Friday, March 30, 2012

Tips and Tricks for Working with Wool Felt


It never fails:  I pick up my sketch pad to begin a new design and am torn between using the lovely hand-dyed wools that hang on my color wall or pulling from the rich colors of wool felt next to my work table. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, and I know I'm not the only person out here who has trouble choosing.

What's the Difference Between Working with Wool or Wool Felt?  When I buy hand-dyed 100% wool, it comes to me pre-felted. That means the wool was placed in a warm or hot bath and then dried (usually in a dryer).  If you know anything about 100% wool, you know that causes it to shrink or "felt" as the industry calls it.  The "felted" wool can now be cut for rug hooking, quilts, applique templates and just about anything, because it can no longer fray.  That's wonderful, because you now don't have to worry about hiding or turning the edges under, which opens up a whole world of possibilities.

There are many advantages to using 100% wool, and the most important are (1) unlimited color possibilities and natural mottling variations, (2) durability, and (3) it is washable. Once wool has been properly felted, you don't have to worry about further shrinking, so you can wash it and give it a little steaming to return your project to brand new. The main disadvantage is hand-dyed 100% wool is expensive and can ultimately run $30 to $50 a yard depending on where you get it. However, if I am working on an heirloom project that I want to last for 300 years,  then 100% wool is my choice.


Wool Felt is a Whole New Game!  Here in the United States, wool felt is primarily manufactured by National Nonwovens.  There are many retail distributors of wool felt, one of which is Commonwealth Felt and another is Wool Felt Central.  The wool felt I use is a 20/80 or 35/65 blend of wool and rayon.  Its advantages are (1) it is inexpensive and runs only $8 or $9 a yard or about $1.75 for a 12x18" sheet, (2) it comes in near 100 colors, (3) it is already felted, and (4) it can be made to look like expensive "boiled wool".  Unfortunately, wool felt should not be put in a washing machine and it's not suitable for projects that will get heavy use in your home, like a bed quilt or a hooked rug.  However, wool felt is great for table runners, candle mats, wall quilts, penny rugs, etc!

I've created an easy printable tutorial sheet called Tips for Working With Wool Felt  I hope you enjoy.  It shows you how to make your felt look like "boiled wool" (if that's how you want it), how to use it in projects and how to care for your wool felt.  There's lots of information on the tips sheet, so please feel free to share it with your friends or even pass the link forward.  I think you are going to love working with wool felt!

If you haven't joined my Birthday Club yet, don't forget I'm drawing three names early next week for the January, February and March Birthday Club winners! It's free to join and you get big discounts and can win free patterns during your birthday month.  Several of you birthday babies have already taken advantage of their membership to purchase kits for my "Snow Days" and "Halloween Jacks" designs and they are shipped and on their way to you!  My new design for a Halloween table runner is done and I'm working on the pattern and a kit I know you'll like, which should all be finished and ready for shipping in the next few days.  I take the photos outdoors and will get the photography done as soon as it stops raining (geez, I mean if it stops raining).  Remember, you'll be able to pick up the pattern and kit for 25% off during your birthday month if you're a Birthday Club member.

That's it for today.  I've got my brain full of another idea I want to get started on over this weekend if the hubby doesn't decide we're going four-wheeling or fishing.  I can never decide if I like fishing or stitching better--are you the same way too?

Until next time, Happy Stitchin'!  --xoxo Melanie

Monday, March 26, 2012

"Rainbow Sherbet" and Tips for Working with Wool Felt!

I know many of you have been waiting for "Rainbow Sherbet", my new pattern for a cute crocheted hat you can make in your choice of bright and cheery colors. Well, the pattern is ready(!) and you can make this hat with only two simple crochet stitches.  I've included instructions on how to make the flowers and leaves (in both U.S. and United Kingdom versions) and how to make both children and adult sizes. There are also extra lessons on what yarns to buy, a special section with a unique method on changing yarn color and other helpful information:




The pattern is available by snail mail for $6.99 plus $1.10 shipping or by PDF digital download for $5.00.  You can get the pattern through my newest store on Etsy called Lollypoppers, or you can email me at melanie@americanpiedesigns.com and I'll send you the details.

UPDATE ON THE BIRTHDAY CLUB:  There's been overwhelming response to my new American Pie Birthday Club, and if you're not already a member, I hope you'll join!  You'll receive 25% OFF ALL PATTERNS AND KITS DURING YOUR BIRTHDAY MONTH!  Plus a winner is drawn each month from all Club members with a birthday that month and the winner receives their choice of a free pattern from my website.  It's easy to join and is my way of saying "thank you" to my friends.  Don't worry, I'll send all Birthday Club members an email about their 25% discounts during their birthday month.

Since the Birthday Club got started in March, I'm still honoring all January and February birthday babies with the same 25% discount and a chance to win a pattern.  That means that THREE people (one for January, one for February and one for March) will win a free pattern. Names will be drawn on Tuesday, April 1.  Just click here to become a member!



NEW HALLOWEEN TABLE RUNNER:  The new Halloween table runner pattern is nearly finished and I love it!  I'm taking the model to some friends today to ask their opinion on whether it needs further embellishing. Criminy, I've tried to make this decision on my own by looking at the model close up, from six feet away, with and without my glasses, etc., and I'm getting nowhere.  I plan to have the printed pattern finished by the end of the week and, of course, I'll have wool felt kits available so you don't have to run all over town looking for materials!




TIPS FOR WORKING WITH WOOL FELT:  I promised more information on tips for working with wool felt, and that information is nearly ready to post.  I'll provide important tips on how to make wool felt look just like "boiled wool" (but at a fraction of the price!), how to create templates from wool felt for applique, care and cleaning of your finished projects, dyeing wool felt and other information.  I'll post that information later this week, so be sure to check back or join this blog for automatic updates. 


That's it for today--I'll post again on Wednesday.  In the meantime, Happy Stitchin'!  --xoxo, Melanie

Friday, March 23, 2012

Wool Felt: Do You Love it Too?

I first believed my love for wool felt would be a flash and I'd move on to something else, but I really love working with it.  My last two patterns can be made with wool felt and a new design on my worktable is made entirely with wool felt.  Pair that with an idea I'm chewing on for a table quilt using wool felt and fabric, and I'm permanently hooked.  If you've never worked with wool felt before, you should consider playing outside the regular sandbox and give it a try.  There are good reasons to try wool felt:
  • Wool felt is easy to get.  You can order it with an easy click or two through Commonwealth Felt and your order arrives in a few short days.  Commonwealth Felt is the retail outlet for National Nonwovens, the wholesale manufacturer of wool felt in the United States.
  • It is NOT expensive.  A 12"x18" piece costs only about $1.79.
  • It comes in a gazillion colors and you can choose 100% wool felt, a couple different wool blends, acrylic, and even bamboo felt.
  • With a little care, It is cleanable.
  • It doesn't take up a bunch of space in your work area.  I have nearly 100 different colors that fit nicely into a small plastic drawer on my worktable.
  • It is fun and easy to work with! There's no fraying with wool felt, so it opens up a whole new world of applique ideas.

 

It used to be a lot of quilters hated applique, but no more! Applique doesn't have to involve  endless turning-under of raw edges and tiny, finicky stitches.  With wool felt, all those problems disappear and you are free to attach your shapes with a simple running stitch, blanket stitch or whatever other embroidery stitches you love.  Don't you agree that using wool felt on a quilt can give it a wonderful, quaint charm or a primitive look, depending on how it's used?

I use two different blends of wool felt interchangeably in my designs, a 20/80 wool-rayon blend and a 35/65 blend.  I can't tell the difference, unless I want to wash it to get the "boiled wool" look.  In that case, I use the 35/65 blend.  I'm always torn between washing the felt or leaving it smooth, because I love both looks equally. If you take a look at the following pics, you'll see wool felt right from the package . . .

and then washed, which gives it the bumpy texture that looks like "boiled wool", but at a fraction of the cost . . .

I think you'll find that using wool felt is very easy.  For most applique projects, trace your shapes onto the smooth side of freezer paper from the grocery store.  Iron the freezer paper onto the wool felt and cut out your shapes on the traced line (the waxy side will temporarily stick to the wool, but can be peeled away without leaving a residue). Cut out your shapes on the traced line and position them on the background with pins or a bit of washable fabric glue.  Now you're ready for the fun part--attaching the shapes to the background with a running stitch, whip stitch, primitive stitch or your other favorite stitches.  I use common embroidery thread because I happen to have tons of it around, but you can also use DMC perle cotton threads or hand-dyed wool threads if you want a different look.  Look at this beautiful pic I borrowed from the work of Marianne Byrne-Goarin that shows you what can be done with wool felt . . .


I'll post a full-color printable tutorial on using wool felt in a few days that will show you how to wash your wool for the bubbly "boiled wool" effect, how to care for your finished project and lots of other information on wonderful wool felt.  I hope you'll think about giving it a try!

In the meantime, Happy Stitchin'!  -- xoxo, Melanie

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The "Birthday Club" and a New Pattern for March!

I mentioned in a previous post I am working on a new Halloween table runner pattern, and it's finally getting to the finishing stages where I can show some pictures.  The runner is approximately 18"x30", just right for a table or hutch, and it depicts some cute Halloween characters, jack-o-lanterns and spooky old houses!


I'm making the model from wool craft felt, which is a wool/rayon blend, and I think it would also look wonderful in hand-dyed wool, maybe even with recycled wool for a more primitive twist if you want?


The pattern will be ready soon and I've already got the wool felt ordered so you can get a kit in case you don't want to drive around to all the fabric stores trying to find supplies.  The kit will contain all the wool craft felt you need to complete the project, and all you'll need is embroidery floss and freezer paper.  I'll send out a blog update when the pattern and kits are ready and I'll post more detailed pictures of the mat in the next few days.

If you're not already a member of my Birthday Club, I hope you'll join! You'll receive a WHOPPING 25% OFF ALL PATTERNS AND KITS DURING YOUR BIRTHDAY MONTH!  Plus, a winner is drawn each month from all Club Members with a birthday that month, and the winner receives their choice of a free pattern from my website!  It's easy to join and costs you absolutely nothing--it's just my way of saying "thank you" to all my friends.  If you don't want to use the Birthday Club link above, just email me your name, address and birthday month and I'll get you enrolled.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, since the Birthday Club didn't get started until March, I'll still honor all January and February birthday babies with the same 25% discount and a chance to win a pattern. That means that three January, February and March birthday babies will win!  Don't worry, I'll send all Birthday Club members an email about their 25% discounts during their birthday month.



KITS ARE READY NEXT WEEK!!  As a reminder, kits will be ready for shipping next week for "Snow Days", the 14" candle mat.  The kits contain all the wool blend felt (a wool/rayon blend) you need--all you have to add is freezer paper and embroidery floss. They are $23.95 without the pattern (includes shipping) or $27.95 with the pattern included, which gives you a good discount on the pattern. You can pre-order by clicking here or on the photo below:


"Snow Days" (14" Candle Mat Pattern)
 (Click on the Image for More Information) 

Another kit that will be available for shipping next week is "Halloween Jacks", a cute 15" candle mat that is also made from wool or wool felt.  I recently released this pattern and the kit is now ready.  It contains all the wool felt (a wool/rayon blend) that you need to make your own candle mat--just add embroidery floss and freezer paper! This kit is also $23.95 without the pattern (includes shipping) or $27.95 with the pattern included.  Be sure to order now to be included in my first shipment:

"Halloween Jacks" (15" Candle Mat Pattern)
(Click on the Image for More Information) 


That's it for now.  Please never hesitate to leave a comment or email me if you want to chat or have a question.  I love hearing from all of you!  In the meantime, Happy Stitchin'!  xoxo--Melanie

Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Liebster Blog Award!

Yaaaay!  I received a note that I have been awarded the Liebster Blog Award by Lynda Hall of Primitive Pieces by Lynda. Lynda is a wonderful designer whose friendly and creative spirit is reflected in her beautiful quilts and other projects.  Please grab a cup of coffee and check out her patterns at primitivepiecesbylynda.blogspot.com and www.primitivepiecesbylynda.com. Thank you Lynda!

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bloggers who inspire and motivate and have less than 200 followers.  It takes its name from the German words meaning "beloved", "dearest" or "favorite".  I truly hope I inspire and motivate you to "get stitchin'!"  As the saying goes, So much fabric; so little time!  Don't you sometimes feel that way?

According to the tradition of the Liebster award, I must now pass it on to five bloggers who I believe motivate and inspire others.  To accept the award, you must:
  1. Link back to the person who gave you the award and thank them.
  2. Post the award to your blog.
  3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers who you appreciate and value.
  4. Leave a comment on those 5 blogs to let them know they have been offered this award.
The hard part was limiting my choice to just five, but here they are:
____________________________

I promised you an update on a new Halloween table runner I'm working on.  It's a nice size, just about 18"x30" (perfect for a table or hutch), and can be done in wool or wool felt applique. You know I love applique and I hope you do too. The table runner is a great carry-along project, because once you get the pieces cut, it easily tucks away and goes with you anywhere. Some people take a book on trips or planes, but I take applique!The Halloween table runner has spooky old houses, jack-o-lanterns and Halloween cats.  All the pieces are attached to the background with either a simple blanket stitch or a running stitch, both of which are illustrated in the pattern.  I'll post some pictures next week and hope to have the design finished and ready for printing very soon.  Don't worry--even if you've never done wool applique before, you're going to find my applique patterns are suited for beginners or experienced stitchers!

KITS ARE COMING!  The wool felt is ordered and I'll offer kits for the Halloween table runner and for the Snow Days and Halloween Jacks candle mats.
The kits will be available in about a week and will contain all the wool felt needed to complete the project so you're not running all over town looking for felt (unless you want to, of course!).  I'll post an update when the kits are ready.

Well, I'm back to the drawing board.  Have a great week, and in the meantime, Happy Stitchin'!  --xoxo Melanie

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Announcing the American Pie Birthday Club!


If you're not already a member of my Birthday Club, I hope you'll join! You'll receive a WHOPPING 25% OFF ALL PATTERNS AND KITS DURING YOUR BIRTHDAY MONTH!  Plus, a winner is drawn each month from all Club Members with a birthday that month, and the winner receives their choice of a free pattern from my website!  It's sooooo easy to join and costs you absolutely nothing--it's just my way of saying "thank you" to all my friends and faithful followers.

Since I'm getting started a little late this year, I'll honor all January and February birthday babies with the same 25% discount and a chance to win a pattern.  That means that three January, February and March birthday babies will win!  Just click here to become a member!

On another note, I just got word I've been awarded the Liebster Blog award! 
It's a wonderful award that's given to blogs that inspire and motivate, and I'm so pleased to receive it.  I'll be handing the award on to five other blogs that I find inspirational, so check back tomorrow for the full story and some great blogs I know you are going to enjoy!

More tomorrow on a new Halloween table runner I'm working on, as well as updates on kits that will be ready soon for the "Halloween Jacks" and "Snow Days" patterns that I recently released.  The kits will contain all the wool blend felt you need to complete these candle mats  All you add is embroidery floss!

See you tomorrow, and in the meantime, Happy Stitchin'!  -- xoxo Melanie