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Count down to the Twelve days of Christmas!
I'm so pleased that we now have supplies kits to make these heirloom Twelve Days' ornaments by designer Larissa Holland of MmmCrafts These incredibly popular patterns are a joy to make and make decorations to be treasured forever.
The downloadable patterns for these are available for purchase at www.mmmcrafts.etsy.com. We have put together the supplies you need to get going. These supplies will make one of each of the 15 ornaments in the the colour version shown in our image here with some left over to make more ornaments. We recommend laying out all the pattern pieces on the felt before starting to make sure the felt is used in the most economical way.
We have 3 options of kits to choose from - felt only, felt and DMC threads or felt, threads and supplies. The supplies you get with the 3rd option are the wooden beads for the heads and hands and the pipe cleaners for bodies. All options have our premium 100% wool felt in 10 beautiful colours. 100% wool felt is an heirloom quality product so your creations will stand the test of time.
To complete the project, it's also very handy to use Sticky Fabri Solvy sabiliser (not essential but highly recommended in the pattern and helps to keep your stitching accurate and cutting precise). You will also need glue, precision scissors, embroidery needles and toy filling (we have polyester or a wool version).You could also add some sparkles - we have lots of beads and sequins to choose from!
The felt colours in our kit from left to right are Chartreuse, Colonel, Sorbet, Strawberry Field, Popeye's Gal, Chai, Blue Moon, Denim and Petroleum. You could of course choose any colour for your ornaments but to make them in the colourway we have put together we used the following colours:
Partridge felt - Denim, Petroleum, Strawberry Field, Colonel
Pear felt - Strawberry Field, Chartreuse, Artichoke
Turtle Dove Felt - Chai, Blue Moon, Chartreuse
French Hen Felt - Artichoke, Strawberry Field, Colonel, Sorbet, Chartreuse
Colly Bird Felt - Popeye's Gal, Chai, Petroleum, Blue Moon
Gold Ring Felt - Colonel, Chartreuse, Blue Moon, Petroleum
Goose a-Laying Felt - Strawberry Field, Blue Moon, Denim, Colonel
Egg Felt - Chai, Artichoke
Swan a-Swimming Felt - Petroleum, Colonel, Blue Moon, Chartreuse, Chai
Maid a-Milking Felt - Chartreuse, Blue Moon, Sorbet, Colonel, Strawberry Field, Petroleum
Drummer Drumming Felt - Blue Moon, Petroleum, Colonel, Popeye's Gal, Chartreuse
Piper Piping Felt - Strawberry Field, Artichoke, Colonel, Chartreuse
Lady Dancing Felt - Denim, Chartreuse, Popeye's Gal, Strawberry Field, Blue Moon
Lord a-Leaping Felt - Artichoke, Sorbet, Chai, Colonel
Heart Felt - Strawberry Field, Sorbet
Pumpkin Pin Cushion DIY
Last Minute Halloween Decorations
Yesterday I was feeling a little jaded after a fantastic (but rare) Saturday night out on the town. Thankfully I managed to persuade my boys to do a bit of crafting - my littlest made thaumatropes, courtesy of the very awesome Mini Eco blog. My eldest made origami bat bunting from my scrap paper pile and I made super quick Halloween decorations with felt balls.
Felt Heart Ornaments
I'm not a huge fan of all the pink, mushy stuff around at this time of the year but I do like to make a few decorations for Valentine's day, just to cheer the house up a bit during these cold, grey days. This is a really quick way of making some felt hearts that would be lovely hung from a door handle (I'm going to put one on each of my boys' doors) or on some twigs. They would also work strung together to make a garland. They use 3mm wool felt, which has great structure for these hearts but it's still super easy to stitch through. What's more, I've just dropped the price of these sheets so it's the perfect time to whip up some of these!
Here's how.....
You will need:
- 20x30cm 3mm wool felt in Blueben
- DMC stranded embroidery threads (I used 444, 604 and 907)
- 2cm felt balls (I used the colours in the Sherbet collection but you can buy the balls individually
- Baker’s twine
- A tapestry and embroidery needle
- Pliers are helpful if you have some
2. Cut the felt into strips so that they are 2x25cm. You can use scissors but it’s easier with a rotary cutter.
2. Using all 6 strands of embroidery thread and the embroidery needle, stitch a running stitch along the middle of the felt strip.
3. When you get to the end put the 2 ends of the strip together and stitch them together on the inside of the strips.
4. Bend the felt in the middle to get a heart shape and stitch to hold the shape in place.
5. Thread a 30cm length of baker’s twine onto the tapestry needle. Thread the twine through the stitch you made at the top of the heart then thread on a felt ball. You might need to use a pair of pliers to pull the twine through the ball. Put your needle on the other end of the twine and thread that too through the ball, very close to where the twine went through first.
6. Tie a knot at the top of the twine, hang up and feel the love! x
Meet Mouse Charming!
We just couldn't keep this little fella a secret any longer - please meet Mouse Charming! This is the second character in the Cindermice Sitch-along. Isn't he handsome? No wonder Cindermouse fell for him :)
If you bought the 3 kit bundle in September the kit to make Mouse Charming has been reserved for you and will be sent out on 31st October. Otherwise, we have a limited number of Mouse Charming kits (kit 2) available for sale.
Don't forget, if you want to see how everyone is getting on or if you want to share your photos with us please post them on Instagram - tag them with #cindermicestitchalong to make sure that we see them (you can also tag @whatdelilahdid and @cloudcraft for good measure if you fancy). And, if you submit your photos by 25th December 2015, you'll be in with a chance to win a lovely prize.
Step into the Secret Garden!
I'm so excited to be collaborating with the lovely Sophie Simpson, aka Delilah from 'What Delilah Did', to bring you an exclusive supplies kit for one of the projects in her latest (yet to be released!) book 'Secret Garden'. 'Secret Garden' is Sophie's third book. It's part story book, part counted-embroidery pattern book and it's really magical. There are 15 botanical-themed projects to suit all levels of stitchers. Some of the stitching is on wool felt (hurray!) and others on linen. What I love about it (apart from all the delightful bees, bugs, butterflies and flowers!) is that all the projects are useful and gorgeous - like the Arbour Alphabet Bunting, which I think would be a treasured house warming or Christening gift. If you’d like to have a go at making this beauty we have put together a limited edition supplies kit, containing the goodies you need to make bunting with 4 flags. The instructions for the project (including patterns for every letter of the alphabet) are not in the kit but are exclusive to the book, which you can get in the shop too, either on it’s own or you can save yourself some money by buying the book and kit bundle!
If you fancy trying one of the projects using linen, Sophie has 3 fabulous, limited edition kits available in the What Delilah Did shop.
The Cindermice Stitch-along is Here!
At last, the Cindermice Stitch-along is here! I've been bursting to tell you all about this since Sophie from What Delilah Did and I started hatching plans for it a few months ago.
Sophie has used her magic again to design 3 gorgeous needlework projects, to hand-stitch 3 beautiful heirloom ornaments. The first in the collection is Cindermouse - the other 2 designs are being kept a surprise for now but will follow the Cinderella theme.
And the best bit? You will be able to stitch-along with Sophie because she has put together video tutorials to take you through all the steps. We are also hoping that stitchers will join us on Instagram and share their progress with #cindermicestitchalong.
The stitch-along will be available as exclusive, limited edition kit boxes, which will be released over the next few months, each of which will contain all the materials you need to make one of the characters. You can subscribe to the whole series or order just one box. You can find them all here. You will also be able buy downloadable patterns from What Delilah Did.
You can find out all the details for the stitch-along here. We really hope you will join us for some stitchy fun and bring a bit of extra magic to the run up to Christmas! x
You Shall Go to the Ball!
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Bringing with her lots of magic and sparkle, here comes the Fairy Godmouse! I'm totally in love with this little character designed by What Dellilah Did for the Cindermice stitch-along. Kits to make this little mouse are now on sale, but be quick because they are limited and are selling fast!
It's been so much fun seeing Cindermice pop up all over the world on Instagram. If you want to see how everyone is getting on or if you'd like to share your photos please use #cindermicestitchalong. And, if you submit your photos by 25th December 2015, you'll be in with a chance to win a very special prize!
Something Fun Around the Corner!
Over the last few months I've been working with Sophie Simpson at What Delilah Did on another exciting project. The details are under wraps until the launch date on 1st September but I promise that it is worth waiting for! If you are keen to hear more you can register for updates here. 11 days to go!
Yes, You Can Make These!
I’ve been thinking of all the lovely things you could do with the framed cufflinks that I have in the shop, such as framing a piece of Liberty print with a tiny pattern or stitching a mini monogram. In the end I decided to do some micro-weaving with embroidery floss! It’s super easy – if you fancy having a go this is what you do.
You will need:
A pair of cufflinks with a frame
Embroidery threads (I chose DMC……………..)
A small piece of fabric for the background
A small piece of thin card board (I cut up a random Top Trumps card I found lying around!)
Double sided sticky tape
Glue stick
What to do:
Unscrew the frame from the cuff link. Trace around the circle on the cuff link post (not the frame) onto your card and onto your background fabric and cut out. Using a glue stick, glue the fabric to the card circle.
Cover the other side of the cardboard circle with double sided sticky tape and trim any bits of tape overhanging the circle.
Separate a length of the embroidery thread into 2 strands. There’s no need to tie a knot in the other end, just attach the end to the sticky tape to hold it in place. Wind the thread 5 times around your circle and attach the end to the tape again.
Thread a needle with your embroidery thread (I used a different colour), and start weaving your thread over and under the threads you’ve already wound around the card. If you started this first line of weaving with an ‘over’, then the second row should start with an ‘under’. I alternated these lines with different thread colours. When you’ve finished weaving, secure the loose end of thread to the sticky tape at the back and cut the tail so it doesn’t show at the front.
Add another piece of sticky tape over all your loose ends at the back to secure them in place and trim any loose bits away.
Pop your weaving into the frame and screw the frame back onto the cufflink post and, Bob’s your uncle, you have a fab pair of cufflinks to wear or give with pride! x
Meet Bobo Stitch!
Have you seen the lovely new woodland themed cross stitch kits by Bobo Stitch that we have in the shop? They are bright and modern with a twinkle of metallic thread and are perfect for beginners as well as more experienced stitchers. Bobo Stitch are all about bringing great contemporary design and quality materials together to create gorgeous things to be proud of. Hannah and I recently met up for a cup of tea and cake and had a chat about her beautiful new book, Modern Cross Stitch.
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This book is packed full of inspiring projects and gorgeous photos. I'm a big fan of stitching with materials other than the usual embroidery threads and fabrics and Hannah has some great ideas for this. My favourite is this chair, stitched with velvet ribbons. Genius!
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Tell us about Bobo Stitch and how you got started
I love to cross stitch. I have always enjoyed the process. I started when I was young and I found it a simple, very relaxing thing to do and I liked the fact I could do it while curled up in front of the television. Time pressure in my 20s meant that the hobby went by the wayside a little, but as my friends began to have children, I started thinking how nice it would be to make something as a bit of a keepsake and so I looked for something to cross stitch. I searched and searched for patterns that weren’t overly cutesy or full of Care Bears but I couldn’t find anything. I had reignited my passion for stitching but was frustrated with the lack of choice, especially given the craft revolution that appeared to be going on in every other genre. I couldn’t believe that I was the only one feeling like this, so just after having my second child (nicknamed Bobo) I started designing and putting together simple but effective contemporary cross stitch kits. I dipped my toe in the water by launching a small shop online (www.bobostitch.co.uk) and it has grown organically from there.
What inspires your designs?
Colouring in!! I launched the business just before the craze for adult colouring kicked in, but when I first started designing I thought back to how much I used to enjoy having a simple outline and filling it with abstract patterns using loads of colours. I enjoyed that so much as a child and wanted to recreate that experience for stitchers of my kits. I love colour - that is my biggest influence. Often I can see a group of colours together and think that I have to come up with a design that utilises them.
Do you ever get ‘designer’s block’ and what do you do to fix it?
Occasionally I know what I want to achieve but struggle to breathe life into a design. Usually I will give it a go, then walk away. In a few days I’ll whack on some really upbeat dance music then revisit it again. More often than not it comes good after that.
Tell us about your new book
When Cico Books approached me to write Modern Cross Stitch I was flattered and terrified all at the same time. Designing, stitching and writing the instructions for more than 30 projects in 4 months was quite a tall order but in the end the ideas flowed really freely and quickly. I wanted to stay true to the Bobo Stitch brand and so used bold outlines, beautiful fresh colours and contemporary patterns to create simple and stylish pieces that would be a pleasure to stitch. I wanted to create a book that an absolute beginner would pick up because they liked the patterns but didn’t feel intimidated by the instructions and that an experienced stitcher would be drawn to by some great new ideas. It was also important to me that lots of the projects in the book weren’t just pictures to hang on the wall, but ways to really use cross stitch, so I included things like bags, bunting, chair seat bases, phone cases and even washi tape wall art. Hopefully I’ve pulled all that off!
Other than cross stitch, what’s your favourite stitch?
That’s quite a tricky one - I feel so ingrained in crosses now! I would love to learn how to do machine embroidery. It can be so unbelievably intricate and effective. I’ll get some lessons soon.
What’s your favourite tool in your sewing box?
It’s not so much of a tool as a material - soluble canvas. I love the stuff. It makes it so easy to sew onto all sorts of fabric to give a really neat finish. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities when browsing vintage fabric shops!
What’s your favourite thing that you’ve stitched?
That’s another really tough question. I get really attached to most of the things that I sew. I love the new Woodland Collection as they look so effective and are really simple to stitch. I also really enjoyed stitching my glow in the dark Nursery Collection. I loved using glow in the dark thread - I was able to come up with designs that meant the thread was hidden and so the finished stitched picture changes from day to night. I love the reaction when people see them for the first time. And the thread really does glow - it’s so fun to use!
Do you have a stitchy top tip to share?
One that I pinched from the lovely Nicole at Follow The White Bunny. Ever noticed that sometimes when you pull your lose end of thread from a skein of thread it can tangle the whole thing and other times it will come free beautifully? Well, when using DMC thread, pull it from the end where the colour number is printed - it really works! Although I hear it is different depending on the brand of thread!
What are your hopes for Bobo Stitch in the future?
From 2016 I hope you will start to see more of my designs stocked in great little online and high street shops. Bobo Stitch is still so young and as a small business owner I am learning all the time. The best thing about it is there are so many opportunities still to take, so many designs to come up with, so many avenues still to explore. I can’t wait.
Thanks Hannah!
You Shall Go to the Ball (in New Fancy Clothes!)
There were so many people who were disappointed to have missed out on the limited edition Cindermice kits last year that I'm so pleased that we are bringing them back again for this Christmas. And this year they are dressed in fabulous new clothes!
Sophie Simpson, the designer and author behind 'What Delilah Did' has used her magic to update her gorgeous Cindermice designs to give a new twist to these gorgeous needlework projects. There are 3 heirloom ornaments to hand-stitch with a Cinderella theme - there's Cindermouse, Mouse Charming and the Fairy Godmouse!
And the best bit? You will be able to stitch-along with Sophie because she has put together video tutorials to take you through all the steps. We are also hoping that stitchers will join us again on Instagram and share their progress with #cindermicestitchalong.
The kits are available for pr-order now, and will be shipped on 21st October.
You can find out all the details for the stitch-along here. We really hope you will join us for some stitchy fun and extra magic to your festive season!