Felt Cookies

Now that the kids stove is done, I wanted to make some felt cookies for the boys to play with. My oldest son loves to bake cookies with myself or his father. We love being in the kitchen. I decided he would get a kick out of having his own. I also had a Wilton cake lifter that is large enough to work as a kid size cookie sheet. You can purchase them at most local craft shops that carry Wilton, or purchase it here!

If you want to make some of these felt cookies you will need to purchase the sandstone and antique white sheets for the outside of the cookies. For the chocolate chips I purchased the copper canyon felt sheet. You can purchase them at joanns, and heres the link to the felt.

You will need a small amount of cotton embroidery floss. You don't need any particular type, as there are so many. You can just grab the smallest bundle or the cheapest. I had an awesome mother in law who had some on hand that I used. You want to match your floss to your felt as close as you can; for the sandstone, the antique white and the copper canyon (those are the cookie circles and the chocolate chips).

The last few things you will need is some type of batting. A fluffy one or a thin one, doesn't matter as you can always add more layers of it or less. You can also use poly-fill. Now just add the basic stuff, a needle for the floss, and scissors.

You are all set. Time to make some cookies.

To start you will want to choose a circle size. I used a cup I had on hand. You want a front and back for each cookie. Then cut out the batting slightly SMALLER then the cookie circle. I cut two pieces of batting for each cookie, but my batting was very thin. Just do what feels right to you. No right or wrong here!

To make the sprinkle covered cookie, you will need to make french knots on one circle piece. This will be on the antique white felt. Use different colored floss to make the knots all over the top of the cookie. Heres a quick easy video on how to make french knots:
FRENCH KNOT VIDEO
Once the top of the cookie is covered in different colored french knots, then add the batting and the back of the cookie. Using a blanket stitch around the edge of the two cookie pieces, close the cookie.
BLANKET STITCH
Once you finish the blanket stitch, tie off two knots (or three), and you are done. Complete the other cookies just like that.

TIP: I took all the tops of the cookies, cut one long strand of colored floss and used it for all the cookie tops. Then move to the next color, and then the next, etc. Once those are done then just do the blanket stitch and your done. No threading and re-threading a hundred times!

Now on to the chocolate chip cookies! These are a lot easier. Cut out random chocolate chunks, any shape any size. Whip stitch them onto the tops (and backs if you want) to the sandstone felt circles. Once you have enough chunks of chocolate that you like, add the layer(s) of batting, and the back of the cookie and blanket stitch them closed. Super easy!

These cookies are fun and the kids love playing with them, "baking" them, and "eating" them for dessert! I hope your kids enjoy them just as much as mine do.

Bake On,
Sarah

April Giving Thanks, Week 2

April 8:
     Excited and thankful to be working on a small hand sewn/quilted baby blanket, just for fun! Just working on my hand sewing techniques and practicing different stitches, which is making time for me. We all need that from time to time.

April 9:
     Today was by far a rough day, so trying to find something to be positive and thankful for is extremely difficult. However, I am thankful for my loving and caring husband who just knows me so well, and knows when all we need is a little chocolate to lift our spirits! Yum.

April 10:
     Thankful for a little motivation to get the house cleaned up and smelling like a clean house. When you have two kids who wear diapers, trust me this is the best thing ever.

April 11:
     Thankful for the time with our neighbors and new friends. The kids had a blast in the pool, bounce house and all the toys. I enjoyed all the adult conversation too!

April 12:
     So excited to have my mother here to visit. I am thankful for her safe drive and safe arrival!

April 13:
     Thankful today for the amazingly fun and exciting day down in Sacramento, where theres a Train Museum and old style buildings and stores. It was a ton of wonderful fun!

April 14:
     Thankful today for my wonderful mother being here and spoiling myself and the kids! Love my mother so much!

Give Thanks,
Sarah

Its a Doggy Dog World

I have a bad habit of starting a quilt and never finishing it. Ok, I finish them, but it always takes me weeks, months, and even sometimes, YEARS!!! I finished a recent quilt I started back when I first got married and moved to Okinawa, Japan. I sent it out to have it long-armed and everything! All I had to do, when I got it back, was put the binding on the quilt! Simple, right? Well, it took me almost 5 years, but I finished it! I liked this quilt a lot and thats why I wanted to take my time and put the binding on by hand! Okay, without further-a-dew, here it is:

With this overdue project begging to be finished, and now completed; I needed to get back into my other piles of unfinished quilts. On the cutting board, was my "dog" quilt. Its dog themed fabric, and thats why it has received the nickname "dog" quilt. Now this quilt I started back in July of last year (2012), and I just finished both front and back a few weeks ago. I then began free motion quilting the entire thing. It was my first free motion quilt in this size.

This has two very unique designs on both sides of the quilt, but they still have a common theme to keep the flow of the quilt.

One side of the quilt, no binding yet.

Other side of the quilt, again not finished, but the binding was sewn onto this one side, not yet finished though!

 I finished hand sewing the dog quilt and I would say its a perfect lap quilt, toddler play-mat (for the yard/park), and you can use either side!

One side of the finished dog quilt!

The other side of the finished dog quilt!

Both sides together!

The finished binding with both sides, and some of the fabric up close!

 I am enjoying getting these projects done, that I might have to pull out all my old shirts from around the world and start working on my t-shirt quilt!

I did want to say the patterns i used for these quilts, I personally made up, and put together on my own. I have seen quilts with similar designs and have received inspiration from them. However, I prefer my own designs and rarely use patterns!

Happy Quilting,
Sarah