Stitch felt gingerbread men to help count down the days until the big one! Place a small treat in each one to eat as each day goes by—to make the waiting easier.
Finished size: 12" x 19 1/2" Cookie Sheet
Skill: 2 Time: 3 Cost: 2
You will need:
• 12" x 19 1/2" cookie sheet
• Wool felt* (1/2 yd. each): Brown Sugar, white
• 1/4 yd. of Cottage Red felt
• Fusible web*
• Ecru embroidery floss* (#816)
• Embroidery needle
• Twelve 1/2" wood circles
• Twelve 1/2" round magnets
• 7/16" number stamps
• Black inkpad
• Assorted alphabet stamps: 1/4", 1" block letters, 1/2" italic
• Acrylic paint*: Antique White, Napa Red
• Paintbrushes
• Scallop-edged scissors
• 7 1/4" x 2 7/8" wood plaque
• 1" scallop-edged wood trim
• Christmas greenery
• Large clip and string or hanger of choice
• Fabric glue*
• Tacky glue
• Drill & 1/8" drill bit
Hand saw, iron & board, pencil, ruler, sanding block, , screwdriver & small screws, scissors, straight pins, transfer paper
*The following products were used for this project: Beacon Adhesives Fabri-Tac glue • DecoArt Americana acrylic paint • DMC embroidery floss • National Nonwovens WoolFelt • The Warm Company Lite Steam-a-Seam2.
Note: For product information, see end of article.
• Print and cut out patterns here.
• Allow glue to dry between steps.
• See photo for details and placement.
STEP 1: Trace & cut out pieces. Use pattern to trace twelve gingerbread men on Brown Sugar felt. Double felt and cut out two at once for front and back of each gingerbread man. Pin each pair of pieces together (Photo A). Double white felt in same way to measure and cut twelve 1 1/2" squares. Use scallop-edged scissors to trim one edge of each side. Apply fusible web to Cottage Red felt according to manufacturer's directions. Use pattern to trace and cut out twelve red hearts. Peel off backing and fuse a red heart to center of each white square. Use embroidery needle and floss to blanket stitch around each heart (Photo B).
STEP 2: Make gingerbread men. Backstitch front and back pieces of gingerbread men together (Photo C). Repeat for white squares, leaving one side open to form a small pocket.
Glue pockets to center front of gingerbread men. Glue magnets to backs of gingerbread men. Use black inkpad and number stamps to apply numbers 1-12 to small wood circles. Glue one to center of each heart.
STEP 3: Make plaque. Use hand saw to cut two 7 1/4" lengths of scallop-edged trim. Sand cut ends, and paint both sides Napa Red. Paint both sides of plaque Antique White. Use alphabet stamps to apply the words “Countdown to Christmas.” Use tacky glue to attach trim pieces to top and bottom of plaque. Glue greenery to side as shown.
STEP 4: Assemble. Drill small holes at each side of plaque. Hold in place on cookie sheet and mark screw holes. Drill holes in cookie sheet. Screw plaque to cookie sheet. Place clip on top of plaque. For hanger, insert string into hole at top of clip. Tie string ends together in an overhand knot..
STEP 5: Finish. Place candies or other small treats in pockets.
Sources:
Beacon Adhesives
beaconcreates.com
DecoArt
(800) 367-3047
decoart.com
DMC Corp.
dmc-usa.com
National Nonwovens
(800) 333-3469
nationalnonwovens.com
The Warm Company
(425) 248-2424
warmcompany.com