How Do You Like Dem Apples?

Felted Wool Apple Pins

In honor of back to school, I am making some lapel pins. Felted wool from sweaters, blazers and other wool garments. These apples are about 2 inches tall.

More pics soon.

Wool Applique Art

This is a wool applique project inspired by my recent trip to the beach. It is a crow standing near a sandcastle. I used upcycled wool garments as the source for my felted wool.

Recently I began to use wax paper to help me transfer designs for cutting. I traced the shapes onto the wax paper and then ironed it onto the wool fabrics I had chosen for this design. I even embroidered over the paper for the wool shells so that I could get the swirl design right. Once I finished the embroidery I tore off the paper. I was surprised at how easy it was.

I started this cat before vacation and this is how far I got before I abandoned it (temporarily.) I used wax paper to transfer this design from a quilting magazine my aunt loaned me. The problems started with embroidering the toes. I tried to free hand them several times and they looked like cr**! I picked them out over and over again then tried to mark the lines with a chalk pencil. Well, chalk pencil does not stick to a felted sweater! AAAARRRGGGHHH! I muddled through the toes and then quit.

I got the idea to retrace the face on some fresh wax paper and soon I will iron it onto the wool. Then I will embroider the face through the paper, tear the paper away and reveal a perfect cat face! I love the eyes on this cat.

I am planning to make another one with gray and black wool. I love these sly looking kitties! I am thinking one for my vet, one for my uncle, one for . . . .

Wool Bunny Pins

Here are some more bunny pins. I just love how these are coming out with the different wools. The brown fabric in the photo on the right got very fuzzy and heathery after I felted it in the washer and dryer. I also found some nice springy scrapbook papers at Michael's (and I used my 50 percent off coupon.)

If you go to the Michael's website and register they will send you the ads and weekly coupons via email-- so there is no reason to rush out on Sunday looking for a paper. Also, if you live or work near a Michael's you can print many coupons and use one per day if you like. For fun, I sometimes print extra and pass them out in the store.

Easter Bunny Lapel Pins

A co-worker suggested I make some pins for Easter with bunnies. She purchased several of the Valentine pins I made and reported that many of her church friends thought they were great.

These little bunny pins are two layers of felted wool blanket-stitched together and accented with embroidered eyes. The fronts of all the bunnies are hand dyed. I liked the look of the tweed patterns overdyed with pastel colors of spring.

I just realized that the advantage of photographing items on my cutting board is that it is easy to see the size. These bunnies are 3.5 x 3 inches.

They are finished with a pin back so they can be fastened to jackets, sweaters, purses, hats, etc.

Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon Pins

These felted wool pins are made from hand-dyed wool and sewn with pink perle cotton in blanket stitch.

My school, Prince Edward Elementary School, is sponsoring a team for the Relay for Life event being held in April. The team will be selling items at the Relay to raise additional funds for the American Cancer Society.

I am donating these pins to the team to sell that night. Right now I am making pink pins for breast cancer awareness. (My aunt Sharon is a breast cancer survivor.) I may make some of the other colors of awareness ribbons as well. (My maternal grandmother passed away from stomach cancer and my paternal grandmother passed away from lung cancer.) I hope the team is successful in raising a good amount of $$ to donate to the American Cancer Society.

The Flowers Are In Bloom

I am making flowers like crazy. I am using flower pieces cut from

hand-dyed wool in a variety of colors. The wool has been felted or

fulled before cutting to ensure that it does not fray.

Then I stack the pieces to create colorful wool blossoms. The parts

are stitched together using the penny rug style. Blanket stitching

is the most common way to join the layers securely.

As you can see from some of my other posts I can use the blossoms to create wall art. I am also planning to take some of the flowers and turn them into pins to decorate hats, purses, jackets, etc. These are kind of like potato chips-- I cannot make just one. The colors are so vibrant and the combinations are seemingly endless. I have even figured out how to make some blooms that look like they belong on a lily pad.