Two Woodland Bears...

Ever since our vacation last year when I saw a mama bear with her three cubs I have been in love with bears. I'm excited to go up north again to Northern Minnesota in hopes that I will see a bear again. Don't worry, I don't plan on getting up close and personal in my encounter. I don't plan on searching for these big animals. I hoping for a chance sighting while in the boat or driving in the car. These clumsy creatures fascinate me and was the inspiration for two new fusible applique patterns. Let me share with you these two sweet bears.I put my designs on a couple of towels from Dunroven House but you could put them on a quilt block, table runner or pillow. Really anything .... have fun with the design!

I used fabric scraps that I have in my scrap basket. (I keep scraps in a large basket by my sewing machine just for appliqué projects) I traced all of the elements for the designs onto the paper side of my fusible web. I like to use flexifuse but it’s really personal preference as to what fusible web you use. After I trace everything, I then iron the sections onto the wrong side of the fabric by color and the cut everything out.

 

Then peel the paper off the back of your fusible pieces. Using the pattern placement sheet as a guide, layer your pieces in place. Notice how the beehive is nestled into the bear’s arm. When you are pleased with the placement, then press everything in place with a hot iron being careful not to shift any of the pieces.

I used a cream thread to machine stitch my buttonhole stitch around the bear’s muzzle. I also used the cream thread on the bees 🐝. This helps give the design some contrast. Remember to stitch slowly and pivot around the corners of the design. 

Here’s a close up of my stitching. 

TIP- It is hard stitching black on black, so I took a white pencil and marked the edge of the bear’s face so that I could see where to stitch.

-Honey Bear-

Here I have my Woodland Bear pieces laid out and ready to be pressed.

This design is easier to stitch out, not as many little pieces to go around. I just love how this bear is peeking out from behind the pine tree.

-Woodland Bear-

Aren't they cute, these two bears, they are fun to make and super fun to display at the cabin. (Or give as a hostess gift to a friend with a cabin!) I hope you had fun following along today. Both of these patterns are available as a PDF download in my Etsy Shop and also on the 

Quilt Doodle Website. As you read this, I'm actually Up North with hubby. He has a business trip this week. While he's at work, I thought I would take the quiet time to do some design work and hand stitching. Since we both work from home now, I'm looking forward to the quiet time, shhhhhh, it's our secret! I may venture out and find a quilt shop to visit, I just don't know what's open right now. I'll have to do a little searching online. 

Happy Quilting

Cindy and Belvedere

 

Gnomies

I have always loved gnomes and have them tucked all about my home. I love them just as much as snowmen, shhhh maybe more. Gnomes remind me of my dad who had a large set of garden gnomes that used to decorate the front of our house, (until some scrooge took them. I hope those mischievous gnomes play many tricks of whom ever has them now.) What I love about gnomes is that you can leave these guys up all year round! I drew up a set of three that I put on a tea towel. They turned out adorable but I'm also thinking they would be cute on a l-o-n-g pillow or table runner and repeating the design 3-5 times and having a whole row of gnomie friends. It would be fun to mix and match their hats and bodies with different colors. 

Happy Quilting!

Cindy and Belvedere  

Gnomies can be found in the Quilt Doodle Etsy Shop as a PDF pattern.