Spring Leaves: Free Embroidery Pattern

Fancy a simple embroidery project to celebrate spring? Stitch a trio of little green leaves!

This leafy pattern is designed to fit nicely inside a 3 inch embroidery hoop, but using a 4 inch hoop when stitching will give you more room to work. It would look nice framed in a hoop (maybe with a loop of pretty green ribbon or ric rac attached to make a spring ornament?), or sewn as a motif onto larger projects. 

I've not had a chance to sew this myself but I'm thinking ALL THE GREENS. I'm planning on keeping things simple and sewing the whole design with backstitch - remember that smaller stitches will help you sew smooth curves.    

Click here to open the pattern in a new window, then print it at 100%. A hi-res PDF version of this pattern is also available in my Patreon pattern library.

This pattern was adapted from my felt spring leaves brooch tutorial (I do love a project variation!).

 

If you'd like to sew some more leaves, how about embroidered felt oak leaves...

 

 ... or a felt monstera leaf brooch?

 

This pattern is for non commercial use only: you can use it to stitch as many leaf trios as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. Thanks xx

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A Year of Wreaths: September Embroidered Oak Leaves Wreath Tutorial

UPDATE: this project is now available as a printable PDF pattern on my Patreon.

Subscribe for a small monthly fee and you'll get access to a growing library of PDF patterns and tutorials, with an email whenever I add a new project. You can cancel any time.    

Click here to check out my Patreon page and sign up!

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This month’s wreath design celebrates the arrival of autumn! It features berry red yarn, a bit of sparkle, and a cluster of felt oak leaves stitched with the opening line of John Keats’ famous poem ‘To Autumn’: “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”.

 

 

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Plant Lady Brooches: Felt Monstera Leaf Brooch Tutorial

UPDATE: My plant lady brooch tutorials can now be found in my Patreon pattern library!

Joining my Patreon gives you access to a growing library of felt crafting tutorials and embroidery patterns while helping to support all my creative work. You'll get an email whenever I add a new project, and you can cancel at any time xxx

Sew a Plant Lady, Cactus, or Monstera Leaf brooch.

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Here's the final tutorial in my trio of plant lady projects: an embroidered felt monstera leaf brooch!

 

These leafy designs would make great gifts for the plant-lovers in your life! You could also leave off the brooch backs and use the designs as patches to sew on your rucksack, jacket, or other items that don’t need regular washing.

The tutorials originally appeared on the Village Haberdashery's blog and were created using felt and other craft supplies from their shop.

Click here to check out my Patreon! 

How To: Felt Spring Leaves Brooch

UPDATE: my spring leaves brooch tutorial is now available in my Patreon pattern library.

Subscribe for a small monthly fee and you'll get access to a growing library of PDF patterns and tutorials, with an email whenever I add a new project. You can cancel any time.      

Click here to check out my Patreon page and sign up!

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As promised, I've got a leafy tutorial to share with you guys today: how to make a brooch decorated with a trio of felt leaves.

These brooches are a slightly updated version of a design I used to sell in my shop years ago. They're quite quick and easy to make but I think they look rather stylish!

 

I've sewn my brooches in spring greens, but you could use orange/red/yellow on a brown background to make an autumnal version. Here's a crafty flashback to some I made many moons ago:

 

 

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How To: Make a Mini Felt Leaf & Daisy

To celebrate the launch of my new book, Super-Cute Felt Animals, I'm sharing a collection of free tutorials that you can mix and match with the projects from the book.

This week's projects coordinate with the animals from the "In the Garden" chapter. Today you can learn to make a little felt leaf and daisy. 

To make the leaf and daisy, you will need...

- the template sheet at the bottom of this post
- a small piece of yellow felt
- white felt, approx 2 x 4 in (5.5 x 10.5 cm)
- green felt, approx. 3 x 3 ¾ in (7 x 9 cm)
- matching sewing threads
- spring green embroidery floss (thread)
- stuffing & a pencil or other small stuffing tool
- needles, pins & embroidery scissors (great for cutting out small felt shapes!)

To make the leaf:

1. Use the templates provided to cut out two green felt leaves.

2. Cut a length of spring green embroidery floss and separate half the strands (so for six stranded floss, use three strands). Use the green floss to sew a line down the centre of the leaf in running stitch, sewing along in one direction and then back in the other filling in the gaps to create a continuous line of stitching. Then sew a series of diagonal lines as pictured, sewing out from the central line and then back again with more running stitches. Take care not to pull your stitches too tightly and pucker the felt.

3. Pin the two leaf shapes together, and trim any excess felt from the back (unstitched) leaf – adding the embroidery may have caused the felt shape to shrink slightly. Whip stitch the edges of the leaf together with matching green sewing thread, removing the pin when it’s no longer needed and finishing your stitching neatly at the back.

I kept my leaf flat, but if you’d like to stuff yours just leave a gap large enough for your finger then stuff the leaf lightly before you finish sewing up the gap.

To make the daisy:

1. Use the templates provided to cut out two daisies from white felt and one circle from yellow felt.

2. Place the two daisy shapes together, and whip stitch around the edges with white sewing thread. Finish your stitching in the centre at the front where it’ll be hidden in the next step.

3. Position the circle in the centre of the daisy, and sew it in place with white whip stitches. Sew most of the way round the circle, leaving a small gap. Stuff the centre of the daisy so it’s slightly padded. Then sew up the gap with more whip stitches and finish your stitching neatly at the back.

Click here to view the template sheet in another window/tab, and print it at 100%.

This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to make as many felt leaves and daisies as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. You may borrow a few photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to the original source, and do not reproduce my entire tutorial on your site. Thanks!

Super Cute-Felt Animals is published by CICO Books, RRP £12.99. It includes 35 fun felt projects, each with illustrated step-by-step instructions. It's available to buy at Amazon UK and Amazon USA and many other bookshops.

Please note: the Amazon links in this post are affiliate links.

Enjoyed this free tutorial? Buy me a "coffee" and help support my blog!


Subscribe to my newsletter for a monthly free pattern and visit my crafty tutorial archive for lots more free projects.

Visit my shop to buy my printable PDF sewing patterns:

How To: Make a Mini Felt Bumblebee

To celebrate the launch of my new book, Super-Cute Felt Animals, I'm sharing a collection of free tutorials that you can mix and match with the projects from the book.

This week I'm sharing four mini "extras" that are designed to coordinate with the animals in the "In the Garden" chapter: a bee, a ladybird, a leaf and a daisy.

First up: a friendly little bumblebee! 

To make the bee, you will need...
- the template sheet at the bottom of this post
- yellow felt, approx. 1 ¾ x 3 in (4 x 7 cm)
- white felt, approx. 2 ½ x 2 ½ in (6 x 6 cm)
- a small piece of black felt
- matching sewing threads
- black embroidery floss (thread)
- 2 small black seed beads (size 09/0)
- stuffing & a pencil or other small stuffing tool
- needles, pins & embroidery scissors (great for cutting out small felt shapes!)

1. Use the templates provided to cut out two yellow bee shapes, one white wing shape and one black antennae shape.

If you are using thin felt, you may need to double up the wing and antennae shapes to give them added sturdiness. Cut two wings and sew them together with running stitch in matching thread. As the antennae shape is small and a bit fiddly to sew, sew the shape on a square of felt then cut out the second layer of felt to create antennae two layers thick.

2. Position the antennae on one of the bee pieces, and sew it in place using running stitch in yellow sewing thread. Then add the wings and sew them in position with a line of yellow running stitch down each side. This will be the back of your bee.

 

3. Sew two black seed beads on the front bee shape to form the bee’s eyes. Sew each bead flat like an O with three or four stitches of black sewing thread. Then use a double thickness of black sewing thread and very small stitches to backstitch the bee’s smile.

 

4. Cut a length of black embroidery floss and separate half the strands (so for six stranded floss, use three strands). Switch to a larger needle if necessary and backstitch three curved lines to form the bee’s stripes.

5. Place the front and back of the bee together. Use yellow sewing thread to whip stitch the edges, turning the bee back and forth as you sew past the wings and antennae to help keep your stitching neat on both sides. Leave a gap at the bottom of the bee, then stuff it and sew up the gap. Finish your stitching neatly at the back.

 

Click here to view the template sheet in another window/tab, and print it at 100%.

This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to make as many felt bees as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. You may borrow a few photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to the original source, and do not reproduce my entire tutorial on your site. Thanks!

Super Cute-Felt Animals is published by CICO Books, RRP £12.99. It includes 35 fun felt projects, each with illustrated step-by-step instructions. It's available to buy at Amazon UK and Amazon USA and many other bookshops.

Please note: the Amazon links in this post are affiliate links.

Enjoyed this free tutorial? Buy me a "coffee" and help support my blog!


Subscribe to my newsletter for a monthly free pattern and visit my crafty tutorial archive for lots more free projects.

Visit my shop to buy my printable PDF sewing patterns:

How To: Leaf Card

Today I'm sharing a super simple design for a leaf card...

... it's quick and easy to make, but I think it looks rather nice!

A few of these cards would make a great addition to your stationery stash (they make great all-purpose notecards for thank-yous or birthdays or just sending a nice note to a friend) or you could make a set of cards, tie them neatly with a ribbon or a piece of twine and give them as a gift. I think they'd look especially nice paired with brown kraft paper envelopes.

To make the card you will need:

- one of the oak leaf templates from this template sheet
- woodgrain effect sticky back plastic / self-adhesive vinyl
- a piece of white card (A5 folded in half) or a card blank (the card blank I used has a finished size of 4 x 6 inches)
- scissors, a ruler & a pencil
- pins, sewing scissors
- double-sided sticky tape
- green felt (or brown if you want to make an autumn leaf)

1. Use the leaf template to cut out a felt leaf. You could use green paper or card if you wanted, but I think using felt gives the card some nice texture.

2. Cut a strip of sticky back plastic that's longer than the height of your card and 2.5 inches wide - use the ruler and pencil to make sure the edges are nice and straight. The top and bottom edge of the strip should overhang your card like this:

3. Position the strip so that there's a few mms of blank card visible to the left (see the photo of the finished card at the top of this post) and carefully peel off the backing paper to stick it in place.

This is the method I used to stick the plastic on neatly. First, peel away the top section of the backing paper and fold it back.

Turn the plastic over and (taking care that the exposed section doesn't touch the card yet) position the plastic on the card, lining it up neatly. Carefully press the exposed sticky section down onto the top of the card. Then use a ruler to smooth the rest onto the card as you peel away the remaining paper.

4. Your card will now look like this:

Turn the card over and cut away the excess plastic - it's much easier to get a flush edge if you turn the card over as you can follow the edge of the white card. The card will now look like this:

5. Cut some pieces of double-sided sticky tape and press them firmly onto the back of your felt leaf.

7. Carefully peel away the backing paper from the tape, and stick the leaf in position on the card (pressing firmly). And that's it! Easy, huh?

 

Please note: this tutorial is for non-commercial use only. You may borrow one or two photos if you want to blog about my projects but remember to credit me and link back to the original source, and do not reproduce entire tutorials on your site. Thanks!

Enjoyed this free tutorial? Buy me a "coffee" and help support my blog!


Subscribe to my newsletter for a monthly free pattern and visit my crafty tutorial archive for lots more free projects.

Visit my shop to buy my printable PDF sewing patterns: