Cute Winter Embroidery Pattern

Check out the adorable little quilt over at Little Miss Shabby, complete with an embroidered bear and penguin.  You can find the free pattern for the embroidery there too.  I'm drooling over all the fabric she uses.  I really need to start machine sewing!

Make A Bunny For Easter Or Just For Fun

Tipnut has a list of links to patterns and tutorials for making stuffed bunnies.  It's amazing how many of them I already have printed out but haven't made yet.  Story of my life.   :)

Since I don't have any new bunnies to share, here's a bunny cross stitch I did back in 2009. 




It's called Rabbit with Hyacinth and you can find the free chart at Ellen Maurer-Stroh.

Get Crafty For The Troops And Homeless Dogs

Stitching Corp is a group that started out sending cross stitched Christmas ornaments to the troops and their families, and now they're accepting other handmade items (bookmarks, greeting cards, key rings, bags for wheelchairs & walkers) all year long.  I heard about Stitching Corp via CyberStitchers.com, which has a list of charities that collect cross stitch projects.  By the way, Stitching Corp, has a huge list of sites that offer free x-stitch patterns. 

I have several ornaments started that I should add to my 2012 WIPocalypse list so I can finish them and send to Stitching Corp.

This was posted back in October 2011 but they need bags for 500 dogs so I'm guessing it's an ongoing project.  Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in England is calling on sewing crafters to make scented bags to hang in their dogs' kennels to keep them calm while they wait for new homes.  You can find out more about making the bags and get a pattern for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to put on them here.

Did you know that a group of kittens is called a kindle?  I just read that on the Battersea website. I also found a few dogs I want to adopt.  Did I mention they're located in England?  In 2010, they celebrated their 150th anniversary.  Wow!

It's Drafty In Here

Why do I have a bunch of draft posts?  Oh yeah.  It's because I am really good at starting things and never finishing them. 

Let's see what links are hanging out in my draft posts . . .

From the Make-It-For-Christmas-2012 file: Gingerbread Cottage has a super cute embroidery pattern.  And here's a felt hedgehog ornament from Totally Stitchin' that I'm also going to add to my Hedgehogs-To-Make-Some-Day list.

Speaking of hedgehogs, this hedgehog cross stitch freebie from JB Cross Stitch is new-to-me thanks to the cross stitch blog at Craft Gossip.   By the way, JB Cross Stitch has some cute charts for sale, in addition to more freebies.

I love, love, love this embroidered needlecase from Goosie Girl's and I've had the pattern for awhile but I don't think I ever linked to it before.

Over at Leslie's Art and Sew, there's a sewing pattern and tutorial for a mystery critter.  You can sew one up and then make a face on it any way you want and add anything else too  [link via The Toy Society blog].

How about a felt pincushion from Jenny of Elefantz?  I like this one because it has appliqued fabric flowers on it.   And, it's all hand sewn.

There's an embroidery pattern for a cute mini-sampler (with birds, flowers, alphabet) that's finished in a hoop at Patchwork Posse [link via Denise at Craft Gossip].

Did you know there's an embroidery section on about.com with stitch diagrams, free patterns and lots of information on tools, supplies and techniques?  There is!

Major Cute Alert!  Look at this adorable mushroom needlebook that my friend Loralynn at My Art, My So Called Life just linked to.  She also had a link to the fun Random Tutorial Generator. 

And, if you're like me and like to see classic movie stars and their four-legged friends, here are a couple of fun posts from I Can Has Cheezburger: part 1 and part 2.

Pardon me while I go make something!

Occupy Your Sewing Room

Click for more details!

[Link via the Quilting blog at Craft Gossip]

Cute Cute Cute Cottage Door Hanger

Awhile ago, Sara from The Split Stitch posted a tutorial for the cutest little cottage door hanger.  It's applique and she used Heat'n Bond so I'm adding it to my list of things to make because I heart the Heat'n Bond.  Have you met Heat'n Bond yet?  I love it so much, I'm ready to marry it.

Blog Hopping On Saturday Night

Here's yet another draft post that I never finished.  Enjoy!

Tonight, I'm catching up on some of my favorite blogs.

Sew Tara and Wild Olive have teamed up to make some super cute fabric bags for snacks (goldfish crackers, carrots & celery, cookies).  [Link via Craft.]

What a cute cloudy needlebook from Art Threads!  [Via Craft Gossip]

There are lots of cute (yes, I've used cute three times already.  Let the drinking game begin!) embroidery freebies over at Hudson's Holidays.  Like this kitty in the flowers and in the garden, and my favorite, a bunny pulling a wagon with bunnies in it.  [Via Craft Gossip]

Cute Little Felt Bird

It's after midnight and here I am checking links to tutorials and finding stuff I want to make.  Right this very second.  This cute little felt bird from paper-and-string is one of them.  Link via Tipnut.

Cute Idea For Christmas Ornaments

Hey, it's never too late to start making Christmas stuff and I thought these embroidery hoop ornaments from The Crafty Cupboard were really cute.

Stuffed Bunny

Here's a Funny Bunny Plush Doll from A Beautiful Mess.

Cute Little Bag Tutorial

This link turned up on Facebook but now I can't remember who posted it.  Thanks to whoever you are!

A tutorial for a cute little drawstring bag with directions for hand sewing.  Sign me up.

Owls!

Janet of JMD Designs is holding an "artistic event."  Make an owl based on her free design and you might win some fabulous prizes.  There are two categories to enter. One is for hand stitched needlework or hand applique and the other is for mixed media.  All the details on the Evie Owl Event are here.  Link via Denise at Craft Gossip.

And, here's a tutorial to make a baby felt owl.  Link via my Facebook friend, Shonna.

Shhh, The Dogs Are Sleeping

I started on this last night and didn't get to finish because I had to put two dogs to bed. I swear, this is like having toddlers.

Happy New Year to my three faithful readers!! I hope your holidays were merry and bright, and your New Year's Eve hangover is gone by the time you read this. I figured I'd get in a little blogging while the dogs are napping at my feet. (Yes, Virginia, Ambien does work on dogs.)

Little Miss Shabby is doing a cute embroidery block-of-the-month called Birdie Stitches. You can see the layout for the quilt here and the supply list here. The first block is up on this post.
I love this embroidery freebie of Lulu and her dog, Bear, from Gina at Spot Colors.

That reminds me: I have one little dog who you take out and tell her to "go potty" and she does exactly that. I have another little dog who likes to poop on the pile of pattern printouts on my bedroom floor and then eat it. Lovely. Maybe she's telling me to put those patterns away. Actually, she has only done this once. The pooping on my papers part, not the eating part. She hasn't eaten her last two poops though so maybe she is getting over it.

I'd like to thank anyone who has continued to read this post up until this post.

Over at Tipnut, is a list of links to tutorials to make 24 softies. If I ever get a chance, I will actually go through that list. And, then pigs will fly.

Did anyone watch the Rose Parade? I had it on earlier and realized we (my sister, her friend and I) went to see it in person 31 years ago when I was 16. Frank Sinatra was the Grand Marshal. It amazes me how it never seems to rain during the parade. According to Bob Eubanks, it has rained twice for the parade (I honestly don't remember that) and both times they had a Supreme Court Justice as the Grand Marshal. Interesting.

Must Make

I am just about finished with my felt sampler Christmas tree from Inspired Ideas magazine so I'm thinking about my next project. Decisions, decisions!

Little Birdie Plush from A Beautiful Mess

Puppy Pal (scroll down to the bottom of the post) from Turkey Feathers

Owl Hexie Ornament of the Week from Bee Tree Designs (make sure you check all the free patterns there)

Festive Felt Christmas Trees from All Sorts

Christmas deer and fox felt applique from Bustle & Sew

Click Me

This was supposed to post at 10:10 tonight. Since it's still not up, I am adding another link. Take that, Blogger.

Dutch Sisters (a new-to-me blog) has a tutorial up to embroider and make a cute toadstool. There isn't a pattern (they do sell a kit for it in their store) but I think you could wing it.

I have way too many saved patterns for little stuffed animals and I think these are too involved for me to make, but I could not pass up linking to the tutorial for making Niblet and Biscuit. Niblet and Biscuit. Such cute words. They're cute dolls too. I also just fell in love with Gwenny Penny's Welcome Autumn banner. I'd print it right now but my printer needs toner.

Who knows when I'll get to it but I am definitely making one of these felt birds from A Feathered Nest in the very near future [via One Pretty Thing].

I love this Pottery Barn inspired poinsettia pillow from Spartan Living [via Craft Gossip].

The Felt Flower Mixed Bouquet over at Creative Jewish Mom is now at the top of my to-do/to-make/to-drool over list. As soon as I decide which colors I want my flowers, I am starting on this.

A Night Of Clicking Links

AOL has something called My Favorite Places which is where you can save links. I rarely use mine anymore but I have a bunch stored tonight I clicked on the very last link in the "Crafty Stuff" category and was taken to a tutorial for a vampire bat softie on Silver Bug Studio. That made me want to see what else I had saved. Some of the links are now dead but I found a few things to put on my To-Do list. Because it isn't already long enough.

How cute are these little felt chicks from Comfortstitching? As much as I love garlands, I totally want to make the version with a button and ribbon to hang them up. Filing this one away for next Easter.

Here's a huge list of crochet patterns to make sweaters, etc for your pets, I love this jingle bells dog collar.

You can find a tutorial make a dog pajama bag on Timeless Truths.

Did you hear me squeal when I opened this one up? A member of Craftster shared some vintage stuffed animal patterns that her grandmother had saved. I'm ready to go make a dog and a horse and an elephant and another dog . There are also patterns for a giraffe, lion, hedgehog, calf, ostrich, ape and two for ragdolls. I'll have to put the animals on hold until after I finish my Halloween stuff.

Happy Wednesday!

Hedgehog Bonanza

I was just over at the sewing blog on Craft Gossip and found links to three different hedgehog appliques. Woohoo!

Henrietta the Hedgehog from Izzy & Ivy designs

Hedgehog applique from Sevi Designs

And another hedgehog applique from Megity's Handmade

Those three blogs are new to me but I'm explore them more at another time. If I do it now, I'll never get to bed.

Scotties On The Brain

This post could be a drinking game. Take a swig every time I mention the word Scottie/Scotty.

The other night, I went through the pile of papers on my bedroom floor and found over 40 cross stitch, embroidery and sewing patterns that I had printed out over the past couple of months. These are the tutorials and projects that I don't bother to download because I am going to start making them the very second I turn off my computer.

I'll give you a minute to stop laughing.

Anyway, in the pile was a pattern for a patchwork dog pillow on Ohdeedoh, which reminded me that Kellie had linked to a similar pattern from Denyse Schmidt on Facebook not too long ago. (I think it was Kellie. My apologies if it was someone else.) I must make one of those Scotties. Never mind that I don't know how to use a sewing machine or make a patchwork anything.

That patchwork Scottie made me think of the cute Scottie dog pillow over at Bustle & Sew? I must make that too. Never mind that I don't know how to applique.

Next, I somehow ended up on Flickr and found some groups for Scotties: Patchwork Scotties, Vintage Scottie Dogs, and also one for Scotty Stuffies, which I believe I joined after I actually made the AllSorts Scotty dog. And then pigs flew, hell froze over and the world exploded.



By the way, Jenny at AllSorts is having a giveaway for one of her Scotties. You have until "sometime next week" to enter so go do it now.