If you haven’t been by lately you may have missed the announcement that my blog and the free softie sewing patterns are now being hosted on my website, www.thedragoncharmer.com. I would love for you to resubscribe there as I cannot import my subscribers even though I’m still using WordPress to host my site.
Thank you!
My blog has moved and all my web addresses have been roped in to lead to one place! I’m hoping that you will follow me with the move and resubscribe to my blog posts at www.thedragoncharmer.com. I’ll be listing the first free softie pattern this afternoon!
My Faerie House
My life has been full of creative pursuits. It wasn’t until I was almost 30 that I finally settled on creating creatures and found a way to support my craft habit. Creating to me is like drinking water– it is not just something I like to do– but MUST do. To keep my creative mind refreshed it is important to learn new skills. I’ve been wanting to learn how to sculpt for many years and I finally got the chance to hand build a faerie house this past week with the help of my friend, Cindy Best, at Little Bear Pottery.
We had given my youngest son a clay session with Cindy for his birthday instead of toys he would eventually break or outgrow and it was such a great experience for him. Watching him throw a pot on the wheel gave my urge to sculpt a little push! Finally I just made time to do it and I can’t wait to create another! I’ll post another photo after it has been fired and glazed.
How do you keep your creative juices flowing and fresh?
You can find the new sewing pattern for the Hapenny Newly Borns on Etsy and Patternmart! Happy creating!
Hapenny Magick Newly Borns PMRT
Newly Borns are 18″ of lovable baby. They are based on the newly born, Mabel, a character in my …
Price: US$10.00
This tutorial is generously illustrated by my good friend Phee McFaddell! Please visit her online at pheemcfaddell.com for wonderful faerie projects, coloring pages and stories!! To find the free dragon ornament pattern that goes along with this tutorial there is a link on the bottom of the page. These images are copyrighted by pheemcfaddell.com and used with permission from the artist.
Assemble Ingredients:
Kool Aid (un-sweetened in what ever colors you want)
Natural undyed wool felt
Hot water
A pan and cups
An oven
A bit of White vinegar
Heat enough hot water to presoak the felt in a flat container and fill as many cups as you want for dye colors.
1. Fill a flat container with hot water and soak the wool felt for 5 minutes. Be careful!
2. While the wool is soaking pour the remaining hot water into 8 Oz. cups.
The more Kool Aid you put into the cup the more vibrant the color will end up,
the more water you have, the softer the color will be. Stir to dissolve.
3. Add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to each cup. Be sure to use non-sweetened Kool Aid.
4. After your 5 minutes are up squeeze any excess water from the felt and place
in an oven proof pan. You can use a roller or towel to help remove the water.
Now pour the color mixtures over the felt in spots and let the colors bleed together.
You can also sprinkle the dry crystals on the felt and rub them into the wool.
If the spots get too bright just add a little water. You might use a contrasting color
for the tummy and head spike.
5. After the felt is cooked, rinse it in cool water and put in the washer
on the spin cycle only. Then you can dry it in the dryer. If you find the felt
sticks together just pull it apart.
Have an adult iron it lightly on the wool steam setting to remove any wrinkles you do not want, or press heavily to flatten the felt.
The Wool Felt is ready to make the Dragon.
Hi everyone!
I just finished the prototype of Maewyn, the main character in my new children’s book, Hapenny Magick! The pattern for her will be available in December when the book is published, but I thought I’d give you a sneak peek.
You can pre-order the book from my etsy store, www.jennifercarson.etsy.com or at my Kickstarter website!
More character patterns coming soon!
Wow! only 24 hours in and my project on Kickstarter is 1/3 funded! I’m amazed and grateful for the fantastic people I have in my life. Perhaps you’d like to help me reach my goal of publishing my second book, Hapenny Magick too? Just $10.00 will get you a copy of the book and some fun gifts ! Watch the video below, and if you find that you’d like to support me, please follow this link. And please share with your friends and family!
Yesterday was my birthday. I was overwhelmed by how many of you sent me happy greetings. My way of thanking you is this little, just under 3″, piggy pattern!
I made him from short, dense mohair and hand dyed felt with two small glass beads for eyes. He is thread jointed with waxed linen for a longer lasting joint. Have fun with him!
Direcctions:
1. Drag and print the pattern below. Trace onto heavy paper and cut the pieces out.
2 On the back of your mohair fabric trace one body, flip and trace a second. Trace two arms, flip and trace two more. Trace 1 ear, flip and trace a second. Trace 1 leg, flip and trace another. (When you flip the pattern piece you are making a mirror image!)
2. Out of felt, cut two little piggy ears (one flipped) and one little piggy nose.
3. Pin and stitch (1/8″ seam allowance) the body pieces together–do not stitch the sides with the dotted lines! This is the nose opening and the turning opening on the belly for this piece.
4. Pin two arms together, stitch. Stitch remaining arms together.
5. Pin one fur ear to one felt ear. Stitch together, leaving dotted opening open.
6. Fold leg in half, stitch from dotted line at top to dart-like shape under his hoof. Repeat for second leg. Clip all curves!
7. Turn pieces right side out. I highly suggest a set of brass turning tubes from Dollmakersjourney.com. You can find them here. (Scroll down almost to the bottom of the page to find the turning tubes!)
8. Stuff! Close turning openings with a ladder stitch. Close nose opening with a few stitches–it doesn’t need to be tight, just hold the stuffing in.
9. With matching upholstery thread, stitch ears on. With waxed linen thread, sew legs and arms onto the body.
10. With black embroidery floss, sew eyes on. Exit your needel out of the nose opening. Poke needle through felt nose piece where the nostril will go. NOw take a stitch in the nose and exit your needle out of the felt nose piece for the other nostril. This step effectively attaches he felt nose piece to the body nose piece and makes nostrils at the same time!
Finish as you like!
Thanks for sharing my birthday!
Mini Piggy patern
It’s here! The final Softie of the Week sewing pattern. I hope you like this cute little butterfly. I made her from black wool and a tea dyed cotton, but I’d love to see her made in bright colors! If you have enjoyed these free softie patterns, I hope you will consider joining my mailing list, here. You will receive a quarterly newsletter with new pattern information, newsletter only specials, discounts, and information about exciting events and free projects!
Happy creating!
So, a few directions:
1. Click on the pattern below and drag to your desktop. Print it and cut the pattern pieces out.
2. Cut two bodies from your choice of body fabric. From the body fabric make two antennae, approx. 4″ long by 1/2″ wide. Sew the antennae and turn right side out. Tie a knot in the end.
3. Cut 1 face. Center the face in the middle of one body piece at head. Zig zag stitch around face. Embroider nose and give her a pair of eyes. You can embroider, felt or use buttons for the eyes. Pin antennae to top of head.
4.Baste antennae. Pin body pieces together with right sides together and sew around body from turning flap to turning flap. Turn right side out. Stuff and close opening with a ladder stitch.
5. Cut two wings on the fold. Sew with a 1/4″ seam. There is no turning opening. Make a slit in the center of one wing and turn wings right side out.
6. Top stitch on the wing a decorative curvy pattern–the topstitching should be done on the side of the wing with the slit. Pinch wing together and put a couple of stay stitches in. Sew to back of butterfly body.
7. If you want you can use some upholstery thread to segment the body.
8. Love her!
Hi everyone! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the softie patterns. I’ve gotten lots of good responses and a few photos. I would love to see more of your creations, so keep sending those pics in!
There are only 2 softies left for Softie of the Week! But don’t fret– if you want more free patterns, just sign up for my quarterly newsletter at www.thedragoncharmer.com. You’ll receive news about shows, exhibits and other fun stuff, pattern and hand dyed material discounts & specials, sneak peeks at new patterns and critters, and yes! a free softie pattern twice a year. Oh, and if you join soon, you’ll be the first to find out what kind of critter I’m designing for Fairfield Poly-fil Company! It will debut in October on their website.
You can also follow me on Twitter @JenniferCarson or find me on Facebook, Jennifer Carson, the Dragon Charmer.
Now on to the fun stuff!
I made Rufflewing out of wool scraps. She’s very easy and would make a great ornament or fall decoration on your mantelpiece or table, heck, she’s even small enough to grace a fall wreath for your door–hmmm, that gives me an idea! First a few directions!
1. Click on the pattern below and drag to your desktop. Print it out.
2. Cut the pattern pieces out. For the body, cut two out of main fabric adding a 1/4″ seam. For the face cut one out of coordinating fabric, same with beak. Cut one belly from contrasting fabric and cut six wings from same fabric. I used wool so that I could pull the strings on the edge of the wings to simulate feathers, but homespun fabrics will do that nicely too.
2.Pin and sew face to one body. Stitch close to edge or hand-stitch for an even more primitive look. Stitch beak to face. Stitch belly to body. Match body pieces with right sides together. Stitch around body, leaving the turning opening (between the two notches) unsewn.Turn right side out. Stuff. I put poly pellets in the bottom to help her stand upright.
3. Layer 3 wing parts together and stitch about 1/4″ away from the edge. Repeat for other wing. Pull threads on edge to give the wing a feathery look.
. Stitch wings to body, before tying off, take a couple of gathering stitches down one wing and back up, pull gently. This will make the wing bend. Repeat for other wing. I added buttons at the top of the wing, but you certainly don’t have to. = )
5. Embellish as you desire. I embroidered eyes and toes, but kept him rustic looking. follow your own muse! You may enlarge the pattern if you so desire.
6. Love her!
