Folk Art Felt

Designer: Sarah Goldschadt

• 3" square brown crafts felt (window and door appliqués)
• 6×10" rectangle gold crafts felt (house)
• 4×6" rectangle red crafts felt (roof)
• Embroidery floss: white, gold, red
• Polyester fiberfill
• 6×10" rectangle cardboard
• Adhesive tape

Finished pincushion: 3-1⁄8×1-1⁄2×3-1⁄2"

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces. Crafts felt doesn't fray, so there is no need to turn under the edges of the window and door shapes.

From brown felt, cut:

• 2--1⁄2×3⁄4" rectangles (windows)
• 1 of Pattern A (door)

From gold felt, cut:

• 2--3-3⁄8×2-3⁄4" rectangles (front and back)
• 1--1-3⁄4×3-3⁄8" rectangle (bottom)
• 2--1-3⁄4×2-3⁄4" rectangles (sides)

From red felt, cut:

• 2 each of patterns B and C (roof)

1. Referring to Diagram 1, position brown felt 1⁄2×3⁄4" windows and A door shape on one gold felt 3-3⁄8×2-3⁄4" rectangle. Referring to photo, use one strand of white embroidery floss to hand-stitch around window and door edges to make house front.

2. Using two strands of gold embroidery floss, blanket-stitch gold felt 1-3⁄4×2-3⁄4" rectangles to each side edge of house front to make a row (Diagram 2). Blanket-stitch remaining gold felt 3-3⁄8×2-3⁄4" rectangle to one end of row, then blanket-stitch ends of row together to make a tube-shape house unit.

To blanket-stitch, bring needle up at A (Blanket Stitch Diagram), form a reverse L shape with the floss, and hold angle of L shape in place with your thumb. Push the needle down at B and come up at C. Continue in same manner.

3. Referring to Diagram 3, use two strands of red embroidery floss to blanket-stitch red felt B pieces to each short edge of one red felt C piece. Add remaining red felt C piece to remaining short edges of B pieces to make roof unit.

4. Referring to photo, use two strands of red embroidery floss to blanket-stitch roof unit to house unit.

5. Referring to Diagram 4, use tape to secure two cardboard 3-1⁄8×2-1⁄2" rectangles and two 1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles together, forming a tube-shape cardboard unit.

6. Insert cardboard unit into Step 4 unit. Stuff firmly with fiberfill. Tape cardboard 1-1⁄2×3-1⁄8" piece to bottom of cardboard unit. Blanket-stitch gold felt 1-3⁄4×3-3⁄8" rectangle to bottom edges of Step 4 unit to complete house pincushion.

• Scraps of assorted green solids, dots, and checks (turtle top)
• 6" square green crafts felt (turtle base)
• Embroidery floss: black
• Embroidery floss: white, gold, red
• Polyester fiberfill
• 4" square cardboard

Finished pincushion: 4×4-3⁄4"

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces. Be sure to transfer dots on patterns to templates, then to fabric pieces. The dots are matching points and are necessary when joining pieces and setting in seams.

From assorted green solids, dots, and checks, cut:

• 1 of Pattern D
• 1 of Pattern E

From green felt, cut:

• 1 of Pattern F

From cardboard, cut:

• 1 of Pattern G

1. With right sides together, pin together a green solid, dot, or check E piece and the green solid, dot, or check D piece, matching dots. Sew together between dots; do not sew into seam allowances at either end (Diagram 1). Finger-press seam open. Repeat with a second green solid, dot, or check E piece on adjacent edge of D piece (Diagram 2).

2. Beginning at inside corner, sew E pieces together along short edges. Finger-press seam open.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to add remaining green solid, dot, or check E pieces to D piece, stitching short edges together after you add each piece (Diagram 3). Press under 1⁄4" seam allowance on outer edges to make turtle top.

4. Place turtle top right side down. Layer cardboard G piece and green felt F piece on wrong side of turtle top and turn over. Whipstitch turtle top to felt on all edges, leaving an opening for stuffing (Diagram 4).

To whipstitch, bring needle up at A and push it down at B (Whipstitch Diagram). Come up at C and continue around entire shape in same manner.

• 8×6" rectangle blue crafts felt
• Embroidery floss: white
• Polyester fiberfill
• 10"-long piece 3⁄8"- to 1⁄2"-wide elastic
• 4" square cardboard

Finished pincushion: 2×3-1⁄2"

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces.

From blue felt, cut:

• 1 of Pattern H

From elastic, cut:

• Length equal to the circumference of wrist plus 1"

From cardboard, cut:

• 1 of Pattern I

1. Referring to Diagram 1, overlap ends of elastic about 1⁄4" (or more) to create a circle that will slide comfortably over your hand and wrist; pin ends together. Position pinned ends of elastic atop one blue felt H piece, about 3⁄4" from bottom edge; pin. Hand-stitch 2" of elastic to H piece, stitching along both elastic edges, to make bottom unit (Diagram 2).

2. Place bottom unit elastic side down. Layer cardboard I piece and remaining blue felt H piece atop bottom unit (Diagram 3). Referring to photo, use two strands of white embroidery floss to blanket-stitch H pieces together (do not sew through cardboard), leaving a 1" opening.

3. Stuff firmly with fiberfill. Blanket-stitch opening closed to complete cloud pincushion.