fit on a 6" x 6" block, but it can be enlarged or reduced to meet your needs. And although I "Christmased" it up for the holidays, this is a mouse for all seasons!

The pattern for the Little Mouse Applique Block can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Enlarge and Reduce can be found HERE.

The tutorial on How to Cut Out Felt can be found HERE.

The Stitching Glossary can be found HERE.
 

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2012. All rights reserved.