Just Coasting - Last Minute Gifts

Just Coasting

©Dana Biddle

Do you still have a few last minute gifts to make for Christmas? These little works of art can be made in no time and are suitable for everyone. They will be visible all the time, well except for when they’re protecting your table from a hot cuppa something, so make each one extra special. There is just one challenge when making them, all embellishment must be smooth and flat so that a cup or mug won’t wobble. Also, try to make them washable – just in case!

You will need:
Cotton fabric of your choice for base
Timtex – craft Vilene
Commercial felt
Appliqué paper
Embellishment – fabric scraps, tulle, fabric motives, felt, threads etc...

Instructions
Coasters may be made individually or a few could be made on one piece of fabric and then cut apart later.
Measure and draw the outline of your coaster/s onto the Timtex. Each should measure 10cm x 10cm.
Fuse the Timtex and the base fabric together using appliqué paper.
Using thread that will be visible on your base fabric, stitch along the outline drawn onto the Timtex. (If you prefer to work on each coaster individually, cut them apart now.)
Embellish each coaster as desired, remembering to keep your embellishment smooth and flat.
Fuse the coaster tops to the felt using appliqué paper.
Cut the coasters apart.
Finish the edges as desired.

Coaster 1
The hut was drawn onto the Timtex, top thread was placed in the bobbin of the sewing machine and the design was stitched using free motion stitching.

Coaster 2
The sheep face and body shape was cut from felt and then applied to the coaster using an embellisher (felting machine). The eye, legs and curls were then machine stitched using free motion stitching.

Coaster 3
A fabric motive was fused to the top of the coaster using appliqué paper. Stitching around the shape was done using free motion stitching.

Coaster 4
Fabric scraps were cut into tiny pieces and randomly arranged on the coaster top. This was covered with a piece of black tulle and all held together with free motion stitching.

And...... we have a WINNER

Hi Everyone,

Today is the 2nd monthaversary of my blog! Time has flown and I can't believe that I've been blogging for 2 whole months already. As promised I did a random draw from the people following my blog and the person that I will be sending the gift to is.... Dominant Hands.  As a thank you to everyone else who is interested in my ramblings, I've decided to post the instructions for making "the gift" and they will be here tomorrow.

In the mean time here's another little teaser to help you guess what it is.

Until tomorrow .... have fun!

Gifts and Giveaway

Hi Everyone,

I've had a lovely weekend. I'm taking part in an Art and Crafts Swap and received some lovely gifts in the mail yesterday. I had to send off one gift and find 6 people to take part. If the chain isn't broken, I should receive 36 little handmade gifts :) Thank you soo much - they're beautiful!

This is a card - the felt flower is removable and becomes a book mark

Another lovely handmade card

How lovely is this recipe folder, I'm going to use it for my special recipes.

All these gifts remind me that it is almost my blog monthaversary and to celebrate I'll be sending one of my ColourSpun followers a special monthaversary gift. I thought that since it's winter here and all too soon our landscape will be fairly monotone, that this month's gift should be something really bright and cheerful - so - here's a glimpse.

I'll be doing the random draw from the ColourSpun followers on Tuesday, if you're not following yet, you still have time.

Have a happy day!

Beautiful Gifts

Today was a wonderful day! I spent the morning with my knitting friends and my littlest friend, Erin,who's 5 years old made me the most beautiful gifts. She spent a good part of the morning creating them. The first was presented as a little parcel wrapped with yarn which I had to carefully unwind and inside were three little pieces of fabric with fine flowers she had drawn on them. Once it was unwrapped, she explained to me that the little flowers were to be carefully attached to the piece of wool and I could use it to tie back my curtains. The second gift was made with fabric wrapped in yarn and a sprig of lavender, all tied to the end of a fine nylon thread. This was made to hang from my ceiling in my studio. The third gift was a fabric wrapped foam block held together with yarn and beautifully embellished with little pieces of fabric, some shiny red paper, lavender and mint. This too was to be hung in my studio. We agreed all 3 gifts would be hung together at a window in my studio. Here are a few photos of them.

Thank you again Erin, you made today a very special one for me.