tiny fabric chicks tutorial....just in time for spring

this darling little chick tutorial is just in time for spring. make a whole little nest from just a few scraps of fabric and a bit of stuffing.

my little chicks are featured on the cover of this new book that came in the mail this week! make me i'm yours...just for fun has 20 little handmade projects inside including my little ipod sweater. both of my projects are from my book pretty little felts. this collaborative project was put together by northlight. love the little size only 7 inches square.



you will need:
cotton fabric scraps, wool felt scraps, black beads for eyes, embroidery floss, stuffing, and any little ribbons or accessories.


step 1.
click on the pattern image and print the pattern. i'm trying something new here, including the pattern right in my post. would love to know if it works for everyone. the chick pattern should be just over 3 inches tall.
cut out cotton and felt pieces. i like to trace the pattern on the wrong side of the cotton fabric and sew right along my lines.


step 2. sew the wings together using s short stitch length. turn the wings right side out and stuff. pin the wing pieces to the body as shown and lay the other body piece on top, pin together.


step 3. sew around the body leaving an opening at the bottom as shown on the pattern.


step 4. turn the body right side out and stuff. sew the opening closed with a needle and thread.

step 5. cut out the felt pieces for the eyes, beak and feet and pin in place until you get the expression you like. sew the eyes, beak and feet in place by hand using one strand of matching embroidery floss and a blanket stitch.


step 6. using a thin needle and strong thread sew tiny black beads on the eyes. finish by adding a tiny ribbon bow or rosebud if you like.

here are some other ideas for inspiration...
a little owlet

and mim the cat designed by my daughter.


hope you all have fun making your little cheepers. send me a photo of your little chicks and i will include it with this post with your link for more ideas.
happy spring day....
julie

easter bunnies and chenille chicks....

3 little bunnies for your easter basket....
their names are sophie, josie, and lulu.

made with vintage fabrics, ruffles, and buttons. each has a sweet little hand embroidered face. i have a whole little basket of these so far....

sophie loves chocolate foil eggs, easter parties, and walks in the woods. her sister josie is crazy about carrot souffle, loves to gather flowers in her basket and keeps wishing she wore ballet slippers. lulus favorite thing is to make pink lemonade cupcakes. she loves to decorate easter eggs and hates to sing at parties.

had to show you their little vintage pom tails.


these little chenille chicks swing in their own egg baskets. how sweet is that!
i adore their little crackled eggs and the darling vintage chenille stems and velvet blossoms.




some chenille baskets and paper mache bunny and chick containers are in the works. these two just made it into the photo.


i got an old wooden collapsable drying rack from my grandma and put it to use this week when i spent a whole day dying crepe paper ruffles. love these 5 new colors together, sunflower, summer peach, strawberry pink, bluebird, and mint green.
yummie.


with all the sunshine happening here its a wonder i am getting anything done at all.
hope you had a lovely spring day...
julie

vintage valentine tutorial

i started making these layered vintage fabric valentines a couple of years ago. i have quite a collection now.

you can see a few of my favorites here:
i started working on this valentine at our art group. they take just a few bits and pieces of old papers and fabrics and a needle and thread.

1. start with a heavy water color paper base. i like to tear the edges. you can either make it flat or so that the card is folded.

2. lay a base coat of paint down in a square like for this valentine cupids arrow
or use a square of a vintage linen piece like i used for this tutorial.




3. begin a loose grid by selecting papers, sheer fabrics and trims and cutting little squares. lay them down on your base and experiment with layering one on top of another until you like the design.


4. add a few pretty bits to each square and sew, glue, or pin them in place. i like to use millinery flowers, ribbon, appliques, tinsel, rhinestones, ruffles, velvet ribbon, sequins, and vintage pins.

here is each little square and what i used:
the first square has a piece of vintage book paper with a layer of sheer flocked polka dot fabric, a vintage cafe curtain. on top of that i sewed a tiny millinery bouquet with floss and tied a silk ribbon around it.


the second square has a piece of vintage pink eyelet lace with an applique on top.
a bit of tinsel is sewn in place for the center. little dark pink stitches are sewn along one side.


the third square has a base of a piece of an old quilt~the back of the piece, a bit of vintage petticoat ruffles and a strip of rhinestones that came from an old costume.



the fourth square has a base of an old dresser scarf, a pink velvet heart cut from a ribbon on an old easter hat, some sequins i took off the applique sewn on with little french knots for each center, a vintage pin and ribbon banner.



so fun and easy to put together especially if you have little collection of bits and pieces you keep together. i like to add things by color or holiday to a zip lock bag so i have them quick and ready to go. this stuff was all in my pink valentine bag...

today i got in the mail this lovely cone from my art friend lorraine.aren't i just the luckiest girl! of course i saved this sweet pink book for just this moment. i have been eating the salted caramels she tucked inside while i have been writing this post, yummmie!


i love how she added the lace piece over the craft paper cone and made this little tulle and lace accent.


she even used one of my posies for the top and added a punched paper sash, how gorgeous.


and just to leave you with a bit more pink that is on my desk and making me happy
here are the new sugared millinery eggs i found


a stack of business cards my niece rachelle made for me. love, and love that spun cotton cattail. hope to get a few more back in my shop, they sold out in 2 days!


and the last photo is of the pink angel i made using one of the dolls by nicole sayre. she is sending you a bit of valentine love...
julie

little bunnies in a basket

i can't even wait to post these until valentines day is over.
yes....it is holiday jumping, but i started sewing these little
bunnies and stuffing them in this basket and i just want to show
someone!
they are making me very happy~
4 1/2 inches tall made from vintage and dyed fabrics. i have been making one a day just to tweak the pattern a bit. i drew a little pattern using a vintage bunny i bought. it was so sweet, had 5 cents stamped on the bottom.

i was supposed to show you a tutorial for making layered paper and sheer fabric valentines today, got a little sidetracked.
hope you are having a great thursday, julie

vintage red hearts

i found this darling little red leather heart case on etsy a few months ago. it just had my name on it....
it was made by beauty mate in west germany and held a little red handled manicure set, only one little piece is left inside. i think i want to turn it into a little needle case.
these are the new ruffles i made today. there is something just so relaxing about sewing up yards and yards of lovely red ruffles and then rolling them carefully up in a wheel of paper ruffles.


this crepe paper was made by the dennison company in the 1930's. it is a huge sheet of bricks to decorate a chimney i think. i cut the rows apart so each ruffle would have a little band of 'mortar' along the edges.


i have plans for a few more valentines to make this week, how about you?

velvet kiss...valentine matchbox tutorial

yesterday i dyed a new batch of crepe paper ruffles. love the nude pink and velvet kiss for valentines day.

last night just before going to bed i made this little lunch box valentine. such a sweet little surprise...

any little matchbox will do, i like these waterproof matches by coghlans as they are a bit deeper.

gather together your matchbox, some old book paper, ribbon, tinsel, a button, and some crepe paper ruffles.

here is the bundle in my shop i dyed with a velvet button, tinsel and pleated paper heart all ready to go.



step 1. cover your box with the book paper, i just use a glue stick.

step 2. wrap the crepe paper ruffles around the box. i wrapped mine so there was a double ruffle layer on the top and a single layer on the bottom so it would sit flat.

step 3. tie the ribbon around the box to cover the stitching. thread on the button and tie the ribbon again to secure.

step 4. punch out 6 paper hearts and sew them down the middle. fold up each layer.

step 5. wrap the paper heart and tinsel around the button. viola!

now just tuck a sweet note and a tiny treat in your box and hide is somewhere fun like on a pillow or in a lunchbox.

oh and this is new today, a french valentine hot air balloon gift tag kit. so adore these beauties.
xo julie

diy valentine heart box tutorial

its a month until valentines day and time to get out all my pretty pink trims...
this little glittered heart box is so fun to make and would be such a darling gift for one of your sweethearts filled with chocolates.
this little kit is available in my etsy shop today! special sweet treat for my blogland friends, get 10% off your valentine order in my shop. enter 'sweettreats' at checkout thru friday 1/20.


you will need a heart shaped paper mache box, decorative paper, some tiny trims, tulle, ribbon, tinsel, acrylic paint, glitter fabric (or glitter) and some millinery flowers and stamens.


step 1. paint the inside of your box and lid and also the bottom of your box with acrylic paint. a soft pink, pale aqua, or spring green would be lovely. i am using plaid's apple barrel paint #202011 Light green leaf. let dry.

step 2. spread tacky glue over the top of the lid and press down on your glitter fabric. i found this great glittered fabric trim with wired edges, it is 4 inches wide. smooth the top down to the lid and let dry. (if you don't have a glitter fabric trim available, coat the glue with a fine glitter, martha stewart and hampton art both make a great kit with lovely colors~both available at JoAnns)



step 3. cut a decorative paper strip to go around the sides of the box. start at the point of the box so your seam is at the bottom. glue in place with tacky glue.
i am using a wonderful old french wallpaper with a moire pattern and little buds.
cut your strip with a ruler and exacto blade for a super straight cut.

step 4. with some tiny sharp pointed scissors cut around your heart lid to remove excess glitter fabric.


step 5. cut a decorative paper strip to go around the sides of the heart lid. glue in place. add a narrow silver trim around the lid. i like to add the glue to the trim and smooth the trim around the lid, pressing firmly in place as i go.

step 6. decorate the top of the box. here is the basic layout. i folded a pink sugared stamen in half and glued that in place first at either end. then i added a piece of tinsel on top of the stamens. i cut 2 pieces of tulle and tied them around the glittered stamen bundle. then i tied the pink silk ribbon to hold in place. tie a double bow and notch the ends of the ribbon. next glue on the ribbon posy to the middle and last glue the cream flowers in place. let dry overnight.





i found these adorable aqua blue pressed paper berry baskets and used them to tuck all the goodies in for a fun diy kit with everything included to make your own valentine box... all you need is glue, scissors, and paint!



the scalloped tag was perfect, just love the hot air balloon. a little sweetness.
happy crafting, julie