Featured on Very Berry Handmade

This morning a very special thanks goes out to Very Berry Handmade for featuring our Doctor Kit Pattern in her spotlight on Folksy Patterns.  If you don't know already, Folksy is our newest venue for selling our patterns.  It's pretty much a UK version of Etsy.

If you haven't seen this pattern before, I would like to tell you a couple of things about it.  First it is so easy to sew.  There are lots of pieces, which gives a big impact when you look at it, but it is truly a beginner pattern.  Each piece is incredibly easy to put together.  Secondly, this pattern really is a must have if you have toddlers/preschoolers to gift to.  They LOVE this pattern.  Belle, Maggie, and Kamille will actually spend hours playing with this Doctor Kit. I added some great elements you don't get in the cheap plastic kits, like bandages, splints for broken arms, a face mask, nurse's hat, and blood pressure cuff. 

PRICE COMPARISON

On Amazon, the plastic kits range from $14.95 to $39.99 (For Melissa and Doug).  They are full of small pieces that really aren't for toddlers (plus they get lost).   I bought a plastic kit for Kamille last Christmas and the stethoscope was broken by the end of the day.  Most of the pieces a lost or thrown away.  For the same $15.00 you could as the plastic and cardboard kit, you could make the pattern kit with LOADS of extra pieces.  You could probably make 2 kits for the same price.  (And I only say that b/c the pattern is $6.00). 

Free Tutorial Friday - How to Make Mini Hats

See Mini Hats Down And Dirty and 1000's of others - or share your own on Cut Out + Keep

Here is my super simple and speedy tutorial on mini hats.  I use hot glue to make them so simple.

Happy Crafting!

Free Tutorial Fridays - No Sew Pumpkin Halloween Costume

As promised, I am going to give you the tutorial to make this great Halloween costume.  A little background:

I made this entire costume for less than $5.00 (actually it was $1.00 plus some stuff I had in the craft room).  This costume would be totally cute for an adult, especially as a maternity costume or just to wear to your child's class part of for passing out candy.  You can get everything to make the pumpkin and hat at the dollar store.  My dollar store always has t-shirts and I lucked out this time they were actually from the Disney Store.  If you cannot get a shirt at the dollar store, check Michael's and Joann's.  They almost always have craft shirts on sale 2 for $5.  You could also make this long sleeve.  I was thinking of layering it over a green sweatsuit.  If you bought a man sized shirt you could even make this into a little pumpkin dress for an adult.  You can make this entire shirt and hat no-sew with hot glue, fabric glue, or fusible web.  One note, if you use craft fuse, felt will melt onto your iron.  Use a sheet of white paper as a "pressing cloth".    


See Pumpkin Halloween Costume No Sew Simple and 1000's of others - or share your own on Cut Out + Keep

I posted it on one of my new favorite sites www.cutoutandkeep.net.  Click the link above to get my step-by-step tutorial and you can make this costume in under 20 minutes. 

Happy Sewing!

Free Fabric Flower Tutorial, Tips, and Tricks

I just thought that I would share this super easy craft Lisa and I make for our shows.  If you do shows, you need to have some smaller, lower priced item that people can pick up as little gifts or stocking stuffers.  You could make these patriotic, Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc.  This would also make a really great birthday party favor.

I read online that you could cut felt with the cricut if you fused down stabilizer to the back.  Maybe you can with the Expression, but I only have the little Cricut Personal.  It was really a disaster.  It didn't work and I wasted $30.00 on the deep blade housing. 

Plus, I had a couple of yards of felt with fusible stabilizer on the back.  So, instead of giving up hope, I decided to try by die cutter.  Guess what?  It works like a charm. 

I used the Sizzix "Flower Layers 3" Die found here  (I actually buy them in Michael's or Joanns with a coupon). 

I also used the original "Flower Layers" shown below.  I was just on the Sizzix website and they have about 50 different flower dies to choose from.  There are a couple that look like poinsettias which would be so pretty for Christmas.

I don't actually have the Sizzix machine.  I have the small Cricut Die Cutter.  The Sizzix dies work in it. 

I just cut the felt down into 4"x6" pieces. 

Then I placed 2 layers of felt over the die and cranked it through the machine.

You do not need to put stabilizer.  You can use regular or stiffened felt. 

Then, I layered up the flowers in random order.  For the centers, I used a pompom.  You can get a bag of these at most Dollar Stores.  I stitched right through the pompom, wrapped the thread around the pony tail holder (also from the Dollar Store) and then come out the top of the pompom.  Then I tied the thread and left it sticking out. 

I used that string thread that you use for fillet crochet and a big upholstery needle.

These little flowers are about $.05-$.10 a piece to make. 

You could also attach these flowers to pins, hats, headbands, alligator clips, etc. 

Idea 2

Another great project Lisa and I did with felt and die cuts is to make felt dress up dolls for a felt board.  If you have never seen a felt board, the name basically implies what it is.  It is some felt glued onto a board.  The easiest way to make one if to take a piece of foam core board and spray glue down a large piece of felt to cover the board or the glue a piece of felt onto one of those little cork boards you get at the dollar store. 

Anyway little kids love these boards because the pieces of felt stick together and they can make pictures and tell stories. 

In addition to cutting out the basic shapes with my shapes dies, we also used the "Dress Ups" line to cute out people.  The body actually makes a boy or a girl depending on what hair you cut out.  They also have clothing dies.  This ended up being a very fun project and it only took a few minutes.  With my daughter in preschool, I will probably be using this project idea to make b-day gifts in a very affordable way. 

The Sizzix dies also come in animals, letter, and pretty much anything else you can imagine. 

Free Tutorial Friday ~ Busy Beaver Lunch Sack

Check in with us every Friday to get your free tutorial/patterns. I thought that Friday was a perfect day to find a great weekend project. And this one can be accomplished in time to send a yummy lunch on Monday for your little back to schooler. Try it out this weekend by packing up a picnic lunch and taking the family to a local park or nature center. This little guy will be right at home!

Busy Beaver Lunch Sack PDF Pattern

With under a yard total of felt you can make this little guy in just a short period of time. New to sewing? Not to worry!!! This pattern comes with a step by step picture tutorial to aid you along the way.  Please feel free to post questions/comments in the comments box below.

We would love to see what you've done! Head on over to the Boutique It on Flickr group to post photos of your finished projects.

Happy Crafting!