Autumn Leaf Mandala DIY

Autumn is, hands down, my favorite season of the year. Not least of all because of all the nature treasures you can find every time you step foot outside! Pine cones, acorns and beautiful leaves galore. It's hard for me not to come home with pockets full anytime I go for a walk. I love decorating with nature, if you visit my house, you'll find rocks, pine cones, acorns, feathers and twigs on every shelf, and this year, I found a fun and easy way to display some of the pretty leaves I've found in my neighborhood. 

There are several ways you can preserve autumn leaves but since I already had some on hand, I used Mod Podge. It's really easy and quick to paint a coat on either side of each leaf, let them dry and voila, they are ready to hang or use in your fall fun crafts. 

You'll want to choose the freshest leaves you can find, not to crunchy yet and avoid brown spots. For a half mandala similar to mine, try to find 3-6 of each different type of leaf in similar sizes and colors. It's a good idea to grab a few extras as well. Bring them home and press them between sheets of newspaper for a week or so before Mod Podge-ing, this will help keep them flat and lasting longer.

Once the leaves are all dry, pick a spot on the wall to create your mandala. (I made mine above the fireplace.) Grab some poster tack or double sided tape. Start with a large, nicely shaped leaf for the center. Add 3-4 more leaves evenly spaced around the edge of the first one. Use larger leaves first, and smaller ones as you go outwards. Designing your mandala is pretty freeform and intuitive, just do what feels best! Your work will be beautiful and unique.

I loved creating my Autumn display and I think the leaf mandala will be a new fall decorating tradition! (BTW, I made the pine cone garland as well, using this tutorial from A Beautiful Mess. :)

I hope you'll try this out and create an Autumn mandala of your own!

xo aimee

Llamas are here!

Are you ready to stitch up a pair of sweet felt llamas? They are ready for you! This PDF download pattern comes with all the instructions and patterns you need to sew 2 adorable llamas and a little mountain habitat. They make perfect felt ornaments, baby mobiles or just good, old fashioned imaginative play.

I've loved llamas for as long as I can remember and it's a little surreal to me that they are suddenly so popular! I love seeing them everywhere. I hope you'll give these two a try, they are so much fun to sew.

xo aimee

new felt doll patterns

I've been creating some new felt doll patterns for you to sew and enjoy! They are lots of fun to make and I hope you will love them as much as I do. 

Here is Little Moon and Starbaby, Little Moon has 4 changeable Phase faces! I've always loved the moon in all of it's phases and this little one makes me smile.

I know you were DYING to stitch up some Calavera skeleton dolls for Day of the Dead this year! These two are ready to dance and have some spooky fun.

You can find the PDF download patterns for these guys at my Etsy shop: www.littledear.etsy.com

Have fun stitching up a new little friend!

xo aimee

come stitch with me!

Hey guys! Are you ready to come learn embroidery with me in NW Arkansas? I'll be teaching a 4 part class on Saturdays in October at the Community Creative Center in Fayetteville! We'll start out by learning stitches with my mini mandala sampler, and then move on to your choice of one of my four embroidery kit designs, above. Even if you're an experienced stitcher, I'd love for you to come, it will be lots of fun! You can register at the Creative Center website: www.communitycreativecenter.org

Hope to see you there!

xo Aimee

my new Christmas book!! and some Free patterns!

I'm so excited to share my newest embroidery book with you!! The Christmas Collection transfer pack contains over 100 iron on embroidery transfers for you to stitch and enjoy this holiday season.

There are so many fun and beautiful designs for you to play with, from cute little motifs to full page, detailed art pieces. Here are a few of my favorites:

I'm super in love with this book, but unfortunately, there was a bit of an error with the printing, and the transfer designs with text were not reversed. 

For example, if you iron on this 12 Days of Christmas design onto fabric, the text will be backwards! (oh no!) While this is disappointing (not least of all to me) they can still be traced, scanned or photocopied and transferred using a light tracing method, carbon paper, or my new favorite, Sticky Fabric-Solvy (you can find a tutorial on that amazing stuff right here!)

My publisher has also made the corrected, reversed designs available for free download here: www.sterlingpublishing.com/corrections

With these PDF files, you can make a laser print or photocopy of the design which will serve as an iron on transfer. (More on that technique, right here!) Or have a digital version all ready to print and use one of the techniques mentioned above. (don't forget to reverse it back first!) AND, you can download these files for free even if you don't own the book! 

Merry Early Christmas!!

I hope you'll check out this book and find some designs to stitch and love in time for Christmas this year. You can find some signed copies in my Etsy shop: www.littledear.etsy.com

Happy Holiday Stitching!

xo aimee

Cute and Easy Iron on plush

I have a super cute, fun and easy project for you today!

You can sew your own plush toy using any of my Printable Party PDF downloads from www.littledearprintshop.etsy.com. These are quick and make great last minute gifts! Especially if they match the decorations, it's like having a souvenir to remember an extra special party.

I'm using my Woodland Animals set 1 raccoon today, you can find that set right here! The PDF file includes 3 different sizes so you can create all different kinds of printable decorations, and even plush toys. 

You will also need:

1 iron on transfer sheet

8x10 inches of white fabric

8x10 inches of a matching patterned fabric (or more white)

plenty of stuffing

scissors

sewing machine

Start by printing out the largest raccoon from the PDF file on the transfer sheet and iron it onto the white fabric according to the package directions. (I always cut away the extra transfer paper from around the image before ironing since the blank space can sometimes leave a yellowish color behind.)

Cut out the raccoon leaving 1 inch of fabric all around the edge. Place the raccoon fabric face down onto the second fabric (for the back,) trace and cut out a piece the same size and shape.  

Pin the two pieces together right sides facing and mark a pencil line 1/2 inch out around the outside of the raccoon. This is the sewing line. Sew the pieces together on the line, leaving around 3 inches open at the bottom.

Before you turn it right side out, cut small slits around the edge outside the stitch line about every 1/2 inch. Be careful not to cut through the stitches! This will help the seams look smooth after it's turned. Turn the raccoon right side out. 

Stuff him firmly with stuffing, using a pencil or knitting needle to push it into the ears and tail.

Tuck the edges of fabric in around the opening and stitch it closed using the hidden stitch which will be barely noticeable when you've finished:

Start with a knot on the inside of the seam. Bring the needle out and across the opening, then in and along the inside of one edge. Now come back out, straight across the seam, and back in and along the inside on the other edge. Keep stitching along the opening, when you've closed it up, tie a knot close to the seam.

Tada! All done. These little pillow toys will bring a smile to anyone's face. I want to stitch up one of each woodland animal now! You can also use the smaller file sizes to make little pillow ornaments!

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and that you'll try it out and make some of your own!

You can find all of my Woodland Animal printables as well as Farm Animals, Mythical Creatures, Sea Creatures and lots more (all of which will work great for this project!) at www.littledearprintshop.etsy.com

xo Aimee

free chipmunk embroidery pattern

Who's ready for Fall?? I'm looking forward to chilly weather, crunch leaves and acorn hunting! Acorns have already started falling from the trees in my neighborhood and I've seen the cutest tiny chipmunk in my yard a couple of times. So I'm bringing you this sweet pattern in honor of my favorite season!

(I posted this guy once before but I thought he needed an update. :)

This little guy is quick and super easy to stitch up, besides some tiny Satin Stitches on his face, I used only my favorite line work stitch, the Split Stitch:

Start with a tiny stitch, come backup from the under side, "splitting" the stitch with your needle, pull the floss all the way through and continue Split Stitches along the pattern line.

If you want to try the same colors I used, they are DMC 352, 754, 433, and 435, but this would look great stitched up in any of your favorite colors!

Super cute! You can frame this right in a little embroidery hoop, make a pillow ornament, use it in a quilt or larger project, or whatever you'd like. Here's the pattern:

Happy Fall! xo Aimee