sewing up 2020

Sewing: A couple of Twelve Days ornaments for some special people. Do y’all flip them over backwards to check the color as you go, too? (Pardon my messy reverse sides. I’m not one of those talented embroiderers who can keep the back looking as great as the front. And that’s OK.) 

Watching: Freelancers. So funny. Actually snort-laughed several times. All part of my charm. 

#mmmcrafts #sewingup2020 #benziefelt #happybetteryear

a very merry Christmas to all

I'm not sure how I have missed it, but I had never heard the Pentatonix version of Mary, Did You Know. There I was, driving through my town to pick up my kid from school, minding my own business, listening to a Christmas playlist, and it filled my car. Then it filled my heart. Then it filled my eyes. Then I started to ugly cry right there behind the wheel as I was negotiating an intersection. It was an unstoppable force. Not good for driving safety, so I had to take some very deep breaths and just let it wash through me. 

I resist crying. I just do. Some folks only become more lovely when they cry. Their eyes get dewy and large and reflective. Crystal tears fall from their lashes and they become angelic and shimmery. That is exactly unlike what happens to my face. It collapses in on itself and my throat constricts and my nose becomes swollen and red. For several hours it's apparent to everyone from my puffy, red eyes and glowing nose that I've cried. 

However. Despite my blotchy appearance, it was a thing of true beauty that the account of God With Us in the arms of his mother touched my spirit like that, even when I've read it and pondered it and treasured it and heard it a thousand times. 

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would one day walk on water?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has come to make you new?

This child that you delivered,

will soon deliver you

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would calm the storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy

Has walked where angels trod?

When you kiss your little baby

You kiss the face of God

The blind will see,

the deaf will hear,

The dead will live again

The lame will leap, 

the dumb will speak

The praises of the Lamb

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy

Would one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy

Is heaven's perfect Lamb?

That sleeping child you're

Holding is the great, I Am

Somehow I don't think younger Larissa With No Kids could have been as affected. She no doubt would have found it a faith affirming and lovely song. Current Larissa, Mother of Two Non-Divine Humans, hears it and it just cracks me in two. It gives me chills. What a blessed woman Mary was. And yes, she knew.

It was a moment I needed.

Merry Christmas to you. Today, whether or not you share my faith in Christ, wherever you are in the world, I wish for you a peaceful, joyful day, surrounded by those you love and filled with all good things. And only happy crying.

Little Elves pattern is now available!

Little Elves, the third (and technically fourth) pattern in my ongoing 'Twas the Night Ornament Series, is now available! These ornaments are inspired by Clement C. Moore's 1823 poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, better known as The Night Before Christmas. As you may have noticed, elves are not mentioned in the poem (except for the right jolly old elf himself of course!) but we are taking a little tour of the North Pole to pick up some beloved characters before we dive into the actual lines of the poem. 

Samples made from the Benzie Classic palette

Samples made from the Benzie Retro palette

I'm designing this intermediate level ornament series with what hopefully seems like a vintage-meets-modern type of style, with sparkly sequins and beads and plenty of tiny, charming details.

The Elf Girl is just coming back from the mailbox with Santa's letters. She's sporting a scarf and mittens and carrying a teeny mailbag with removable letters while she reads the message on the back of the envelope in her other mitten. The Elf Boy is helping Mrs. Claus check off the Naughty Or Nice List with his little adorable pencil. You can, of course, customize the Naughty Or Nice list for your own family. :-)

This design basically went well but MAN it was just a lot to get done. A LOT. It's two very detailed patterns in one, with no fewer than 139 steps. So many illustrations! I had thought at first to make them separate patterns but soon decided combining them into one pattern just made more sense.

It takes me about three crafternoons to make both Little Elves, and if you have the materials for Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus already in your arsenal, you have most of what you need to make this pair of cheerful helpers. I think the only additional thing might be the toothpick and colored card stock? And if you'd like the metallic felt for the mailbag. But regular felt works well for it also!

The 29 page detailed PDF pattern comes with two extra pattern sheets containing 20 years worth of dates for the backs of both, if you are like me and appreciate the years noted on the backs of special ornaments.

Just like my Twelve Days Ornament Series, these ornaments also utilize Sulky Stick 'n Stitch to make the embroidery, beading, and pattern assembly a snap. More ornaments are to follow in this series, so stay tuned later in 2021. I will be back to working on the Ebenezer series in the first half of the year. You can be sure you will see updates and posts right here and on my other channels.

All the samples you see here were made using Benzie Design's wonderful wool-blend felts, glass seed beads, and sequins. Such lovely quality! I really enjoyed working with them, and highly recommend them for yours. I'll be posting detailed Little Elves color guides for these samples but probably not before I make the other samples I need. I'm missing the mint/pink/green palette samples and need to get those done. They will be similar to the samples you've seen already for the rest of the series. (But in the meantime I am taking a break to get ready for Christmas. Holy cow. So much to do.)

UPDATE: The samples and color guides are now complete! 

If you are wondering, Benzie Design already offers kits for these ornaments! Yay! (They are the Classic and Retro 'Twas the Night bundles.) The red/blue and mustard/blue samples in this post are all made from the Classic bundle and the pink/orange and mint/olive samples are made from the Retro bundle. Thank you once again, wonderful Benzie folks!

huge THANK YOU to you, and it's back to work for me

The halls of my house have been decked, pecan pie has been devoured, leftover turkey and ham have been reinvented several times over, shopping has been semi-completed. I even managed to lose a pound after Thanksgiving weekend at my weigh in. I did not expect that I can tell you.

ONE THOUSAND THANK YOUS for making my annual sale the best one ever! It's clear y’all have some serious sewing to do. Chop chop! And I also have some serious ground to cover for this pattern. Nose is directly on the grindstone, I promise! Working working working. No one wants to finished with this two-in-one pattern more than I. 

Every year I say to myself, LARISSA, I MEAN IT, DO NOT BE WORKING ON A PATTERN AFTER THANKGIVING. One of these years that is going to work out but it's laughable I thought that might actually happen in 2020. I had very strong hopes to be finished with it by my sale but that was not to be. #life

I'll shout about it on every available channel as soon as it's in the shop. And that will be a wrap for 2020 and patterns. My goal was to release four patterns this year and that is what I'll have done:

Mr Scrooge

Mr Marley (he was such a pain)

Little Elf Girl

Little Elf Boy

I decided in the end to make the girl and boy elves a two-in-one pattern, because it just makes more sense to me that way, even though they are mostly different. Oh. And I'm not sure I've mentioned it here, but I've expanded the 'Twas the Night patterns to nine patterns. I just couldn't get it done in six and still be happy.

My goal for 2021 is the same, only this time I hope to be finished by Thanksgiving. #goals #icandoit #timemanagement #morecoffee

happiest of Thanksgivings to you, and my annual sale is on!

Hello hello to you. Today I plan to mindfully and thankfully devour sausage balls, smoked turkey, ham, pecan pie, pumpkin cheesecake, the WORKS. And to be especially grateful for delicious, lovely fat and sugar as I have been on WW since May and I'm ready to eat allllll the things to celebrate the day. There may be a faceplant in a plate buttered yeast rolls. (Humor and holiday splurging aside, WW has actually been really great, and I highly recommend it. I love to eat, and there's always something tasty I can eat for zero points. I've lost a good bit of weight and I'm feeling pretty fantastic about that. I plan to stay on it for the long haul. Tomorrow.)

Besides butter, there is much to be thankful for in my life this year, yes, especially this strange, sad, and challenging year. I've heard from so many folks who found a special refuge in all forms of handcraft this year, and goodness knows I have. I can just see in my mind's eye lucky people around the world being delighted and amazed to open their special handmade gifts on Christmas morning as a result of worldwide lockdown crafting. What a lovely vision. I'm so grateful if my patterns have played any small part in that joy.

Do you have plans to sew for Christmas? Better get crackin'. (I'm mostly speaking to myself there.) Today through Monday there's 20% off of all patterns in my shop, so be sure to take advantage of that if you've had your eye on a project or two. Be aware the sale is automatically keyed to my US time zone, Eastern Standard, so factor that in if you are in a different zone on our wonderful planet!

I wish you the warmest, happiest, most delicious time spent with your loved ones today, whether an unlucky turkey figures in there or not. We can all take some time to count our many blessings and say a prayer of thanks. 

Little Elves preview

Here's Little Elf Girl, the first design included in my upcoming new 'Twas the Night pattern. She's just coming back from fetching the letters in Santa's mailbox. It's cold out there!

...and Little Elf Boy, the second design included in the pattern. He's busy helping Santa to check off who's naughty and who's nice. You can customize the list to suit your own family. All nice I'm sure! ;-)

Toothpicks, permanent markers, gel pens, card stock, and a very fine tip writing pen will come in handy for the tiny accessories. You can use metallic felt, wool felt, or even card stock for the mail bag. Ooh or glitter felt maybe.

Both of these elf designs are almost final, with only super minor tweaks needed. I'll be writing the pattern and making the final samples next! All the samples will be in the two Benzie Design felt color palettes I've chosen for the series, Classic and Retro, but of course you can make your elves in whatever colors you like! 

Ah I see there's a helpful note on the back of the envelope. Santa's policy is 'trust but verify', little Tucker. :-)

sneak peek of the next ornament in 'Twas the Night

After finally releasing Mr Marley (great SCOTT he took forever) I'm happily designing the next pattern in the 'Twas the Night series, Little Elves. This is a glimpse of the first draft, hence no embroidery. I'll add in the embroidery and *sparkle* on the next round of test ornaments. Fun! I'm excited to show you more when I get to that stage.

Note: These little guys are a bit smaller than Santa and Mrs Claus (#becauseelves), so I recommend finding something skinny to help you stuff them if you don't already have something. I am using my beloved Barbara Willis stuffing fork, which is the regular size, and it's working fine, however I just purchased the mini to see if it is easier to use on these skinny lil' legs. I'll report back. 

"But wait, there are no elves in the poem, Larissa!"

Yes! That's right. No elves besides the right jolly old Santa himself. Don't worry, we will get to the body of the well-loved poem itself, but I wanted to make a stop at the North Pole first to pick up Mrs Claus and the elves. Thanks for hanging in there with me! :-)

May I suggest a handmade ornament?

(Shown: my Twelve Days ornaments sewn with the curated Felt On The Fly 100% merino wool Jewel colorway. Buy the lovely complete felt kit in her shop, pattern not included.)

I find hand sewing to be so therapeutic, and handmade ornaments make truly special gifts that will be treasured and brought out every Christmas. A confident beginner can tackle my #twelvedaysornaments if they start with pattern No. 1 and go in order. The patterns increase in difficulty as you work your way up to No. 12, so that you build your skills!

Can you:
1) Cut small pieces with precision?
2) Sew basic hand stitches like whipstitch, backstitch, and French knot?
3) Print stuff?
4) Glue stuff?
5) Enjoy coffee?*
*Optional but recommended

If you answered yes to these questions, you can make these ornaments and make them well. It’s all about the Sulky stabilizer called Stick 'n Stitch. Print my pattern on the stabilizer, adhere it to the lovely wool felt, and stitch on the lines. NO tracing or transferring embroidery designs. Fantastic. My patterns are super detailed with step-by-step instructions and tons of illustrations. This page is chock full of information and tips for you if you are interested. Happy sewing to you!

 
PDF patterns are in my Etsy shop, mmmcrafts.etsy.com
Jewel colorway at Felt On The Fly, etsy.com/shop/FeltOnTheFly

Mr. Marley: detailed Benzie color guides – kits available!

Mr. Marley is the second pattern in my Ebenezer Ornament Series. Here are the detailed felt/floss/sequin/bead color guides for you below, so that you can easily make Mr. Marleys that look like my Benzie felt samples!

Benzie Design has long been one of my favorite places to purchase wool-blend felts. They have stellar customer service, quick shipping, and their felt, floss, sequins and beads are an absolute joy to work with! They will be very happy to help you with what you need.

First, some handy links to get you started:

To buy the Mr. Marley pattern: mmmcrafts.etsy.com

To buy the Victorian or Modern Pastel felt palettes shown here:

Benzie Ebenezer felt palettes and notions kits

To shop their beautiful sequins and beads:

Benzie Sparkle and Shine page

OK! Here are the color guides:

Victorian Copper Marley

BENZIE FELT COLORS*:

Copper: Coat and boot cuffs

Peacock: Waistcoat

Blush: Breeches (body) and kerchief

White: Cravat

Burgundy: Coat collar and sleeve cuffs

Graphite: Boots

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS*:

Coat: DMC 761, Benzie Blue Glass seed beads, Benzie Rainbow seed beads (buttons), Benzie Moonstone sequins (buttons)

Coat cuffs: DMC 3844

Waistcoat: DMC 761, Benzie Rose Gold Metallic seed beads (buttons), Benzie White seed beads

Breeches: DMC 3712, Benzie Rose Gold Metallic seed beads (buttons), Benzie Copper Metallic sequins (buttons) 

Boot tassels: DMC E301

Year on back: DMC 3845

*All sequins/beads sewn with silver sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Chain: Silver charm chain with links measuring 6 mm at the widest place, 6 mm jump rings

Jingle Bells: 17 mm silver jingle bells

Charms: Benzie Bellwether Metallic Silver Wool Felt, Benzie Silver Metallic Sequin, Benzie Silver Iridescent Seed Bead, silver card stock, DMC 5283 Metallic Pearl

Glasses: Silver 24 gauge wire

Hanging Loop: DMC 5283 Metallic Pearl

Victorian Turquoise Marley

BENZIE FELT COLORS*:

Turquoise: Coat

Midnight: Waistcoat and boot cuffs

Bronze: Breeches (body)

White: Cravat and kerchief

Swan: Coat collar and sleeve cuffs

Graphite: Boots

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS*:

Coat: DMC E301 or D301, Benzie Blue seed beads, Benzie Rainbow seed beads (buttons), Benzie Moonstone sequins (buttons)

Coat cuffs: DMC 3750

Waistcoat: DMC 958, Benzie Blue seed beads (buttons), Benzie Rainbow seed beads

Breeches: DMC E301 or D301, Benzie Silver Iridescent seed beads (buttons), Benzie Silver Metallic sequins (buttons)

Boot tassels: DMC E168

Year on back: DMC Blanc

*All sequins/beads sewn with silver sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Chain: Silver charm chain with links measuring 6 mm at the widest place, 6 mm jump rings

Jingle Bells: 17 mm silver jingle bells

Charms: Benzie Bellwether Metallic Silver Wool Felt, Benzie Silver Metallic Sequin, Benzie Silver Iridescent Seed Bead, silver card stock, DMC 5283 Metallic Pearl

Glasses: Silver 24 gauge wire

Hanging Loop: DMC 5283 Metallic Pearl

Modern Pastel Moss Marley

BENZIE FELT COLORS*:

Moss: Coat

Julep: Waistcoat

Ecru: Breeches (body), kerchief, and cravat

Fern: Coat collar, sleeve cuffs, and boot cuffs

Turquoise: Boots

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS*:

Coat: DMC E3852 or D3852, Benzie White seed beads, Benzie Gold seed beads (buttons), Benzie Teal Metallic sequins (buttons)

Coat cuffs: DMC 991

Waistcoat: DMC 935, Benzie Red seed beads (buttons), Benzie White seed beads

Breeches: DMC 501, Benzie Gold seed beads (buttons), Benzie Gold Metallic sequins (buttons)

Boot tassels: DMC E3852

Year on back: DMC Blanc

*All sequins/beads sewn with gold sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Chain: Gold charm chain with links measuring 6 mm at the widest place, 6 mm jump rings

Jingle Bells: 15 mm gold jingle bells

Charms: Benzie Bellwether Metallic Gold Wool Felt, Benzie Gold Metallic Sequin, Benzie Gold Seed Bead, gold card stock, DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

Glasses: Gold 24 gauge wire

Hanging Loop: DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

Modern Pastel Ecru Marley

BENZIE FELT COLORS*:

Ecru: Coat and cravat

Coral: Waistcoat

Ochre: Breeches (body)

Pink: Coat collar, sleeve cuffs

Turquoise: Boots

Julep: Boot cuffs and kerchief

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS*:

Coat: DMC E3852 or D3852, Benzie Red seed beads, Benzie Gold seed beads (buttons), Benzie Rose Quartz sequins (buttons) (or Benzie Teal Metallic sequins would be nice buttons too)

Coat cuffs: DMC 3705

Waistcoat: DMC 501, Benzie Gold seed beads (buttons), Benzie White seed beads

Breeches: DMC 830, Benzie Gold seed beads (buttons), Benzie Moonstone sequins (buttons)

Boot tassels: DMC E3852

Year on back: DMC 501

*All sequins/beads sewn with gold sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Chain: Gold charm chain with links measuring 6 mm at the widest place, 6 mm jump rings

Jingle Bells: 15 mm gold jingle bells

Charms: Benzie Bellwether Metallic Gold Wool Felt, Benzie Gold Metallic Sequin, Benzie Gold Seed Bead, gold card stock, DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

Glasses: Gold 24 gauge wire

Hanging Loop: DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

These color guides can be followed exactly, but feel free to vary the choices to match your tastes and make your own unique combos. The way I've combined the Benzie Victorian and Modern Pastel felt colors are just a few of the possibilities! I'd love to see what you make. :-) #ebenezerornamentseries

the skinny on metallic thread and flosses

I specify several different kinds of metallic thread/flosses in my Christmas ornament patterns. Because of their shiny wrapping, metallic threads can be more of a challenge to work with, but they are so worth it. This post will show you why I use so many different kinds and what they do best! 

1) For embroidery only (not to attach beads/sequins): 
DMC DIAMANT and DIAMANT GRANDE 

This lovely metallic embroidery thread was a recent discovery for me. I had been using the six-strand DMC Light Effects for embroidery and stripping it like I do the DMC six-strand cotton flosses, which was a bit difficult/frustrating. I much prefer the Diamant because:

• It's a single twisted strand (no stripping required)
• Easier to thread in your embroidery needle
• Doesn't bunch or tangle as much  

I use it in place of six-strand floss for any metallic decorative embroidery.*  To sub Diamant for the six-strand cotton flosses in my instructions, ignore the number of strands I have specified. Substitute a double strand of Diamant or a single strand of Diamant Grande. That formula should work well most of the time. If you want an especially thick looking metallic embroidery, try a double strand of the Diamant Grande.

*Don't make the common mistake of using Diamant to sew on beads/sequins. It is too thick and will make you crazy and/or miserable. Use metallic sewing thread for that, like Coats & Clark. See further down the post.

Copper Diamant thread in action on a Mr. Marley ornament

Where to get it: DMC.com of course, and Benzie Design is planning to include it as an option in their kits. I have also seen it stocked at some local sewing/craft big box stores, but not all. 

2) For tassels (and in a pinch, for embroidery): 
DMC LIGHT EFFECTS

Light Effects is the metallic/shiny polyester equivalent to DMC's six-strand cotton flosses. I have found them a bit challenging to embroider with, but they are certainly lovely looking. If you do use them for embroidery, try using shorter lengths, like twelve inches or less. Once cut, the strands spring apart, which makes it challenging to thread several strands at once. I ended up just threading them in stages.

I use it to make tiny metallic tassels, like the ones on Mr. Scrooge's night cap or Mr. Marley's boots. When doubled, it's the perfect tassel thickness and so pretty and shiny. I do not use it for embroidery now that I have Diamant, but you certainly can! Just strip the same number of strands specified in my instructions, use short lengths, and take your time.

The tassels and metallic embroidery shown above are Light Effects

Where to get it: I have no problem finding a range of these flosses at my local sewing/craft stores. DMC.com also, of course, and Benzie Design includes Light Effects in their kits.

3) For attaching beads/sequins: 
COATS & CLARK METALLIC SEWING THREAD

I'm not married to this particular brand of metallic thread, it's just the one that is readily available at my local sewing/craft store and is the only one I've used so far. You can find it in the display of sewing thread spools. Any brand of metallic sewing thread should be fine, and this Sulky one looks nice too. Maybe I should try it.

I use it to sew on beads and sequins. It's very easy to thread because the strand is so slender, and has the advantage of adding a tiny bit of sparkle (more sparkle = better). There's no need to worry about matching the color of the thread to your beads and sequins, which is especially nice when you are using a lot of different colors. It can be more temperamental to work with than non-metallic sewing threads. A good bit more snarly and twisty, so use short lengths.

The sequins and beads on this Mrs. Claus are sewn on with silver sewing thread.

Where to get it: I have no problem finding a range of these at my local sewing/craft stores in the sewing thread display, or online at major sewing stores. 

3) For hanging loops: 
DMC METALLIC PEARL COTTON

Pardon this untidy shot of my metallic pearl spaghetti instead of the neat twisted skeins they were when purchased. #studiolife. You might be saying, what can she possibly need yet another metallic floss for? Well, I'll tell ya:

I use it to make the hanging loops for all my ornaments. This nicely twisted pearl floss just makes a better looking loop. It's also much easier to knot around itself because it doesn't disintegrate into unmanageable separate strands like Light Effects does. Which also makes it easier to thread through jump rings, if you prefer to use those.

The hanging loops on most all of my ornaments are made with Metallic Pearl Cotton

Where to get it: I have no problem finding both silver and gold pearl floss at my local sewing/craft stores or online at major sewing stores. Benzie also includes this in their kits! 

And that's the lowdown on the metallic threads I use. I hope this was helpful! 

Mr. Marley pattern is now available!

At last! Mr. Marley, the second pattern in my Ebenezer Ornament Series, is now in the shop. This series is inspired by my love for Charles Dickens' spooky Victorian novella, A Christmas Carol. This pattern series is intermediate – not for beginners. If you've completed my Twelve Days Ornament Series, you are ready to step into Ebenezer! (Twelve Days is a great primer as it builds your skills when you do the patterns in order.)

Skills needed are backstitch, whipstitch, drawing on the face, precision cutting of small pieces (and some are like super small), beading, and working with jump rings and basic jewelry tools. No worries, as with all my ornament patterns, Mr. Marley is organized into detailed step by step instructions with lots of diagrams and tips.

The ghostly Mr. Marley ornament is sporting his 'usual' pigtail, waistcoat, tights, and tasseled boots. His spectacles in death are just as they were in life, pushed up on his forehead, and he wears a folded kerchief bound around his head and chin. He holds the long chain which he forged in life, complete with money jingle boxes, padlock, key, and money purse.

I love the look of metallic stitching with this series, and I've discovered a DMC thread that is a lot easier to work with than the DMC Light Effects: DMC Diamant is a twisted single strand metallic embroidery thread. I love it! A good bit easier to work with than the six strand Light Effects for the decorative embroidery! (You will still need Light Effects to make the little tassels if you want those in metallic finish.) 

Note: if you use Diamant for the embroidery, ignore the number of strands I have specified for that step and just use a double strand of Diamant, or a single strand of Diamant Grande.

I will have to just do a blog post on all the different types of DMC metallic floss. I seem to use them all in this one series! LOL Of course. All the things. 

Just like my other heirloom ornament patterns, it takes about two crafternoons to make a Mr. Marley. He doesn't have as much embroidery as some others, but he's a bit more complicated because of the handmade charms and spectacles. (You can always opt to purchase similar sized charms if you like!)

He's constructed using Sulky Stick 'n Stitch, which makes the process so fast and accurate. If you already have the materials on hand to make Scrooge, you just need a few more things like chain, jump rings, jingle bells, metallic card stock, metallic wool felt, and wire. I posted about that recently.

A shot of the fellas together. My Mr. Marley samples are made with the same two Benzie color palettes I used for my Mr. Scrooge samples. Here are the detailed color guides for Marley, and you can find the kits that go with them at amaaaaaazing Benzie Design! 

some things you'll need for Mr Marley

Hello, lovely mmmakers! Are you planning to craft a Mr Marley Christmas ornament when the pattern  becomes available? (Mr Marley is the upcoming second pattern in my current Ebenezer Ornament Series.) I'm busy writing the pattern, drawing the diagrams, and sewing the final samples for you. It occurred to me you might like to know the extra bits and bobs you'll need to make him ahead of time, so you'll be ready to roll when the pattern releases.

Beyond the usual wool felt, floss, pipe cleaners/chenille stems, wood colored card stock (nose), stiffened white felt (pigtail), glass beads, sequins, wood beads, etc etc etc, there are a few new items needed for Mr Marley that were not needed for Mr Scrooge:

• 24 gauge wire in gold or silver for his spectacles and misc.
• Some wire snips and tweezers will come in handy, if you don't already have some.
• About 10-11 inches of gold or silver charm bracelet type of chain, with nice open links. My chain samples measure 6 mm at the longest part of the link. This is the gold and silver chain I purchased, but anything similar will be fine. You'd get three ornaments out of either of those.
• 6 mm gold or silver jump rings for attaching bits to his chain.
• Some needle nose pliers to open and close said jump rings. (I like having two pairs, one to hold the ring and one to bend the jump ring apart.) 
• 15, 16 or 17 mm gold or silver jingle bells to attach to his chain in lieu of actual ghostly money boxes. Don't go larger or smaller than that or they might not look proportional.
• If you already have them, eye pins come in handy to insert inside his hands but are not essential. As an alternative, you can just squash a jump ring or fashion a quick loop out of the 24 gauge wire, no biggie.
• Optional: A gold or silver key charm or two (around an inch) OR you can make them. See below.
• Optional: A small gold or silver charm that looks like a padlock or a money purse OR you can make a padlock or money purse. See below. (You can also see a necklace finding up there ^ called a cap, which reminded me of a little purse.)

• If you enjoy working small (like me!) and you opt to make the keys, padlock, and/or purse charms, you'll need to get some small scraps of metallic card stock and also metallic wool felt. (Benzie Design has lots of lovely metallic wool felt, including the gold and silver you see up there ^ in the photo. It's metallic on one side and wool felt on the other.) I found the metallic card stock in the scrapbooking section of my local craft store.
• The padlock has gold or silver perle floss for the arm of the lock, which you probably already have on hand for the ornament loops.
• The money purse has a gold or silver sequin/seed bead fastener and an attached jump ring.
• For the key as well as the padlock you'll need to have a small hole punch. Mine is a 1/8 inch punch.
• A craft knife like Xacto comes in handy and also a wicked sharp pair of small scissors.

My final Mr Marley samples will be made using my two Ebenezer color palettes at Benzie Design: Victorian and Modern Pastel. Benzie Design will once again be offering kits for this new pattern because they are amazing. If you'd like to wait and see their kits, they might include some of what's listed above so that you can purchase it all in one stop if you don't like hunting for bits. If you already purchased a Benzie kit or two to make Mr Scrooge, you might have most of the rest of what you need to make Mr Marley, with the exception of what's listed above. 

Back to drawing diagrams for me! Y'all have a wonderful evening.

beware listing spoofers

ALERT: It has come to my attention there is at least one pirate site that has stolen my Etsy listings, including my words, photos, and even the customer reviews. They look just like my Etsy listings, except the website is not Etsy. The spoofer lures folks in by pretending to be me and pricing my patterns at half the cost of my Etsy shop. BEWARE: They are actually phishing sites that capture your financial and personal data instead of sending you the product.

It’s not just my own listings. I’ve seen several other reputable Etsy sellers I’m familiar with have also had their listings stolen by the same site, even listings for actual hard to fulfill items instead of digital listings. And this is likely not the only pirate site out there. I’m not including the link here for obvious reasons.

SO HOW DO YOU KNOW IF IT’S A PIRATE SITE? In my case, that’s easy. The ONLY place I sell my pattern downloads is mmmcrafts.etsy.com

If it ain’t my Etsy shop, it’s a pirate site, and is in direct violation of DMCA and US copyright laws. My lawyer is aware of the site and we are gathering information. Be careful out there in Internet Land, y’all. #meanpeoplesuck

what I'm up to

All Mr Marley, all the time, that's what I'm up to. And trying not to eat stuff. I'm on WW and I've lost 11 lbs, but that 12th pound keeps leaving and coming back. Rude. That's a shot of my messy desk featuring headless Marleys in various stages as I try to work out the final kinks in the construction for you. The handmade padlock is giving me some trouble but I think I'm close to getting it licked. (I wanted to give you some metallic felt/card stock options in case you would prefer not to purchase metal charms besides the jingle bells, which are standing in for cash boxes.)

I'm in close contact with the lovely and affable Crystal as I work out the details so that Benzie Design can offer you some options in their Ebenezer kits too. The headless samples you see above are all made from my two curated Benzie Ebenezer color palettes. Those new color guides will hit my blog after the Mr Marley pattern releases. 

I hope you guys are hanging in there during this weird year. Lots of my customers are telling me they are seizing on this time to knock out a bunch of Christmas sewing. I find hand sewing to be therapeutic also. #bonus 

Back to work for me! 

Mr Marley prototype!

Finally, a Mr Marley prototype I feel able to share with the world. He's the second ornament in my Ebenezer Ornament Series. This particular fella is not quite right, but he's close, and I'm so relieved. This is actually Design v2.0. I originally started with a totally different concept that was so cool in my head and in my sketches, but in 3D felt reality it was just a mess. So I scrapped the whole thing and started again from scratch. 

As Kenny Rogers might say, know when to walk away.  

This unfortunate spirit sports a real chain hung with store bought baubles. Those are two jingle bells that are standing in for cash boxes (and also make him able to rattle his chains at Scrooge very nicely). Also seen on his chain are a key charm and a little jewelry finding called a 'cap' that you normally would use to finish a necklace. On his chain it looks like a large padlock or maybe a small purse. 

No worries, if you prefer not to purchase little findings, I'm also currently testing an option to make boxes and keys from card stock. You might also use alternatives if you do not wish to purchase a chain. (Don't forget to check your jewelry box for old necklaces you might want to repurpose.) While a real chain gives the best look, you could possibly substitute some braided metallic floss or maybe string some oblong metallic beads. 

This pattern is not available yet, but if you are making a list for things to buy in anticipation of the release, other extras required to make Mr Marley will be jump rings and a bit of wire to form his spectacles (and probably silver card stock if you are making the baubles). The rest of the ornament is made in much the same method and materials you use for Mr Scrooge, and I'll be using the same two Benzie Design felt palettes to make the samples. The glass beads and sequins you see here are all Benzie too. Love 'em.

I hope to nail down the final pattern for him soon, and then begins the intensive process of writing the pattern and sewing the color samples. I hope everyone is well and perhaps enjoying some extra crafting time, one of the only bright spots of the whole COVID pandemic. 

Mr. Scrooge: detailed Benzie color guides – kits available!

Mr. Scrooge is the first pattern in my Ebenezer Ornament Series. Here are the detailed felt/floss/sequin/bead color guides for you below, so that you can easily make Mr. Scrooges that look like my Benzie felt samples!

Benzie Design has long been one of my favorite places to purchase wool-blend felts. They have stellar customer service, quick shipping, and their felt, floss, sequins and beads are an absolute joy to work with! They will be very happy to help you with what you need.

First, some handy links to get you started:

To buy the Mr. Scrooge pattern: mmmcrafts.etsy.com

To buy the Victorian or Modern Pastel felt palettes shown here:

Benzie Ebenezer felt palettes and notions kits

To shop their beautiful sequins and beads:

Benzie Sparkle and Shine page

OK! Here are the color guides:

Victorian Burgundy Scrooge

BENZIE FELT COLORS*:

Burgundy: Dressing gown

Copper: Dressing gown collar and trim

Swan: Night shirt

White: Candle

Peacock: Night cap and leaves

Graphite: Slippers

Peach: Body

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS*:

Night cap: DMC E301, DMC 814 

Dressing Gown Trim: DMC 154, Benzie Gold glass beads

Dressing Gown: DMC BLANC, DMC E301, 5 mm iridescent cupped sequins, Benzie 4 mm Copper Metallic sequins, Benzie Gold glass beads, Benzie Foxglove glass beads

Night Shirt: DMC E301, DMC 814, DMC BLANC, Benzie White glass beads

Year on back: DMC 598

*All sequins/beads sewn with gold sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Candle: Benzie black stiffened felt, black mini chenille stem, gold tinsel mini chenille stem

Head: White mini chenille stem, wood colored card stock, Benzie white stiffened felt

Slippers: Benzie black stiffened felt

Hanging Loop: DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

Victorian Bronze Scrooge

BENZIE FELT COLORS*:

Bronze: Dressing gown

Turquoise: Dressing gown collar and trim

Blush: Night shirt

White: Candle

Copper: Night cap

Midnight: Leaves and slippers

Peach: Body

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS*:

Night cap: DMC E3852, DMC 3750 

Dressing Gown Trim: DMC 823, Benzie White glass beads

Dressing Gown: DMC BLANC, DMC E301, 5 mm iridescent cupped sequins, Benzie 4 mm Teal Metallic sequins, Benzie Teal glass beads, Benzie Strawberry glass beads

Night Shirt: DMC E3852, DMC 919, DMC BLANC, Benzie Turquoise glass beads

Year on back: DMC 3750

*All sequins/beads sewn with gold sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Candle: Benzie black stiffened felt, black mini chenille stem, gold tinsel mini chenille stem

Head: White mini chenille stem, wood colored card stock, Benzie white stiffened felt

Slippers: Benzie black stiffened felt

Hanging Loop: DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

Modern Pastel Ivory Scrooge

BENZIE FELT COLORS*:

Ecru: Dressing gown, candle

Silver: Dressing gown collar and trim

Julep: Night shirt

Fern: Night cap

Moss: Leaves

Turquoise: Slippers

Peach: Body

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS*:

Night cap: DMC E3852, DMC 959 

Dressing Gown Trim: DMC 351, Benzie White glass beads

Dressing Gown: DMC 414, DMC E3852, 5 mm gold cupped sequins, Benzie 4 mm Rose Quartz sequins, Benzie Strawberry glass beads, Benzie Gold glass beads

Night Shirt: DMC E3852, DMC 935, DMC BLANC, Benzie Strawberry glass beads

Year on back: DMC 935

*All sequins/beads sewn with gold sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Candle: Benzie black stiffened felt, black mini chenille stem, gold tinsel mini chenille stem

Head: White mini chenille stem, wood colored card stock, Benzie white stiffened felt

Slippers: Benzie black stiffened felt

Hanging Loop: DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

Modern Pastel Pink Scrooge

BENZIE FELT COLORS*:

Pink: Dressing gown

Coral: Dressing gown collar and trim

Ecru: Night shirt and candle

Ochre: Night cap

Turquoise: Leaves

Mustard: Slippers

Peach: Body

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS*:

Night cap: DMC E301, DMC 501 

Dressing Gown Trim: DMC BLANC, Benzie Gold glass beads

Dressing Gown: DMC E3852, DMC 783, 5 mm iridescent cupped sequins, Benzie 4 mm Copper Metallic sequins, Benzie Gold glass beads, Benzie Strawberry glass beads

Night Shirt: DMC E3852, DMC 351, DMC 3326, Benzie Strawberry glass beads

Year on back: DMC 351

*All sequins/beads sewn with gold sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Candle: Benzie black stiffened felt, black mini chenille stem, gold tinsel mini chenille stem

Head: White mini chenille stem, wood colored card stock, Benzie white stiffened felt

Slippers: Benzie black stiffened felt

Hanging Loop: DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

These color guides can be followed exactly, but feel free to vary the choices to match your tastes and make your own unique combos. The way I've combined the Benzie Victorian and Modern Pastel felt colors are just a few of the possibilities! I'd love to see what you make. :-) #ebenezerornamentseries