How to: Cut shapes out of wool felt

Felt is such a versatile crafting material and because it doesn't fray, it's ideal for adding features on toys, such as eyes. Cutting small shapes from felt however, can be challenging. It's hard to trace directly onto felt and pinning small patterns in place is less than ideal. Lucky for us, there's a much simpler way to accurately cut small felt shapes without the frustration.

how to: simple bow tie

 

You're going to love how simple it is to make this bow tie. I designed it to dress-up my runabout toy bear because how dapper are bears in bow ties! But I couldn't stop at just one...

how to: shadow tracing

Shepherd's Purse with heart shape seed pods, shadow traced VOILA! My walls are loving the art Jed created for 'school at home' today, deceptively simple and loads of fun. Life in covid-lockdown has its upsides. We've been enjoying slowing down and really noticing the beauty in our own backyard. 

how to: 'fork' pom-pom

If you feel like brightening up your day with some pom-pom craft, here’s one simple-for-kids (and grown-ups) technique! All you need is wool (8 ply is good) and a fork and scissors. Let's get pompom-making! 

how to: beeswax toy polish

Working with wood can feel like a daunting prospect if you're not familiar with it but prepping the dowel for a Calamity Bolt project is actually pretty basic. I've added finishing with beeswax as a recommended step because in my opinion it's worth that bit of extra effort for the beautifully soft, non-splintery and durable finish. So nice for little hands!