Love letters tutorial

Now for two projects with a little love. Lately it has been so cold, and last night, after a few chilly recesses, my daughter asked for a pocket tissue pack for school. I know these projects have been around a while, and are not at all original, but they are still cute and fun to make with felt.

And this little loving reminder or early Valentine's Day treat, was just as easy to stitch up alongside the tissue holder.

So for the two you need: Felt, embroidery floss, scissors, pins, a needle, pencil, tissue pack, and a snap clip.
Cut a rectangle big enough to fit around your tissues, mine was about 5 1/2" x 6 1/2".
Using your pencil and a light hand (you can't erase it), write your message. I wrote "I love you", but a name or "feel better" would be cute too. Make sure that your message will match up when you wrap it around the tissues. If you make a mistake flip your rectangle over and try again.
Now start embroidering. I used three strands of floss for both projects. (Embroidery floss is six stranded, so separate it to just use three.) This isn't perfection, its heartfelt, so don't worry too much about the evenness of your stitch length, I used a backstitch. Come up a stitch over and then...
back and down at the beginning of previous stitch.
Once your embroidery is done, fold each side to the middle and pin in place.
Blanket stitch each edge closed. Go from front to back making sure to catch thread in stitch.

Slide tissues into pocket and you're done.

Now, for the snap clip, place the clip on felt and cut a rectangle larger than the clip. Make it bigger than you think so that you can trim it down. Cut a second identical rectangle.
Lightly write your word on the felt. A small word is best, something like "JOY" or a child's name wold be great as well.
Backstitch your letters.
On second rectangle, cut a small slit just big enough for the smaller end of the clip to slide through.
Pin your embroidered rectangle in place.
The back should look like this, with the smaller side of the clip exposed.
Now, do a running stitch around the edge, a little further in so you can clean up the edges of the rectangles.
Trim around the rectangle with scissors to even up the edges and clip in hair.
And there you have it, two love letters for sending them out on chilly days.

Felt Flower Tutorial

My name is Somer of Rainy Day Wren and I am a long time customer of Material Girls. And, well, I kind of hijacked things here.

Like I said, I have been shopping at the Material Girls for a long time and I often get butterflies when I see a new fabric line. But today I went in for some felt and my heart skipped a beat when I saw all the beautiful colors. "Nadine," I said, "these colors are amazing! I think I'm in love." To which she said, "I know, but I haven't advertised it much." So I took the challenge to find some fun projects for the amazing array of colors.

As I drove home, my mind was reeling with ideas. Just trust me when I say these colors are edible, but I couldn't settle on just one idea.
So, first up we have a flower brooch/hair clip.
To start you need: a glue gun, scissors, headband/hair clip/pin back of your choice, felt, and a button or bell, if desired, for the center. You will also need a piece of scrap paper and pencil for making a template.
You need two circle templates, one about 3" diameter and one 2" diameter. I used a drinking glass and a cookie cutter to make my circle template.
Pin template to felt and cut out 8 0r 9 large circles and two small circles. (You need 9 if you want a rose and 8 if you want a peony with a button or bell center.)
If you want to put your flower on a headband, cut two slits in the middle of one of the small circles. Now, place a small bead of hot glue in the middle of a large circle and...
fold it in half. Hold it there for about thirty seconds.
Place a bead of glue on folded circle, where shown, and...
fold again. Hold in place until it is secure and glue is dry.
Repeat with the other seven circles (if you are using nine, leave the ninth alone for now.)
Put hot glue on small circle without slits and place two folded circles with folds facing on the circle.
Repeat with two more folded circles, matching similar folds. (Two folds by two folds, double thickness folds by double thickness fold.)
This is what it should look like from the back. Flip it back over and repeat with four more circles, centering them over the first to hide the folds. (You can see what I mean in the next photo.)
If you want a jingle bell or button center glue that in place now. A fabric covered button would be darling.
For rose center, fold circle in half but don't glue it. Then, place glue up about 1/4" from fold and...
pinch through one layer at glue bead.
Put a dollop of glue in center of flower and press point of circle in place.
Glue pin back and top edge of hair clip to small circle with slits. Open clip to make sure you don't glue it shut and make sure you glue the top and not the bottom of the clip. (I placed the headband through the slits to show how that works. The teeth of the headband will keep the flower from sliding.)
Put glue on circle, being careful not to glue between slits.
Attach your circle to the back of your flower.
If you want a leaf, cut a 1" square from green felt and fold and glue like a cone.
Glue it to your flower and you're done. Slide headband through slits when you want to wear it that way.
Pin, clip, wear your flower anyway you want.

Opps! I goofed!

Okay, maybe I really should start using that Franklin planner, I thought today was the 10th and its not! the Giveaway is for the 10th, so...., you still have time to enter!! Someday, I really am going to get organized and boy when I do look out!!! go to http://www.giveawaytoday.blogspot.com/ and enter to WIN!!! Oh, and in case you are wondering theses kits are only $2.95 a piece!
Nadine!!!!

Give Away Today!!! (Tomorrow)

Still need to get a few simple, easy homemade gifts to neighbors, teachers, or need to spruce up the tree a bit? We will be giving these away tomorrow!! Thats right! Free! Just go to the www.giveawaytoday.blogspot.com and register to win. If you haven't been to this site yet, you are missing out. Each day they give something awesome away!! Its so much fun!! and who doesn't love something free!! So mark your calenders and head on over there tomorrow and register for one of the fun prizes they are giving away.

Good luck!

Nadine:)

Precious!!

How cute are these? I made them for my neighbor who just had a baby girl. The quilt under them is also for her but I need to take it to the quilter. The booties are so cute it might be my new favorite thing to make. Really easy and fast which is my kind of project! So Allie congratulations on the baby girl and your quilt is coming!

Welcome to the newest girl on the block!

Nadine!

Not just one but two!!!

Okay, what an exciting day at the shop. We didn't just get one fantastic line, we got two Sandi Hendersons "Meadowsweet" and Paula Prass "Woodland Delight" it was just like Christmas!!! We are so excited!! The colors and designs on both of these lines just are happy, fun, and oh so cute!!! So hury down!

Nadine:)

Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey is here!!

Are you drooling yet!! This is a really yummy line, I want a piece of all of it. I brought some home tonight to make an apron and I have a couple of other ideas up my sleeve!! Its FANTABULOUS!!!!! We have it all for your viewing pleasure cut and fat quartered just for you!, you'll be giddy!! Its so cute!! So stop by the store soon, and don't forget we have all her matching designer felts also!! LUCKY! At Material Girls we don't just buy part of the line we buy the entire line. So always know you can find full lines at our shop!

Okay, well I am off to sew with my pile of happiness:) See ya soon!!

Nadine