Premium Hydrangea Pin or Hair Clip

Spring Hydrangea - Premium Wool Felt Pin or Clip - by pammydawn

Fresh and sweet, new blossoms for spring! Each bloom contains more than 35 small hand-cut flowers, stitched securely onto multi-colored green leaves. Customize your hydrangea - use as many different colors as you would like, or only one. Please list your color choices in the notes at checkout. This pin measures approximately 2.5 inches in diameter. Colors pictured are cream and off-white with spring green stitching.

As featured on the front page of Etsy today!

Crimson Peacock Pin Brooch

I *love* this new pin design - I don't want to hand it over!  Last week I had a request for a custom peacock in red hues.  I tried a few variations on the tail design and color combinations, but I decided the lavish color combination of gold and crimson was really striking.  

The crowning glory is the crimson glass seed beads on each feather and the crown.  His wing is satin stitched hand embroidery, and each feather is free form hand-cut.  I really had a lot of fun on this one!

Octopus Hair Clip Request

Red the Octopus has a mini-me version!  I recently had a request for his reincarnation as a hair clip, but in orange rather than red.... so I guess he has actually spawned, rather than cloned.

As a finger puppet, Red was about 4 inches tall.  The hair clip is roughly 2 1/4 inches tall from head to tentacle and houses a 1.5 inch snap clip.

Death's Head Hawk Moth Custom Pin

Nearly 5 hours of work, but I think worth it!  I'm pleased with how the custom Silence of the Lambs icon turned out.  

Four layers of felt make up the body and wings which were hand-cut and stitched.  Details were embroidered as well as needle-felted using wool roving and other wool fibers.  Its wings span approximately 4 inches from tip to tip.

Inspiration image from Silence of the Lambs

See how I made it here!

Death Moth Custom Felt Pin

Custom creations are exciting and fun, and I always love a new challenge.  After my butterfly was featured on the front page of Etsy yesterday, I was contacted to create a custom "Death Moth" pin.  

Death's Head Hawk Moth

Image from the movie, Silence of the Lambs

Silence of the Lambs!  Love it!  I've immersed myself in images, trying to decide the best design and colors to use.  I also did some research on the moths, just out of curiosity.  Fascinating creatures!  

The caterpillar looks incredibly like the massive 3 inch tomato worm I plucked from devouring my Romas yesterday.... blech.

Death's Head Hawk Moth Caterpillar

Tomato Horn Worm

As soon as I have finished the moth pin, I will post photos!  Off to create!

How to Make a Custom Felt Hair Clip

Feeling crafty? You can create your own felt accessory to match any outfit.

Basic materials needed:

-design with multiple copies

-small craft scissors (sewing scissors are best

- they need to be SHARP)

-pins

-embroidery thread

-needle

-bar pin or hair clip

-felt (wool or wool blend are best, but craft felt can also be used)

Simple designs are best, the more intricate the design, the more cuts you'll need to make. You can use clip art or draw your own. I like to sketch my own designs and scan them so I can shrink and enlarge as needed. If you're making a hair clip, keep in mind the size of the hair clip you'll be using when you create the design. You'll want to have a finished product about 1/4 to 1/2 inch larger than the hair clip.

I began with sketching the squirrel, then scanning it and printing multiple copies. You'll want a copy for each piece you need to layer. Cut out each individual piece and decide which color felt you want to use for each. You may choose to embroider the details rather than cut felt. Be creative! Try using buttons, sequins, or fabric for additional details.

Once the pieces of your design are cut, pin each piece to the felt and carefully cut them out using the sharpest, smallest scissors you have. I like to use small Gingher scissors. Be sure to have a back and front to sandwich the hair clip between.

Before you begin to stitch the pieces together, check to make sure they fit together neatly. Start by stitching the detail pieces to the top of your design.

Once the front is completely stitched to your liking, including embroidery and embellishments, you are ready to attach the hair clip or pin.

Decide which direction you want your clip to open and make a small slit to slip the bottom prong of the hair clip through. If you are using a bar pin or French barrette, you'll need to flip the piece over and stitch the pin/French barrette securely to the back of the design. Stitch across the clip to hold it in place.

Lastly, stitch around the outside of your creation. Knot your thread carefully; you don't want it to unravel in your child's hair!

Voila! A completely unique hair clip or pin for you or someone you love. Feel free to leave comments if you need clarification on any of the directions listed here!

To purchase the squirrel, please visit Pammy Dawn!

Squirrel design Copyright Pammy Dawn 2009. No reproduction without permission.