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Hello Farmgirl Friends! Do you remember last year when I put together the little May Day baskets for a few of my closest friends?
(You can read that post here, if you didn’t read it last year.) I put the date on my calendar again this year and in April I began to think about what the little home-sewn item would be that I would put in the baskets this year. Because I found out last year that including something I had sewn was a real highlight.
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I had been contacted by a company called Benzie Designs that makes some of the most beautiful felt; they wanted to send me some product to try! I picked out the colors that I wanted (I wasn’t sure what my project would be… so I just chose colors I loved). When the beautiful felt arrived I suddenly knew that I wanted to do some felt applique with embroidery and then turn it into a little zipper pouch.
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I knew that I would use linen for the pouch because the felt just looked beautiful with the linen background. I’m not at all artistic when it comes to drawing (of ANY kind) so I scoured Pinterest until I found the perfect embroidery patterns for flowers and birds. I purchased the pattern here. It was the perfect pattern to just cut out what I wanted to use.
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I used a product made by Thermoweb called Heat n Bond Easy Print Sheets that you can just run through your printer. They are paper on one side and fusible interfacing on the other.
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Then you’ve got your printed design, which you can iron to the felt and cut it out… and just that quick it is ready to adhere to your fabric! Best invention ever! I also used a water soluble fabric marking pen and drew any little extra lines that I wanted to embroider as well.
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I’ve mentioned here before that I always try to have a hand sewing project of some kind to work on in the evenings while my husband plays his banjo. It is relaxing and one of my favorite parts of my day. So, I thoroughly enjoyed doing some simple embroidery stitches on these little flowers and birds. I want to point something out here: my embroidery is SIMPLE!!! I literally just enjoyed some straight running stitches and french knots. You could get as fancy and detailed as you want. This suited me and I was happy with it!
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Once my design was complete, I turned it into a darling zipper pouch. There are so many awesome tutorials online for zipper pouches. I can just about do them in my sleep, I’ve made so many pouches but a tutorial I recommend can be found here.
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Once I got started, there was no stopping!!! I finished them off with little beaded zipper pulls that I made (future blog post maybe?!) and oh my word, they were so beautiful!
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I put each pouch in a little plastic sleeve and along with flowers, some lotion and strawberry scone it became another beautiful May Day surprise for my girlfriends.
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I can’t express how much fun it is to deliver these baskets. I don’t hang them on the door and leave like the old May Day tradition. But I do just show up with the basket and usually stay a few minutes! But it would be totally fun to leave them at the door, ring the doorbell and run! Smile! Of course you could make this a Happy Summer tradition… no need to wait until next year!
GIVEAWAY!!!!!!
Who wants one of these sweet pouches? I’ve got an extra one just for one lucky reader! Leave a comment here and tell me what you would use this adorable little pouch for and next month I’ll choose one lucky reader!
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Until our gravel roads cross again… so long.
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Dori
Those are beautiful. I try to give flowers but things have gotten so expensive I wasn’t able to. This is an inspiring gift. You can make things throughout the year and have them ready for the actual day. Thank you for sharing.
Oh Dori, these pouches are beautiful! This would be a great pouch for my colored pencils. I have a growing collection of adult themed coloring books. I have the Enchanted Forest, an Ocean themed one, Barn Quilts, and just recently received a Bee coloring book from a dear friend. One of your embroidered pouches would be perfect to carry my pencils all together. Thank you for the chance to win one of your beautiful creations!
Sister Hugs,
Wanda Sue
FS#3677
Sweet, sweet! You are so creative and it’s great that you can share your talents with us. Your blog is always a highlight of any day!
So cute! You’re very creative and I always enjoy reading your posts. I would keep hand sewing supplies in your bag should I win! I too enjoy hand sewing in the evenings and I need to keep my essentials together.
I would use this beautiful bag for my travel bible. And as an example to make this for others. I am new to sewing and embroidery. This is a beautiful idea for gift giving. Thank you for sharing irregardless of the giveaway.
I love these little pouches. The beauty of the color/texture combinations coupled with the simple embroidery stitches and easy sewing project are just my style (and skill level). I’m happy to see such a lovely project that is doable for me. Thank you!
These are such a beautiful gift. I would love to have for an example to make more!
I love these adorable pouches! The colors of the felt and the linen background are perfect. I would use one for hand sewing projects. It is small enough to carry with me on the go and my tiny embroidery scissors, floss, and small project would fit in it perfectly. It has the added bonus of being beautiful and cheery!
This is such a thoughtful idea!! I would gift the little pouch to my daughter along with a “May Day” 🙂 basket for a summer treat. She is a reading specialist and would use this in her school bag each day! Thank you for sharing so many great ideas!
Those are so cute. Perfect travel size. I would use one of those for a travel size embroidery pouch. You are so talented!
I’d love one of your little linen pouches. You have done a beautiful job making it.
I would take it with me to carry my travel toiletries. Love it.
What a sweet thoughtful gift of handmade Dori! Love them and so enjoy Mayday. I’m sure your recipients were blessed by your gifts.
SO BEAUTIFUL! Love your work. I am a vintage soul at heart. My mother’s embroidery is displayed throughout our home. ❤️ I have an antique dresser with swinging mirror in my dining room. I do not think I could tuck your lovely pouch inside a purse or drawer. Instead, I would display it on that dresser top with some pretty vintage hankies peaking out from the open zipper, alongside other treasures. Thank you for sharing your creative ideas. 🥰
I love this idea! Back in 2020 (the dreaded Covid year!), I sent packages of flower seeds in beautiful cards I made to a group of friends. It is a tradition I have continued and enjoy doing it.
The pouches are beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I have an antique dresser with swinging mirror in my dining room. I would display the pouch on the dresser top, with a few vintage hankies peaking out of the open zipper, alongside other embroidered treasures of my mother’s.
Sorry, I am trying to comment. It keeps saying “waiting moderation.”
What an adorable little appliquéd zipper bag!!💝. I would use mine for a cosmetic bag in my purse to hold chapstick, gum and breath mints!!💕
I love reading your articles, Dori, and seeing your sweet projects!! I feel like we’re friends since we have a mutual friend, Ellen, from Arkansas!!😊
Thank you for sharing!!💐
Such Sweet pouches Dori so Spring. I always love coming on here and seeing what you have made next.
Your magazine article was amazing and you have such a beautiful home. I know you are so proud of it and it shows. Thank you so much for sharing it with all of us.
The zipper pouches are darling. I would use one to hold embroidery project supplies. Thank you for sharing your creativity.
Those are really cute and functional pouches!!! Thanks for sharing!
A notions bag for one of my many on going crochet or knit projects.
I would usthis pouch to make a “Try It Out” kit for someone. The kit would include all the supplies necessary to make the pouch!
These are gorgeous. Love the bird one. What a beautiful homemade gift!
I think that the pouches are beautiful and I also like the Simple stitching. Thank you for sharing!!
i love these and need to make some myself for friends. I would use it to hold little project pieces and threads and needle.
These pouches are so sweet! I have recently gotten into sashiko stitching, and one of these pouches would be perfect for holding some stitching supplies for on-the-go projects!
I would use it to carry my embroidery thread or small project. I really like your color choices 😊
I love this as I am not crafty 🙂
I would give this to my mom for her purse.
debbiek
Love, love the pouches that I would tuck in my prayer cards to retrieve from my purse when stuck in traffic😉🙏💕
Pouches are adorable and creative!!! I would love to have a beautiful pouch from a awesome Farmgirl Sister. The first thing that comes to mind in how I would use it is a make up brush pouch, or a cute little change purse so my wallet doesn’t feel heavy and dump out change(some know how that goes). Thank you Dori!
Absolutely adorable! I enjoy small project embroideries. Great idea!
I love these pouches! I would use them for a gift to my daughters.
I love each of these beautiful pouches. I have always loved anything made out of felt. They could be used for many purposes.
The pouches are quite lovely! 🙂 A wonderful gift! It would be a handy thing to organize items in my purse! 🙂
I have been making handmade gifts for family and friends the past few years, usually to gift at Christmas. I will try to make these darling pouches, as I would love to have one for myself! I think it would make a perfect pouch to hold lip balm and tissue. I always dig through the purse searching for these!
Dori, those are adorable! The colors, the designs – love them! I can think of so many goodies they could hold and I love it when I read the word “simple”! I admit it, on May Day, I’m the ring & run type, but it’s not too late, the first Sunday in August is National Friendship Day!
Mary
Adorable is right. Small gift for girlfriends is perfect. Or to carry lip gloss in. Or to carry change. Bright, cheery. Probably a thousand uses for these.
As part of a wedding gift I love to give something special, an old German tradition. It is Guarantee of a Happy Marriage, 12 Christmas ornaments to guarantee marital bliss. An angel symbolizes God’s guidance;a fish, Christ’s blessing;a heart,true love;and a rose,affection. A bird represents joy;a rabbit, hope; and a pinecone, fertility. A house is necessary to offer protection from the elements, a teapot for hospitality, a basket of fruit for jenerosity and one of flowers for good wishes. Finally, Santa is a symbol for goodwill. My first grandaughter is getting married, I would love to put this Wedding Wish in your beautiful purse for her and to someday pass on.
I love your projects. I want to make your grandma’s apron too. I would use this to keep my little scissors, embroidery threads, needles, and threader in for my take along projects. Thank you for providing your projects to us.