by Susan | Nov 27, 2020 | Felt Patterns, Other Patterns
Sometimes I forget that I’ve made patterns. Or I make patterns and forget to share them. The Cool Christmas VW Bus felt ornament pattern is one I designed but never got around to creating. If I wait for that to happen, another Christmas will go by without you...
by Susan | Nov 27, 2020 | Felt Patterns, Squares
This felt square comes to you from Hannah. She left for college with a stash of my felt for some crafting in her down time. (Stay tuned for her amazing free for the Christmas Tree Festival!) She designed this square around my Tufted Titmouse pattern for her...
by Susan | Nov 15, 2020 | Felt Patterns, Other Patterns
Our WHRL Christmas Tree Festival is three weeks away. We’ve made the difficult decision, due to COVID-19, to have the event entirely online this year. A month ago, the plan was to have bidding online, but an extended window of time for folks to stop in and view...
by Susan | Nov 12, 2020 | Critter Patterns, Felt Patterns
When folks ask for or suggest a pattern, I don’t always jump on it. My life is a little crazy, with multiple part-time jobs that make up the whole. And then there’s my love of designing these felt birds and critters – the side gig. The pattern...
by Susan | Nov 4, 2020 | Felt Patterns, Other Patterns
I’m still struggling with ideas for this year’s WHRL Christmas Tree Festival. I seriously lack inspiration for trees and wreaths beyond the Joyful Owl Wreath I do in some form each year. I could repeat some of the other felt bird and critter trees...
by Susan | Oct 31, 2020 | Other Patterns
I’m searching for inspiration and playing with ideas for WHRL’s Christmas Tree Festival. I designed these snowflake patterns with thoughts of decorations for a Christmas wreath. I’m not sure where that idea is going but thought I’d share the...
by Susan | Oct 18, 2020 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
If you’ve ever had Grackles at your feeder, you’ll understand why in bird-speak that flock is called a “plague.” They will clean out a feeder faster than any other bird I’ve seen. Yet yesterday, a beautiful, inky, iridescent Grackle came...
by Susan | Oct 3, 2020 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns
Welp, I’ve pulled the trigger, and my second pattern book, Downeast Thunder Farm Backyard Birds I: Felt Ornament Patterns, is now available for pre-order. This book has been in the works since February. You’d think COVID-19 quarantine would have given me...
by Susan | Sep 19, 2020 | Give-a-ways, Perching Bird Patterns
I first spotted a Common Yellowthroat Warbler in the marshy area next to the beach. A few weeks later I spied one lurking in the branches of my lilac bushes. I haven’t seen once since, but I’ve heard the song. Enjoy! Common YellowthroatDownload Now!975...
by Susan | Aug 30, 2020 | Felt Patterns, Insect Patterns
I first discovered the Mourning Cloak butterfly during my trip with Hannah to the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden this summer. I learned that this big, bold, butterfly actually overwinters in Maine. This is a one-sided ornament that I turned into a magnet. Repeat the...
by Susan | Aug 22, 2020 | Felt Patterns, Other Patterns
In our neck of the woods, the nights have suddenly turned crisp – a reminder that we’re on the downside of summer. The stores have dishes, signs, and textiles featuring trucks loaded with pumpkins. While I’m not ready to break out the pumpkin spice,...
by Susan | Jun 28, 2020 | Felt Patterns, Insect Patterns
I enjoy designing patterns that are realistic looking. I didn’t quite hit the mark with the dragonfly. It was a challenge with their see-through iridescent wings; I opted for white. Make the body any color that suits your fancy. In my test dragonfly pictured, I...
by Susan | May 10, 2020 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
A friend shared a photo of a Magnolia Warbler on Instagram. Intrigued, I sat down yesterday to design one. This morning, as I was cutting out the pieces to sew him, I spotted a flash of yellow out the window. I popped up to take a closer look – a Magnolia...
by Susan | Apr 28, 2020 | Collage, Felt Patterns, Squares
This collage card started with a felt square design. Yet when it came time to make it, I was more interested in creating it from paper than I was from felt. The tree is created from magazine text torn from the magazine to mimic a birch tree. As I did with my Puffins...
by Susan | Apr 26, 2020 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
I have a “to-do” list for my backyard bird books, but lately, my inspiration wants to go other directions (see last weekend’s puffin square). Today, I buckled down to create the Red-bellied Woodpecker and check it off my list before I venture into...
by Susan | Apr 19, 2020 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Squares
Earlier in the year, I designed the Felt Loon at Cadillac square. At the time, it was a one-off type of thing. A few days ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with designs for two more felt squares clearly outlined in my mind. I grabbed my iPhone and emailed...
by Susan | Apr 15, 2020 | Felt Patterns, Insect Patterns
Yesterday, after I’d finagled my morning coffee from a camp stove on the porch due to the power outage, I sat down and designed this little Bumble Bee. Since starting on butterflies a couple of years ago, this has been a much-requested design – a perfect...
by Susan | Apr 12, 2020 | Video
With a little extra time last weekend, I decided to make a video about how to make one of my felt bird designs. How hard could it be? I’ve been making the birds for years. Despite having a daughter who is a cinema major, I wanted to do this myself. I borrowed...
by Susan | Apr 1, 2020 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Another project for these COVID Quarantine days as I work my way through the list of birds I want to create for a backyard bird pattern book. Enjoy! And please stay as safe as possible in these crazy times. Carolina WrenDownload Now!1925...
by Susan | Mar 23, 2020 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
How quickly the world changes. Two weeks ago, I was planning a trip to my folks in Pennsylvania. I’d be there today if it weren’t for Covid-19 or the Coronavirus. Instead, I’m hunkered down with my family, working from home as are many of you. So...
