Tag Archives: felt

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Kool Tak Fabulously-Fall Blog Hop – Felt Pumpkin Pillow

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I am delighted to be a part of the Kool Tak Fabulously-Fall Blog Hop sponsored by Crafty KT.  With fall around the corner, I decided to make a pumpkin felt pillow. There are 12 of us in the hop, so hop to see all the really “Kool” projects.

Crafty KT is also offering a giveaway of an assortment of Kool Tak products. See the details below on the products in this giveaway as well as how to enter to win.

Felt Pumpkin no sew pillow Phyllis Dobbs

 

This 9″ square pumpkin pillow is a no-sew project, except for a few simple embroidery stitches, and is very easy to make.

Materials needed:

  • Felt – dark green, light green and orange (National Nonwovens felt).
  • Dark orange 6-strand embroidery floss (Sullivans)
  • Kool Tak™ 1 Layer Perfect Tool
  • Kool Tak™ 1 Shiny Transfer Foil Sheets (Earth Tones)
  • Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape ¼ x ¼ x 1/32” thick
  • Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape 3/16 x 1/16 thick by 1.6 yards
  • Kool Tak™ Premium EXTREME tape 2 ½ x 27 yards
  • Batting or fiberfil
  • Embroidery needle

Instructions:

1. Divide the 6 strands of embroidery floss and use 3 strands. Sew long running stitches for the vertical “pumpkin lines”.  (See the finished pillow – I forgot to stitch the lines until after step 4.  Its a lot easier to stitch before the adhesive tape is added!)

2. Cut the felt:  dark green – 2 pieces 9″ square; light green – 1 piece 6″ square; orange – a 4″ x 4″pumpkin (download Pumpkin applique pattern ).  From the dark green, cut a stem for the pumpkin.

3.  Use the Premium EXTREME tape on backside of the pumpkin to attach it to the light green piece of felt. After adhering strips of the tape on the back of the pumpkin, trim the edges to align with the pumpkin.

Pumpkin with the tape on the back

4.  Remove the paper backing from the tape and use the Layer Perfect tool to align the pumpkin onto the light green felt. Place some of the Premium Extreme tape to the back of the pumpkin stem and trim to match the stem. Remove the paper backing and adhere the stem above the pumpkin center.

Centering the felt pumpkin to the light green felt background

 

5.  Attach strips of the 1/16″ Clear Foam Tape 1/2″ from the edge of the green felt, forming a square going around the pumpkin.  Remove the liner from the tape and rub the gold Shiny Transfer Foil Sheet over the adhesive tape. Repeat to foil the foam tape square with the gold surface.

Pumpkin felt pillow with gold foil

6.  Attach the Premium Extreme tape to the back of the light green square. Remove paper backing and adhere the light green square centered to one of the dark green squares.

7.  Adhere a 1/4″ foam clear adhesive pad to the dark green square at the corners of the light green piece and half way between the corners. Remove the liner pieces from the foam squares and rub the gold Shiny Transfer Foil Sheet over the squares.

8.  Align the dark green pumpkin pillow top to the remaining green felt square and pin around 3 sides. Sew edges with a running stitch using 3 strands of the floss. Leave the 4th side open. Fill the pillow with fiberfil then finish sewing the pillow closed.

Click on the blue Designer Crafts button in my sidebar to hop back and forward to other blogs with fabulous projects in this hop!

Blog Hop Giveaway Crafty KT Kool Tac

And be sure to sign up for the Crafty KT newsletter to be entered for the giveaway $70 in Kool Tak products including:

  • Kool Tak™ 1 Layer Perfect (Use it for centering, piercing, and edge stitching) Tool
  • Kool Tak™ 1 Shiny Transfer Foil Sheets (Earth Tones)
  • Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape ¼ x ¼ x 1/32” thick
  • Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape 3/16 x 1/16 thick by 1.6 yards
  • Kool Tak™ Premium EXTREME 2 ½ x 27 yards
  • *the giveaway is open only to the mainland residents of the US

Thanks for visiting and enjoy hopping to all the other crafty fall projects.

Phyllis

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Great Products and Great Displays at Craft & Hobby (CHA) Winter Show

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After spending several days in southern California for the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) winter show, I came home inspired and excited. I took photos of the fabulous products and displays, so many photos that I will have to divide my CHA review into two parts. CHA is a huge show with such a variety of products in about all crafting cagtegories. The variety is one of the things I love about the show.

The trends that I noticed at the show included lots of paper sculpture as well as bead sculpture, glass mosaics, beads and needlework to include both embroidery (and Crewel) and felt. I’m sure I missed some other trends, but these caught my attention.

I was working in the Gutermann booth surrounded by the beautiful and high quality Gutermann threads.

Gutermann booth at CHA winter show

Gutermann threads display

I love the wide assortment of the in both cotton and silk.  Watch for designs and projects that I will be creating using their threads – comiong soon!

Gutermann thread patternI took a closeup of one spool of the varigated thread.  I loved the pattern created by the thread winding and the brilliant varigated color. Opening your eyes to things close  around you can give you beautiful patterns.

Brazzill Basic Papers sculpture

Brazzill Basic Papers had beautiful displays of sculptured flowers.  This display was hanging in a corner of the booth. A beautiful, larger display was in the center of the booth, but they were so busy and crowded with buyers, I could not get to it to take a photo.

Therm-o-Web glittered sculpure heart

Therm O Web demonstrated a new glitter – Glitter Dust, that gives a light sprinkling of glitter by aerosol.  The paper sculptured heart consisted of various sizes of flowers, all with a light coating of Glitter Dust.

Therm O Web Glitter Dust

Knitting and crochet are so versatile, as can be seen by the display in the Bernat booth with these chairs.

Bernat knitted and crochet chair coverings at CHA

These chair covers were knitted and crocheted using Waverly for Bernat, based on 5 of Waverly’s popular patterns.  The yarns are in color collections based on the colors of the patterns. You can see my favorite 2 chairs below.

Bernat Green crocheted chair at CHA

Crochet and knit chair at winter CHA by Bernat

Aren’t they wonderful!!

Bernat clothing and accessories at CHA

And I just love these sweaters and accessories also in the Bernat booth. I will take one of each! I really love the colors of this display.

Glass mosaic boots by I Love to Create at CHA

Dress made with paper plates by ILovetoCreate at CHA

The ILovetoCreate booth was filled with several wonderful displays created by EdoHeidi Borchers and Tiffany Windsor. Heidi created the mosaic boots using over 2000 pieces of mosaic tiles and buttons. They were gorgeous!  The dress was designed by Heidi and Tiffany with 90 paper plates hand cut into over 5000 petals, glued and painted to look like faux leather.  This was a stunning display to show the uses of Aleene’s glue.

Decorated white column ILovetoCreate CHA

This large column, designed by Tiffany and Heidi, is decorated with 1200 paper plate hand and die cut into over 3300 pieces.

Mosaic skirt created with broken china in ILovetoCreate booth at CHA

Mosaic table by ILovetoCreate at CHA

Broken china mosaic chair by ILovetoCreate at CHA

This display of mosaics was also designed by Heidi and Tiffany for ILovetoCreate. I love the skirt!  It’s made with broken china – cups and plates.  Its really a work of art! The table and chair are mosaics using broken china.  All three pieces created a beautiful setting.

Tulip body painting by IlovetoCreate at CHA

ILovetoCreate also has Tulip paints for body painting. A different design was painted each day.  The pretty model is Savannah Starr, Heidi’s granddaughter. I wonder if it tickles but it would be fun to paint and wear!

Phyllis Dobbs with Tiffany Windsor of ILovetoCreate at CHA

Tiffany is pictured here with me when I ran into her at the show. Besides being a great designer, Tiffany also hosts the Cool2Craft network.

Felt fish pillows by Kunin Group at CHA

The Kunin Group had adorable projects in their booth with colorful felt, including the this fish pillow and the stuffed fish.

Cell phone cases made with Kunin felt at CHA

The cell phone cases were one of the displays in the Kunin Group booth.  They are just too cute and are by Jodie Haffa of Lova Revolutionary.

Bridal accessories by Darice at CHA

David Tutera at Darice booth at CHA

David Tutera, wedding expert and host of My Fair Wedding on WeTV, has a bridal accessory line with Darice. Some of the products are used for the beautiful table setting above. And as you can see, I got to get a picture taken with David.

Mich Turner of Little Venice Cakes at Darice CHA

Mich Turner of Little Venice Cake Company, London, has a line of baking accessories also with Darice. Mich, the Queen of Couture Cakes, is demonstrating on the Darice stage.  Those cakes really look yummy!

Check back for part 2 of my review of CHA.  I have lots more to show you!

Phyllis

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International Quilt Market, More Products and Beautiful Colors (Part 2)

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I’m still in awe of all that I saw at the International Quilt Market in Houston and want to share more of the photos I took of products and colors from Market in a continuation from Part 1 of my prior post on Quilt Market.

This gorgeous dress in the Pfaff booth stopped me in my walks. This fuchsia dress has beautiful machine embroidery embellishment by Pfaff sewing machines. It was simply stunning and fit for Cinderella to wear to the ball! And look at the embroidery on the black coat next to the dress.

Dress embroidered by Pfaff sewing machine at Houston Quilt Market

 

Not all products at Quilt Market are sewing and quilt related. Karyn Kozak exhibits with her beautiful FIMO polymer clay products.  Created with different colored pieces of clay in the millefiori technique, Karyn created the beautiful vases and leaves below as well as jewelry, barrettes, and other items. Visit her website to see the ladybug pins and jewelry she created.

Fimo Polymer Clay vases at Quilt Market

and these fabulous teapots…

Fimo Polymer clay teapots at Quilt Market in Houston

 

I showed you some of the new fabric collections by Quilting Treasures in my prior post. Below are more of their fabrics that debuted at market. Simon-Kabuki has a new line out, In the Meadow, in these great, warm colors. I also love the design and applique flowers in this quilt using their fabrics.

Simon Kabuki fabric line In the Meadow at Quilt Market

 

And I also loved this new collection by Studio 8, Fantasia (click to see the individual fabrics) and especially love the color combination of black and white with a lime green.  (See my prior post for free quilt and apron patterns I designed for Quilting Treasures with Studio 8’s Monaco fabric collection).

Studio 8 fabric by Quilting Treasures at Quilt Market

 

I love the play The Phantom of the Opera and this new fabric collection is wonderful. Can’t you hear the music?

Phantom fabric by Quilting Treasures based on Phantom of the Opera

 

Angela Anderson’s Give Thanks, can be used to create a beautiful quilt or kitchen accessories such as a table runner or place mats next fall.

Give thanks fabric by Angela Anderson for Quilting Treasures

 

With quilting and sewing, you need trim. Expo International has all kinds of trim for your every need including home decor. I love the colorful displays of these trims and cords. The center row is button trims, which is fabulous since we all love buttons! I look at this and remember several years ago when I shopped trim, all I could find was dull colors. Its so much more fun sewing with these colors!

Expo Internation colorful trims at Quilt Market

And, there’s these fun feather trims…..

Feather trim by Expo International at Quilt Market

Quilt Market occurred over Halloween so I thought I would also show you Expo’s cute sequin appliques for Halloween.

Halloween applique trim by Expo International at Quilt Market

And the Expo International folks dressed up for Halloween. Debi Schmitz dressed as a witch, but I have to tell you that she’s a sweet  and lovely witch, not at all wicked! I need to find where she got the silver hair.

Debi Schmitz at Quilt Market

 

Walking by Michael Miller Fabric’s booth created a “wow” moment when I spotted this 1950 red MG convertible used in their vintage picnic display. I also like the turquoise cooler. I’ve always thought MG’s were the coolest cars. By the way, this MG was local from Houston and is for sale. It doesn’t run though, but it has a great body and I would just love to have it to look at and sit in (and watch Audrey Hepburn in Two for the Road although her MG was green). Pretend driving would be ok as I would not want to risk getting any kind of ding in it.

Red MG car in Michael Miller Booth at Quilt Market

I thought the Sandi Henderson booth (Michael Miller Fabrics) was beautiful and great merchandizing.

Michael Miller Sandi Henderson booth at Quilt Market

 

The Kaleidoscope Kreator Software booth was beautiful and dramatic with kaldeiscope designs. This software lets you use your own photos and artwork to create kaleidoscope images for quilting, scrapbooking, card making and more. I’ve been eyeing this software and plan to purchase it. Actually, I don’t know why I haven’t already done so, except that when I get home, I get caught up with ongoing work. The software looks easy to use from their booth demo (and the price is great). If you go to their website, check out the paper crafting projects. The quilts are beautiful of course, but the paper stars would be really fun to make.

 

Kaleidoscope Kreator Software at Quilt Market

 

I stopped in Clothworks booth to see my friend Sue Zipkins new fabric collection, Suzette. I love the soft colors of the fabrics.

Sue Zipkin new fabric at Quilt Market

 

 

June Tailor, Inc always has a pretty booth. They have great quilting tools (I use them regularly)!  They have a new program for fleece, Fleece with Flair. The program includes tools for working with fleece, including fringe cutters and various rulers as well as fleece precut flowers. The right half of the booth below shows the new tools and samples made using the tools.

 

June Tailor quilting tools booth at Quilt Market

A closeup of the fleece  flowers….

June Tailor fleece flowers at Quilt Market

 

Tina Givens (Free Spirit Fabrics) won the booth award for best Merchandising.  As you can see from the photos below, it was a beautiful booth in oranges, tans and browns.

 

Tina Givens booth at Quilt Market

Tina Givens booth at Houston Quilt Market

 

I love felt and stopped by Kunin Group’s booth. They have felt in patterns now which makes a wonderful addition to all the solid colors. The patterns below were gorgeous. Kunin’s felt is made from eco-fil which is created with platic water bottles. The felt is so soft, its hard to imagine that it started life as a water bottle.

Kunin Felt new patterns at Quilt Market

You can create such cute critters with felt.

Kunin Felt display at Quilt Market

 

Prym has a new line of sewing products for baby along with a book of patterns for making baby clothing and cloth diapers. In addition, as you can see on the wall to the right below, they have a full line of accessory products and trims, buttons and applique to use with sewing for baby. Really, really cute!!

Prym Dritz booth at Quilt Market

 

 

La Todera had a pretty and colorful booth to showcase their sewing and soft craft patterns. The buttons and flowers below are just a few of their patterns. And the buttons can be customized with your own saying or art.

La Todera sewing patterns at Quilt Market

and aren’t these trees adorable for sewing!

LaTodera sewing and craft patterns at Houston Quilt Market

 

Downtown Houston has changed over the years since I first started attending Quilt Market. Below is a view from my hotel (Hilton) showing the George Brown convention center on the right (designed to resemble a ship) and the Minute Maid Park (aqua building) in the distance, home of the Astros. Discovery Green Park is just a few years old and is a great improvement on the parking lots that were there previously. Its nice to walk through the park for a few outside minutes during the show.

View of downtown Houston from the Hilton

 

I hope you enjoyed my take on Quilt Market. But there’s more to come – pictures of beautiful, unbelievable quilts from the quilt exhibits. The quilts are works of art!  So please check back!

Phyllis