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Week 4 – Stocking Sew Along

December 10, 2019 By Lauren at Molly and Mama 2 Comments

The last week of the ‘Night Before Christmas Stocking’ Sew Along is finally here! And I think secretly this is my favourite week, because we get to play with felt! Have you been following along?

If you’re new to the sew along, head to the main post to find out all the details. Then check out the posts for Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3. We’re making this cute stocking with an English paper pieced front panel, and sewing the mouse in the front pocket too. You’ll just need to buy the pattern.

BUY PATTERN HERE

I’ve been loving all the interaction happening on Instagram. Not only have you been posting your entries under the #NightBeforeChristmasStockingSAL hashtag, but you’ve also been supportive by leaving encouraging words for other makers. That really warms my heart! Seeing the unique way that you are making the stocking your own has also been such an exciting thing for me. It’s why I do what I do!

Week 4

WEEK4 – 9th – 16th December This week is all about felt! We’re making the little felt mouse that goes in the stocking pocket.

This little felt mouse is so sweet to sew. And while it’s small, and possibly a little bit fiddly, there’s lots of tips I can share for felt sewing success! The pattern will give you full details on how to assemble the mouse, but here’s a few extra tips you might like to use.

Please Use Wool Felt

My first tip (and I believe it’s the most important one) is to use 100% merino wool felt for all of your felt sewing. If you’re spending a lot of time hand stitching something sweet, I’d love you to honour your craft and your time by sewing with felt that will last. It won’t bobble or pill. It will keep its shape without warping. It’s so lovely to stitch through and the finish is beautiful! And to make the mouse for this stocking, the required felt from My Felt Lady cost me less than a cappuccino. And I know it will last for years.

Feel free to check out my tips for working with wool felt.

How To Cut Out Accurate Felt Shapes

My second tip is to use freezer paper for cutting out your felt shapes. It’s a paper product that has a plastic coating on the underside. You can trace your template shapes onto the paper side, and then iron the shapes to the felt to give you a guide line for cutting. The templates easily peel away once the cutting is complete.

I’ll be posting a video on Instagram to show you this technique this week. And the best thing about this product is that you can reuse the templates, so I’m making mouse 3 from the templates I used for mouse 1.

If you don’t have freezer paper (which you can buy from quilting stores and big brand sewing stores), there are some other options available. I look at my favourites in this tutorial for transferring templates to felt.

How To Embroider The Mouse’s Face

Once you’ve cut out all of your felt shapes, you’ll need to embroider the mouse’s face onto the felt. I trace the design onto paper to stitch through. I use thin, wax-free, paper lunch wrap. You can also use fine tracing paper or tissue paper. Because you need to sew through it and then tear it away, it needs to be fine and easy to rip apart without damaging your stitching. I’ve written a whole tutorial about this process here. Even though this method is a little more time consuming, I find it gives you the most accurate result.

Some people love to use an adhesive product that dissolves in water after the stitching is complete. However, I don’t like the effect that the water has on the wool felt so prefer not to use this technique. Feel free to use what works best for you!

How To Keep Everything In Position As You Stitch

Before you can assemble the mouse, it’s important to baste stitch any loose parts together. For example, you can use contrasting coloured thread to loosely stitch the ears in place on the mouse. When you’ve sewn the mouse together, you just remove the stitches. Avoid using knots in the thread to make removal easier.

Which Stitch?

I love to use blanket stitch when sewing softies together. However, you can use any stitch type you like. Whip stitch is a great alternative if you’re not as confident as you’d like to be with blanket stitch. Having said that, the best way of learning is by doing. So jump in and you might surprise yourself!

I often get questions about how to blanket stitch when you come to sewing the ears. So you’ve sewn the edges of your felt right up to the start of the basted ear. Now what? You continue to use the same blanket stitch, but you need to actually sew though the ear. This secures the ear in the seam. But it does mean that the ear has the stitch parallel to the felt edge on the front, but there will be none on the back (just perpendicular stitches). I hope that makes sense. You’ll use the same technique for the arms too!

Stuffing

I love using polyester hobby fill for toy making when stuffing my felties. There is a trick to it though, especially when making small toys! I like to stuff gently as I go, so I’m not trying to fill an entire shape by manoeuvring stuffing around tight curves. I use very small amounts rolled loosely into a ball shape (like the size of a pea) and I gently push it inside and position it in place using the end of a chop stick. You can also buy tools specifically designed for toy stuffing that will make this job easier.

I like my felties to be firm but not stuffed so full that the felt is pushed out of shape. Remember that the stuffing will settle over time.

I hope you found these tips useful. If you have any of your own to share, please leave a comment here or over on Instagram. I’d love to hear it!

Week 4 Prize

Candice from My Felt Lady has kindly offered a felt pack for our week 4 prize, which includes four sheets of 100% wool felt in Pink Wink, Carnation, Bordeaux and Dark Olive, a sheet of Dusty Rose glitter felt and one of Champagne metallic felt too. Don’t they make a pretty palette?

If you’d like to be eligible to win the Week 4 prize, you’ll need to share a photo of your completed stocking including the felt mouse. Post the photo on your public instagram account and use the hashtag #NightBeforeChristmasStockingSAL so I can find your entry. Please consider following My Felt Lady to show your support. If you’re not on Instagram, never fear. You can email me your progress too. Use the CONTACT form, or send me a message at hello (at) mollyandmama.com.au. I’ll also be keeping you updated on Facebook, but you won’t be able to enter to win the prize there, sorry.

On Monday the 16th December, I will select one weekly winner and notify you by personal message, or email. If you are the selected winner, I’ll need your address to give to My Felt Lady so that you can receive your prize. I may also share your winning photo. By entering via Instagram, you are also giving me permission to share your instagram handle (if applicable) and your first name on the Molly and Mama social media platforms.

The competition is open to all participants over the age of 18 who submit a photographic entry via Instagram or email. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Facebook. 

I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you are here and joining us in this little sewing adventure. It means so much to me to have your support. And that you are finding moments to sew during the busy time of the year is amazing. Thank you! I really hope you love the stocking that you create.

Progress on my third stocking, using Heather Ross fabrics from the ‘Trixie’ and ‘Sugar Plum’ ranges.

Stay tuned next week as I’ll announce the week 4 winner, and share some of my favourite stockings! I’ve even been cooking up some prize ideas for a grand prize. It’s my way of saying thanks for joining us.

EDITED TO ADD: Congratulations to Bea from @onedaisyaday on Instagram. She’s the week 4 winner of the felt pack from My Felt Lady.

Happy stitching, Lauren x

Filed Under: Christmas, Christmas Stocking Sew Along, Molly and Mama Patterns Tagged With: Christmas Craft, Christmas decoration, Christmas sewing, Night Before Christmas Stocking, stocking

Trackbacks

  1. 'Night Before Christmas Stocking' Sew Along - Molly and Mama says:
    December 10, 2019 at 8:09 am

    […] WEEK4 – 9th December This week is all about felt! Let’s stitch our little mouse using easy tips and tricks for sewing success. Find the details HERE. […]

    Reply
  2. Stocking Sew Along Round Up - Molly and Mama says:
    December 24, 2019 at 8:22 am

    […] focussing on Gathering Materials, Handstitching the Front Panel, Putting the Stocking Together and Sewing the Felt Mouse (so please go back through the posts if you’re looking for tips and tricks). We’ve had […]

    Reply

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Studio For Pretty Stitches
🧵🪡 Our fourth week of the #seworderly challe 🧵🪡 Our fourth week of the #seworderly challenge that I am cohosting with Ali from  @arabesquescissors has already begun! For our final week we’re discussing how you organise your projects for SEWING ON THE GO! This might look a little different for you at the moment (depending on where you live) but how and what do you pack to maximise sewing whilst travelling or out-and-about? 

Travel sewing kits are especially applicable for hand sewing projects like English paper piecing and embroidery (even if you’re moving from the sewing room to the couch🤣). But you may also have tips for traveling with your machine and quilt WIPs too, particularly if you have enjoyed sewing on holidays or attending retreats. 

To join the challenge, simply share a public photo showing us how you plan for sewing on the go. Tag us and use the #seworderly hashtag so others can find you. We’re thrilled to see the generosity with which you’re sharing ideas, tips and more! 

Your post will put you in the running to win this gorgeous bundle of three PDF ‘Cathedral Window’ patterns from @arabesquescissors. So cute, right? Please see Ali’s prize post for more information. And don’t forget that we’ll also be selecting a Grand Prize Winner at the end of the month. Good luck everyone! 💗
🧵🪡 Week 3 of the #SewOrderly challenge with 🧵🪡 Week 3 of the #SewOrderly challenge with me and Ali from @arabesquescissors has come to an end. For the past week you’ve been sharing your tips and tricks for storing and organising your Work In Progress (WIP) projects and we’ve been loving reading all the suggestions and seeing all of your photos. 

We’ve selected @kirsty_sews and @mtnlaurel96 as our winners of the Molly and Mama Pattern pack including the #SimpleSewingFolder, #SummerRosePouch and #MissMollyandFriends. Congratulations ladies! 

I’m looking forward to putting together a blog post with some of the fantastic ideas that have been shared this week. Here’s a couple of my favourites. 

-	Small square pastry or cake containers work well for storing WIPs, as do scrapbooking shelves and containers. 
-	If a WIP is something you’d like to work on more, put it somewhere that you’re likely to see, so you’re more likely to pick it up and get some stitching done! 
-	Label each box or tub with the name of the project, the date it was started, the fabrics used, and any other relevant information you want to keep at hand. 
-	@amandalovestocreate shared a terrific tip of adding an adhesive photo of the project to the label! I love that idea!
-	Make a note in your diary or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to check in with your WIPs and their progress. This might give you a much needed push to get stuck into a project you may have otherwise forgotten about.
-	Find a likeminded maker and ask them to become your Accountability Partner so you can periodically check in with each other and give yourselves a gentle nudge to make some progress on your WIPS! 

If you have more ideas, we’d still love to hear them. Ali has put together a great round up of ideas on her blog too. 

Stay tuned as we now share more information about our fourth and final week, with Sewing on the go! 

#mollyandmama #arabesquescissors #seworderly #sewsorted #seworganised #seworganized #sewingroom #craftroom  #craftroomorganization #quiltstorage #quilting #sewingwips
Did you see my posts over at @aurifilthread this w Did you see my posts over at @aurifilthread this weekend? I did an Instagram takeover which was heaps of fun! Pop over to see what I shared. One of the posts included my Top 5 Tips for Embroidery Success, and I thought it was silly of me not to share those tips here too! But really, these tips apply to all sewing. They’re simple but true! 

1.	Choose the right tool for the job. You don’t need to spend a lot of money, but using a needle you can easily thread with the right type of thread for the job, can make all the difference to your experience. 

2.	Start simple. As a beginner, starting a large and intricate design might become overwhelming if only because of the amount of time it will take to complete. Start with a smaller design and move on to more detailed projects as your skills progress. 

3.	Get help from the experts. Watch You Tube videos, read blog posts, enrol in online courses. Over time you’ll develop a whole new skill set that you’ll be able to pass on to someone one day too. 

4.	Don’t rush. It’s not a race, and embroidery is all about slow stitching. 

5.	Leave out your embroidery so you’re more likely to pick it up and continue stitching when you have a spare moment. The more you stitch, the better you’ll become. And it’s a wonderful mindfulness activity! 

#mollyandmama #mollyandmamastitchlibrary #prettystitchesclub #aurifil #aurifilfloss #aurifilthread #embroideryfloss #embroidery #embroiderythread #embroiderytips #embroiderersofinstagram #sewingtips #stitching #handstitching #handsewing #stitchingtips #slowsewing #slowstitching
One of the sewing patterns up for grabs in this we One of the sewing patterns up for grabs in this week’s prize pack for the #SewOrderly challenge is my Simple Sewing Folder. So I just wanted to show you a little more about this pattern in my store. 

Featuring a hand embroidered front panel, little hexie details, and simple patchwork, the cover is all about showcasing the ‘pretty’. 

Open it up (swipe to see) and it’s all about the practical! There’s a lace zipper pocket, tabs for tools, a wool felt needle and pin minder, a thread holder and spaces for hoop storage. 

This folder is perfect for storing ‘work in progress’ projects - the focus of this week’s theme for our sewing room organisation challenge, hosted by me and @arabesquescissors. 

If you’d like to know more, there are links in my profile to my store and my blog. I’d love you to get involved! 

#mollyandmama #seworderly #simplesewingfolder #embroidery #embroiderydesign #sewingfolder #projectfolder #sewingroomstorage #sewingspace #notionstorage #sewingonthego #hexies #hexagons #quilting #quiltedpouch #sewingpouch #tildateatowel
I don’t show my face on here anywhere near as of I don’t show my face on here anywhere near as often as I should. And it’s funny because you’ll have a picture of someone in your head and they often don’t look anything like what you imagine. So for what it is worth, this is me, Lauren. I wanted to say hi and share a bit more about me, as there’s so many new faces here lately. Thank you so much for joining us! 

Here’s 5 facts about me;

1️⃣ My first degree was in Behavioural Science, but I used my second degree in Education to become a primary school teacher. 

2️⃣ After having our two kids, we decided I’d work from home and I’ve been sewing, blogging and designing ever since! 

3️⃣ My maternal grandmother’s name was Molly and my kids call my mum ‘Mama’. I named my business after Molly and Mama in honour of the skills, lessons and traits they passed down to me. I’m so blessed to be able to  share that love of creative expression with all of you! 

4️⃣ My favourite colour is pink. Big surprise there 😂! And I have a love for all things pretty and sweet. 

5️⃣ I love drawing and illustrating and hope to bring more of that to my work in the future! 

I’d love to meet more of you and hear where you are from. Feel free to leave me a reply.  Thanks for your support and encouragement of my little biz. It means the world to me! Lauren 💗
🌼🌸🪡There’s something new and very excit 🌼🌸🪡There’s something new and very exciting coming to Molly and Mama soon! Are you subscribed to the newsletter? Find a link to join in my profile, so you can stay tuned for the release of the ‘Pretty Stitches Club’. It’s all about sharing my love of embroidery, slow sewing and beautiful stitchery🪡🌸🌼

#mollyandmama #prettystitchesclub #studioforprettystitches #embroidery #embroideryclub #stitcheryclub #sewingclub #sewingsubscription #embroiderypatterns #monthlyembroideryclub #handstitching #slowsewing #aurifilthread #aurifilfloss #aurifilartisan #aurifloss #tinystitches #floralembroidery #embroiderywreath
Our Week Three prize pack for the #seworderly chal Our Week Three prize pack for the #seworderly challenge with @arabesquescissors includes three of my @mollyandmama  PDF sewing patterns; the #SimpleSewingFolder, the #SummerRosePouch and the #MissMollyAndFriends pin cushion pattern. 

 Ali and I will each select a winner on Monday, 22nd February, 2021.

To enter, post a photo or video on your public profile showcasing how you store your projects and quilts as you’re working on them or even when they are completed. Tag @mollyandmama and @arabesquescissors and use the #seworderly hashtag so others can find you. 

T&Cs
- the giveaway is open worldwide to participants 18 years and over, with a public Instagram profile, and who post in alignment with the guidelines outlined above. 
- Entries will close at 11.59pm AEST on Sunday, 21th Feb 2021. 
- The two winners will be announced here on Monday, 22nd Feb, 2021 and will need to provide an email address to receive their prize. 
- This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Instagram. 

Thanks so much for sharing the #seworderly love! And you can find out more about these patterns in the store - there’s a link in my profile. The Simple Sewing Folder is a fantastic project folder for embroidery or EPP storage, perfect for WIPs. How do you store your ‘work in progress’ projects and quilts?
Have you been participating in the #seworderly cha Have you been participating in the #seworderly challenge with me and Ali from @arabesquescissors? We’re sorting our sewing rooms for the month of February and have already tackled NOTIONS and FABRIC. 

This week we’re exploring how to store and organise our completed QUILTS AND PROJECTS and those we’re still working on (WIPs). Would you like to join us? There’ll be a sweet @mollyandmama prize pack up for grabs, but more importantly, you’ll be having fun sorting your sewing space knowing that there are likeminded friends joining you! 

Share a photo of your quilt and project storage, tag @mollyandmama and @arabesquescissors, use the hashtag #seworderly, ask questions or share tips and advice. We’d love you to join us! 

#mollyandmama #arabesquescissors #sewsorted #seworganised #seworganized #fabricbundle #sewingroom #craftroom #quilts #craftroomorganization #quiltstorage #quilting #quiltfolding #serioussewistsset #beeapplique #libertyfabric #libertytanalawn #epp #englishpaperpiecing #libertywiltshire
Ali from @arabesquescissors and I are wrapping up Ali from @arabesquescissors and I are wrapping up week 2 of our #seworderly challenge. This week has been a HUGE one, where we’ve focussed on FABRIC STORAGE. We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of you who have wholeheartedly jumped onboard and unreservedly shared your sewing spaces and craft rooms. So thank you and congratulations on the success you have achieved this week; from tidying just a small stash, a basket or a drawer, to refolding and sorting all the fabrics in your entire room! 

So many of you have tackled your yardage, pre-cuts, scraps, fusibles, interfacings, batting and more! And you’ve been so generous with your tips and ideas. So thank you! I’m sure those of you who are yet to tackle your stash will get a lot of inspiration from heading to the #seworderly hashtag! 

We can’t always keep our fabrics in pretty little arrangements like my first photo of Liberty here. So swipe to see my second photo – a more realistic view, taken from the inside of one of my newly organised Billy bookshelves from Ikea. I like to keep my fabrics folded, in plastic tubs, behind solid cupboard doors, so I can avoid sun damage and reduce the effects of dust, pests and moisture. They’re organised by type and size (so yardage, fat quarters, smaller pre-cuts and scraps are generally all separated), then by colour or their use. How do you organise yours? 

I’ll be compiling all the tips and tricks I learned from my own experiences and from reading all of your posts, into a blog post really soon. So stay tuned for that. 

And Ali and I have both chosen a winner for the @arabesquescissors pattern prize pack for this week. Please see Ali’s post to see if it’s you! Thank you so much to all who participated. We’re looking forward to kicking off Week 3 shortly. Let’s explore PROJECTS & QUILTS. Please join us (find out more about the #seworderly challenge on the blog, using the link in my profile). 

Happy sorting, Lauren x 

#mollyandmama #arabesquescissors #sewsorted #seworganised #seworganized #stashbusting #stashstorage #fabricstorage #fabricsorting #fabricstash #libertytanalawn #libertyfabrics #libertybundle #fabricbundle #fabriccontainers #sewingroom #craftroom
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