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A simple weaving technique is used heretry the same idea for other electronics!
designed by:

ellen luckett baker

from your stash

Piece of gray 2 mm felt, approximately 8 x 11 inches (21.6 x 27.9 cm) Piece of white 2 mm felt, approximately 8 x 3 inches (21.6 x 7.6)

make

1 Cut the white felt into three 1 x 8-inch (2.5 x 21.6 cm) strips. 2 Place the gray felt on the cutting mat and mark the lines on the back of the felt as shown on the cutting diagram (page 115). 3 Using a rotary cutter, carefully cut slits along the marked lines. Flip the felt over so that the slits are still on the right side of the felt, but now on the front. 4 With a 1-inch (2.5 cm) strip, weave over and under, through the slits.
With the next strip, weave the opposite way. Then finish with the last strip, weaving over and under as you did with the first one. Pin in place at the edges if needed (fig. A).

gather

Basic felt sewing kit (page 7) Diagrams (page 115) Matching thread

note:

The instructions that follow are for an e-reader that is approximately 4 x 7 inches (12 x 19 cm). To adjust the felt cutting dimensions to fit your e-reader, measure your ereader and add 1 inch (2.5 cm) vertically and 1 inches (3.8 cm) horizontally. The seam allowance for this project is inch (3 mm).

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stash happy FELT

5 Starting from the top left corner of the gray felt, sew a line across the top, inch (3 mm) from the edge, to secure the top strips. You will start at the left corner so that the stitching will go all the way across the top of what will become the opening of the case (fig. B). 6 Fold the piece in half at its width, with the woven strips on the front of the felt piece. Pin in place if needed, and sew the piece together along the side and bottom, inch (3 mm) from the edge using the assembly diagram (page 115) as a guide.

TOTE
g. A

This sturdy bag lets your wine or champagne travel first class.
designed by:

thom ohearn

g. B

To make this project no-sew, just substitute glue for the stitches.

variation!

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stash happy FELT

from your stash

51

wine TOTE

4 pieces of felt, each 12 x 6 inches (32.4 x 16.5 cm) 4 pieces of felt, each 4 x 7 inches (10.2 x 17.8 cm) 2 pieces of fabric, each 12 x 6 inches (32.4 x 16.5 cm) 2 pieces of fabric, each 4 x 7 inches (10.2 x 17.8 cm) Scraps of felt or fabric

make

1 Enlarge and trace the tote and handle templates from page 114
onto the felt pieces and cut out the shapes four times (you will have a double layer of felt pieces for each).

4 If you would like to add a

2 Using the tote and handle templates, cut two tote pieces and two
handle pieces from the fabric.

gather

Basic felt sewing kit (page 7) Templates (page 114) Embroidery floss

3 Sew together two pieces of felt and one piece of fabric for each side of the tote and each of the two handles. A sewing machine is recommended for the strength of the stitches, but you can sew by hand (fig. A).

5 Place one of the two tote handle pieces about inch (1.3 cm) over the top of one of the two tote body pieces. Sew the pieces together. 6 Repeat step 5 with the remaining tote handle and tote body piece. 7 With right sides of the tote together, sew the bottom, left, and right sides up through where the handles attach. You may stop about inch (1.3 cm) from the top so that the bag will open wider if needed.

g. A

g. B

This project can be even scrappier if you want. You can use different colors of felt for the body and the handles, or you can combine felt scraps to make the 12 x 6-inch (32.4 x 16.5 cm) pieces of felt for the outside of the tote (like the Owl Plush Toy, page 56)!

variation!

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whale
Hell be quite content to hold your pins and needlesjust no harpoons, please!
designed by:

cathy gaubert

from your stash

Piece of aqua felt (upper body and fins), 8 x 12 inches (20.3 x 30.5 cm) Piece of white felt (underbelly), 7 x 7 inches (17.8 x 17.8 cm) Piece of red felt (heart and fish), 4 x 4 inches (10.2 x 10.2 cm) Piece of blue felt (waterspouts), 4 x 4 inches (10.2 x 10.2 cm)

make

the whale

gather

Basic felt sewing kit (page 7) Templates (page 124) 6 flat head quilters pins Embroidery floss in black and red Sewing thread in aqua and red Wool or polyester stuffing

1 Trace the fin (twice), gusset, and side template from page 125 onto the aqua felt. Then trace the reverse of the side template. Make sure to mark the letters with a disappearing ink fabric marker on the gusset and sides: On the side piece, mark point B at the nose and point A at the tail end, and on the reversed side piece, mark point D at the nose and point C at the tail end. Cut out the shapes. 2 Match points A on the side and
gusset. Stitch with an -inch (3 mm) seam allowance from A to B. You can snip off the excess at the front end once you have sewn both sides to the gusset.

3 Match points C on the reverse side and the gusset, and stitch from C to D. Trim the excess straight across. 4 Referring to the template for placement, stitch the eyes with four strands of black floss. With two strands of black floss, stitch the lashes (fig. A). 5 Trace the underside template from
page 125 onto the white felt and cut out the shape, making a slit that measures approximately 2 inches (6.4 cm) (this is where you will insert the stuffing later). Transfer markings for the fins, where the gusset should match up, and mark point E.

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whale PINCUShION

stash happy FELT

the pins

q Using craft scissors, carefully snip off the three sides of the flat head quilters pins, leaving a little bit of the plastic surrounding the top of the pin. w Trace the waterspout templates from page 124 onto the blue felt and cut out the three waterspouts. Sandwich one pin between a spout and the remaining blue felt. Carefully stitch together the spout and felt close to the edge of the spout shape, enclosing the pinhead. Trim the felt along the edges of the spout (fig. C). e Repeat step 11 to make the remaining two spouts. r Trace the fish templates from page 124 onto the red felt two times and cut out three of the six traced pieces. Embroider an eye on each piece, making sure to create matching sets. Assemble the three matching fish pins together. Trim the felt along the edges of the fish (fig. D).
g. A g. D

t Poke the pins into the whale, and youve got yourself a handy pincushion. Or you can keep the pins out and have a cute new softie for the kiddos.

6 Tack the fins into place on the underbelly with a few basting stitches, leaving long tails so that the stitches can be pulled out later. 7 Matching points E on the gusset and underbelly, carefully stitch from point E around one side of the tail, the body, and then the other side of the tail, ending where you began.
g. B

8 Stuff firmly with wool or polyester stuffing. Close the opening with a few stitches. 9 Trace the heart templates from page 124 onto the red felt and cut out the shape. Place the heart on the belly, covering up the now-closed opening. Using two strands of red embroidery floss, attach the heart to the belly (fig. B).

g. E g. C

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Who doesnt love a new felt-feathered friend?

designed by:

from your stash gather

Felt scraps in assorted colors

Basic felt sewing kit (page 7) Templates (page 116) Embroidery floss Pinking shears Buttons, colored fabric, or other embellishments White chalk Polyester stuffing

1 Trace the template of your choice (small or large) from page 116 onto paper and cut it out. Dont worry about being too precise: A wonky shape gives these owls more character. 2 Assemble your scraps. This is a little like putting together a puzzle. You can cut them down to the shape you need if necessary. Roughly organize them into a shape big enough to cover your template, plus about inch (1.3 cm) around all edges. Repeat for the reverse side (fig. A). 3 Start stitching your pieces
together. Pick up a scrap and the

make

one next to it, overlap them to inch (6 mm to 1.3 cm), and sew them together using embroidery floss and a whipstitch (the overlap is important since it will keep your stuffing from leaking out) (fig. B).

Dont worry about making it too neat! The charm of scrappy stuffed toys is that theyre totally unique.

TIP

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owl PLUSh TOY

stash happy FELT

4 Stitch another scrap to the last one, using the same technique as step 3. Keep stitching until all scraps are sewn together securely.
the embellishments
g. A

5 When youve got two pieces of patchwork felt big enough to cover your template, determine which piece to use as the front. Add the face or other decorations to this piece.
g. B

6 For the eyes, cut two circles out of fabric with pinking shears, sew a button in the middle of each, and stitch them to the front panel (fig. C). 7 For the nose, cut a small triangle from felt and hand stitch it in place between the eyes.
assembly

8 Pin the front and back pieces together, right sides facing, and trace the template onto the felt with white chalk (fig. D). Sew around the edges following this outline, leaving the bottom open. 9 Cut off the excess seam allowance.
g. D
Turn the owl right side out, stuff, and sew up the opening.

g. C

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Felted wool sweater scraps turn into a needle-felted nature scene.

designed by:

from your stash

Scraps of thick felted white wool sweater Scraps of lightweight white felt, as from a blazer or pair of pants Wool roving in white, brown, dark brown, moss green, and gray Wool yarn (optional)

make

the mushrooms

gather

Basic felt sewing kit (page 7) Felting needles in sizes 38 and 40 Felting foam Glass apothecary jar, jelly jar, or candle jar

1 Form stems for your mushrooms by wrapping strips of the felted sweater with white roving and needle felting using a size 38 needle. Continue to add layers of roving until you have the desired shape and the stem is firm enough to support the weight of its cap. Be sure to make the stem long enough to be seated down into the base of the scene by about inch (1.3 cm). 2 Cut a doughnut-shaped piece of the felted sweater, making the center hole just large enough for the mushroom stem to fit through. This will become the base for your mushroom gills.

3 Cut several strips of the lightweight felt into pieces about x 1 inch (1.3 x 2.5 cm). These will become the gills for your mushroom. 4 Place the doughnut shape on the felting foam. Using a size 40 needle, carefully needle down the middle of one of the white strips until it begins to felt to the base. The edges of the strip will begin to naturally fold upward as the center becomes securely felted. Once the piece is secure, repeat the process with another strip directly across from the first. Continue to fill in the entire base with gill strips (figs. A, B, & C).

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63

mushroom TERRaRIUM

stash happy FELT

the scene

5 Trim the gills to sit flush with the outside diameter of the gill base and to be of a uniform height (fig. D). 6 Insert the mushroom stem through the hole in the gill base and needle it to secure it to the base (fig. E).
g. B g. A

9 Cut out two circles from the felted sweater, using the glass jar as a template. One circle should be the same size as the bottom of your jar, and one should be slightly smaller. (If youre not using a jar, cut the pieces to the size and shape you would like for a base.) q Stack the two base pieces, wrap them in dark brown roving, place them on the felting foam, and needle them together until the piece is uniformly covered. This will create the dirt in your scene and the base for your mushrooms. Check to be sure the base fits firmly into your jar. If it doesnt, you can needle the base into shape or add more roving until it fits. If desired, needle gray roving into pebble shapes and attach them to the bottom of the base. w Wrap moss green roving around
the outside of the base and needle it into place, leaving the top of the base uncovered.

7 Cut a circle of felted sweater slightly smaller than the gill base. Wrap the piece in brown roving, place it on the felting foam, and needle it until the roving has covered the piece entirely. This is the beginning of your mushroom cap. Place this piece on the gill base and carefully needle it in place, taking care not to push the needle all the way through to the gills. Once the piece is tacked in place, wrap brown roving around the edge of the cap, and needle it into place to cover the exposed gill edges. Continue to needle the brown roving around the edge and over the top of the cap until youve achieved the desired size and shape (fig. F). 8 Repeat steps 1 to 7 to create a second mushroom. If desired, form the second mushroom smaller and without the gills.

e Designate the spots where your mushrooms will be planted and cut small, shallow holes in the top of the base to accommodate them. Needle the mushroom stems into the holes. Continue wrapping and needle felting moss green wool around the base and mushroom stems until the base is covered and the mushroom stems are secure. r Add details to your piece by using scrap pieces of felted wool and wool yarn. Wrap gray roving around small pieces of felted sweater and needle it to form stones. Cut thin pieces of roving into leaf shapes. A small scrap of wool yarn can be needled to the leaf to act as a stem. Needle these details directly to the base. Small scraps of wool can also be needled beneath the moss layer to add height and interest (fig. G). t Place your completed scene into the jar, pressing firmly into place.

g. D g. C

g. E g. E g. G

g. F

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from your stash

Piece of 2 mm felt, 2 x 6 inches (5.1 x 15.2 cm) Piece of backing fabric, 2 x 6 inches (5.1 x 15.2 cm)

gather

Basic felt sewing kit (page 7) Templates (page 121) inch (3 mm) mini hole punch inch (6 mm) hole punch (standard size) 2 to 4 inches (5.1 to 10.2 cm) of elastic Matching thread

1 Trace the bracelet template you wish to use from page 121 onto the felt and fabric and cut out the shapes. When cutting the felt, its helpful to pin the template paper directly onto the felt and use a pair of small, sharp scissors. 2 With the template still pinned to your felt, punch the holes as indicated. First make the smaller holes, then punch the larger holes in the center of the design (fig. A). 3 Place small dots of fabric glue along the edges of the backing fabric and adhere it to the back of the felt. Allow the glue to dry for at least an hour before starting the next step. 4 Measure the elastic and adjust it so that the bracelet will fit the wrist (it should slip on and off easily). Cut the elastic accordingly and sew it to the back of the bracelet at both ends, using a straight stitch (fig. B).

make

g. A

With just a scrap of red felt and some fabric, this charming accessory is a snap to make!
designed by:

ellen luckett baker

Add embellishments like embroidery or beading or cut intricate designs into the felt with a craft knife.

variation!

g. B

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from your stash

Black machine-washable felt, 5 x 12 inches (12.7 x 30.5 cm) 2 pieces of gray machinewashable felt, 7 x 10 inches (17.8 x 25.4 cm) and about 6 x 6 inches (15.2 x 15.2 cm)

gather

Basic felt sewing kit (page 7) Templates (page 119) White T-shirt Iron and ironing board Light brown embroidery floss

3 Apply glue to the wrong side of the gray oval tummy piece (piece A). Center this piece on the front of the shirt and set it in place. Starting at the center of the oval, press firmly and continue outward. Allow the glue to fully dry before continuing. 4 Apply glue to the wrong side of the black tail piece (piece B). Center this piece on the back of the shirt horizontally with the bottom edges aligned and set in place. Starting at the center of the tail, press firmly and continue outward. 5 Apply glue to the wrong sides of the gray tail stripes (pieces C and D). Place these pieces on the black tail piece using the photos as a guide and press firmly. Allow the glue to fully dry before continuing. 6 Finish by topstitching with the brown embroidery floss around the inside of the tummy, tail, and tail stripes (figs. A & B).

1 Prepare the T-shirt by machine washing and drying it to avoid further shrinking after your project is complete. Iron out any wrinkles. 2 Trace the templates from page 119 onto the black (piece B) and gray felt (pieces A, C, & D), and cut out the shapes.

make

Only three scraps of felt can transform this shirt for your little critter.
designed by:

mary rasch

g. B g. A

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Just a little bit of felt makes for a whole lot of style.

amanda carestio

from your stash

Two pieces of sturdy felt, each 9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm) Sheet of coordinating felt, 9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm)

1 From the sturdy felt, cut one piece 4 x 9 inches (11.4 x 22.9 cm) and one piece 9 x 9 inches (22.9 x 22.9 cm). 2 From the fabric, cut one piece 5 x 9 inches (14 x 22.9 cm) and one piece 9 x 9 inches (22.9 x 22.9 cm).
the front panel

make

coordinating felt. Spray baste, position, and stitch them to the felt side of the front panel.

gather

Basic felt sewing kit (page 7) Template (page 114) Matching thread Store-bought purse clasp Vintage button

3 Spray baste together the smaller sections of felt and fabric with wrong sides facing, leaving the extra inch (2.5 cm) of fabric at the top edge. 4 Cut two 4 x -inch (11.4 x 1.3 cm) strips from the

5 Trace the clasp template from page 114 onto the coordinating felt twice. Cut one shape to the full length and one to the line indicated on the template. Put the shorter piece aside for now. Spray baste and position the full-length piece in the center of the panel and stitch in place (fig. A). 6 Fold the extra fabric over the edge
twice (catching the raw edges of the strips and clasp template piece), pin, and stitch in place.

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stash happy FELT

assembly

q Line up the bottom raw edges of the front and back panels with wrong sides facing. Stitch the pieces together along the left, bottom, and right edges. w Cut or piece together 2 inch-wide (6.4 cm) strips of fabric for binding. Youll need about 45 inches (114 cm) total. Iron under each long edge of the binding inch (6 mm), and then iron the binding in half lengthwise. e Working from the front of the clutch, stitch the binding to the raw edge with right sides together (fig. B). Fold the binding over, and stitch it to the back of the clutch (fig. C).

g. A

g. B

the back panel

7 Spray baste together the larger

If you have enough coordinating felt, you can use it as binding instead of using the fabric.

TIP

8 Cut two 9 x -inch (22.9 x 1.3 cm) strips from the coordinating felt. Spray baste and position them on the felt side of the back panel so that they line up with the strips on the front panel when the clutch is folded. Stitch the strips in place. 9 Spray baste and position the shorter purse clasp template piece from step 5 at the center top edge of the back panel, making sure it lines up with the piece on the front panel when the clutch is folded. Stitch the clasp template piece in place.

r Attach the purse clasp to the center of the front panel (fig. D) and to the center or the back panel where they should meet. t Fold the clutch over and attach the button at the top center.

g. C

Personalize your clutch with felt hexagons (like in the Hexy Stocking on page 19), felt zigzag strips, cut felt initials, or a cute appliqu shape (like the owl in the Owly Lunch Bag on page 28).

variation!

g. D