Fallen Leaves Needle Case

Designer Roseann Meehan Kermes cuts wool leaf pieces that embellish her needle cases with an Accu-Cut die-cutting machine-so precise, it leaves no rough or uneven edges.

If wool isn't an option, Roseann suggests fusing two pieces of flannel or brushed cotton together for the needle book and fusing two pieces of a cotton print together for the leaf appliqué.

The needle cases make great party favors for quilting retreats or other fun quilting gatherings. Put them in a colorful bowl or basket so they're easy to pick up on the way out the door.

• 5" square of felted wool for needle case
• 1-1/4x2" rectangle of cream felted wool for needle keeper
• Scrap of felted wool for leaf appliqué
• Freezer paper
• Embroidery floss: cream and contrasting color
• Pinking shears or rotary cutter with pinking blade

Finished needle case: 2x3-1/2"

Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces.

To felt wool, machine-wash it in a hot-water-wash, cool-rinse cycle with a small amount of detergent; machine-dry and steam-press.

1. With pinking shears or the pinking blade on a rotary cutter, trim the wool 5" square to measure 4x3-1/2". Fold the resulting rectangle in half to measure 2x3-1/2"; steam-press to set the fold.

2. Referring to the photograph, position the cream wool 1-1/4x2" rectangle on the inside of the folded wool rectangle on the right-hand side. Use a running stitch and two strands of cream floss to stitch the upper edge of the rectangle to the folded wool rectangle to make the needle case.

3. Position the freezer paper shiny side down over the Leaf Pattern on Pattern Sheet 1. With a pencil, trace the pattern once. Cut out the freezer-paper leaf roughly 1/4" outside the traced line.

4. Press the freezer-paper leaf onto the front of the wool scrap. Let the fabric cool. Cut out the wool leaf on the traced line and peel off the paper.

5. Center the wool leaf on the front of the needle case; pin in place. With two strands of contrasting embroidery floss, stitch down the leaf center with small running stitches.

6. To create a bow at the base of the leaf stem, use six strands of embroidery floss. Make a single running stitch at the base of the stem, stitching through all the layers and leaving 4" thread tails on the top. Tie the tails in a square knot, then in a small bow. Knot the floss ends and trim the excess.