Tag: Handmade Gifts

Fergus the Gnome Felt Decorative Doll Fergus the Gnome – Tips and Tricks for Stitching (Easy Felt Gnome Tutorial)
Die cutting · stitching

Fergus the Gnome – Tips and Tricks for Stitching (Easy Felt Gnome Tutorial)

Karen Brown1 Comment

Create a charming hand-stitched felt gnome with step-by-step tips, stitching guidance, and personalization ideas.

Hand-stitched wool felt Fergus the Gnome decorated with a die cut lemon and flowers in teal, aqua, yellow, lavender, and pink Two photos: one of the front and a second showing the back.

If you’ve never tried stitching on felt before, this is a great place to start.

Meet Fergus the Gnome—Spellbinders’ newest felt décor project and one of the most fun stitching projects I’ve made.

Fergus is a hand-stitched wool felt doll with endless opportunities for personalization. In this tutorial, I’ll share my tips and tricks for stitching, assembling, and customizing your own gnome—plus the materials that make this project easy and enjoyable.

Using high-quality merino wool felt, I created my own version: a cheerful Lemon Gnome decorated with citrus and flowers.

📌 In This Post:

  • Why Wool Felt Works Best
  • How to Customize Your Fergus Gnome
  • Stitching Tips and Techniques
  • Assembly Tips for Best Results
  • Gift Ideas and Variations

You can find my most-used tools on my Favorite Cardmaking Supplies page.

the front of hand-stitched merino wool felt Fergus the Gnome decorated with a die cut lemon and flowers in teal, aqua, yellow, lavender, and pink

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✨ Why This Project Works

  • Beginner-friendly stitching techniques
  • Endless customization options
  • Uses simple, accessible supplies
  • Creates a display-worthy handmade piece

✂️ Why Wool Felt?

I’ve tried different felts in the past, but they sometimes frayed or stretched, leaving me frustrated. Merino wool felt cuts beautifully with Spellbinders dies and keeps its shape. For this project, I used my Platinum 6 Die Cutting System + felt from the Trend and Holiday Collections—smooth, sturdy, and vibrant.

This is the exact felt I recommend using—after trying others, this one gave me the best results.

🍋 My Lemon Gnome

The back of Fergus the Lemon Gnome's coat and hat with all the embellishments.

Fergus can be customized with accessory kits or your own creativity. I decided to make a “Lemon Gnome” using the Citrus Spritz dies:

  • A die cut lemon + layered flowers for front and back
  • Teal, aqua, and white wool felt for Fergus himself
  • Yellow, lavender, and pink flowers for accents

To add personality, I stitched:

  • Blanket stitching along Fergus’s giant hat brim and coat edges
  • Running stitches for construction
    I stitched with 3 strands of embroidery floss, pulling up, not sideways, to keep the felt smooth.

🧵 Stitching & Assembly

Process photo showing me handstitch Fergus the Gnomes felt hat.

🧵 Stitching & Assembly Tips

  • Stitches used: running stitch + blanket stitch
  • Floss: 3 strands of DMC
  • Tip: pull floss up, not sideways, to keep felt smooth
  • Color tip: match floss for seams, contrast for decorative stitching

Other Assembly Notes:

  • LINK to multiple YouTube Fergus Instruction Videos
  • Accessories: Fergus has two coordinating accessories die sets, but I used one of my favorite die sets, Citrus Spritz. Use your favorite dies to personalize your gnomes.
  • Die cutting: use a regular sandwich in your machine; Spellbinders Platinum 6 dies cut felt beautifully
  • Stuffing: I used cotton fiber filling for the stuffing and then added uncooked rice to the bottom of the gnome’s body to add ballast. I inserted about an inch of rice right before I stitched on the base.
  • Assembly: Bearly Art Glue worked great for securing embellishments and components. I used a generous amount. I also cut a little triangle from deli paper and inserted inside the coat prior to gluing (see photo 2 down). This kept the glue from seeping to the other side.

You build Fergus piece by piece—hat, coat, nose, accessories—and then assemble him. He’s adorable, sturdy, and so fun to make.

Process photo showing die cut felt lemon and flowers ready to be attached to Fergus the Gnome

📸 Organization Process Photo

I used my Stash Stax to keep me organized while I created Fergus.

Process photo showing die cut felt Fergus the Gnome in my to the front of Fergus the Gnome in my Stash Stax organizer.

Giftable & Customizable

You can decorate Fergus for any season, occasion, or holiday. Imagine Christmas gnomes, Valentine’s gnomes, Easter gnomes, or even citrusy summer gnomes like mine. They make unique gifts, handmade keepsakes, or cheerful décor.

If you enjoy stitching projects, you might also like my Stitching Die of the Month cards.

Or you might be interested in my newest blog post: Best Cardmaking Kit Subscriptions (2026 Guide) | My Favorite Craft Kits

BetterPress · cardmaking · Tutorial

Quick and Easy BetterPress Notecards | Spellbinders

Karen BrownLeave a comment
BetterPress Tutorial detailing how to create easy and elegant letterpress notecards using Spellbinders Florals Through the Year Collection.

Nothing says thoughtful elegance like a handcrafted notecard. I really enjoy the letterpress process and I wanted to create some notecards to have on hand for the coming year. Spellbinders recently released their Florals Through the Year Collection and I think it is quite beautiful. There are 12 plates…one for each month.

I have a detailed tutorial below.

Products Used:

A Year in Bloom

Handmade BetterPress letter press floral Morning Glory card.

May Morning Glory: Symbolizes love and affection.

BetterPress takes the art of letterpress and makes it accessible for all. Its crisp impressions and sophisticated designs bring timeless beauty to your cards. Plus, the ease of use means you can create a dozen cards in a single sitting—perfect for stocking up or gifting!

Better Press Tutorial:

  • I started by using Best Ever Craft Tape to attach my BetterPress card panel to the top plate of my BetterPress System.
  • I tried several types of paper (BetterPress, Watercolor and Cardstock) and they all worked with the BetterPress. I liked cottony paper the best. My preferred paper would be the BetterPress cotton paper or a handmade watercolor paper. 
  • The magnetic lower plate works really well to hold the BetterPress impressing plate in place. 
  • I was careful to ink the impressing plate really well. I did a “Tap and Twist” technique where I tapped the ink on the plate and then twisted the ink pad a few degrees. Don’t smash and smoosh or you will wind up with little pieces of ink pad on your plate and project. I ink well because I only like to roll through the press once for each panel.
  • For smaller sentiment plates, I tapped but didn’t twist. When I twisted smaller plates they tended to move out of alignment. If the plate moves it is easy to reposition with a pair of tweezers.
  • Roll your sandwich slowly through the die cutting machine. I think “Super Slo-Mo” while doing this to help me remember to go VERY slowly. 
  • You will want a good stamp cleaner for the BetterPress and plates. I’ve used Hero Arts Ultra Clean for years and it works great.
  • Waterproof or Hybrid inks well. I used the specially formulated BetterPress Inks. Pigment ink is not recommended. You want a faster drying ink. 
  • I found that my guillotine paper trimmer worked better than my Fiskar’s SureCut on cotton paper.
Handmade BetterPress letterpress Florals Through The Year Violet (Feburary) hand crafted notecard using Spellbinders plates.

February Violets: Elegant and full of love for Valentine’s Day

Spellbinders BetterPress letterpress Floral Through the Year handmade card: Lily of the Valley for May.

Lily of the Valley: A nod to nature’s beauty in full bloom.

With a unique card for every month, you’ll always have the perfect notecard ready for any occasion. Which month’s design are you most excited to try?

Karen

stitching

Let’s Decorate the Tree! Hand Crafted Stitched Felt Ornaments

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Spellbinders Nichol Spohr Felt Stitch and Create hand-crafted stitched Christmas ornaments with a darling star shaped snowman and an adorable Gingerbread Girl.

There’s something about handmade ornaments that makes a Christmas tree feel extra special—like it’s dressed in memories and love. This year, why not add a touch of cozy charm to your tree with hand-stitched felt ornaments? Today, I’m sharing how to create two adorable characters: a Snowman Star and a Gingerbread Girl using Spellbinders/Nichol Spohr’s Felt Stitch and Create Kits. These cuties are sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face!

Hand-Stitched Christmas Cheer: Felt Ornaments for Your Tree

Creating a handmade felt Snowman Christmas ornament with Spellbinders and Nichol Spohr's Stitch and Create Ornament Die Kit.

Nothing says winter wonderland like a snowman! This star-shaped snowman brings the frosty fun with its dapper hat and a cheery scarf.

My Process:

  • I die cut my felt using my Platinum 6 Machine and a regular die cutting sandwich. I used Spellbinders Merino Wool Felt Holiday Collection Sampler but there are other Felt Samplers as well.
  • I used my Pokey Tool to pop out any remaining felt chads for easier stitching.
  • I stuffed my ornaments with felt for dimension.
  • I used the running stitch and three strands of thread for my stitching. Using the running stitch, I went around my felt twice to have continous stitching.
  • I used a mini hot glue gun to adhere the pieces and accessories that were not stitched on.
  • To make my hangar, I ran a needle with floss through the back layer of felt and then knotted the floss at the top.
Creating a handmade felt Gingerbread Girl Christmas ornament with Spellbinders and Nichol Spohr's Stitch and Create Ornament Die Kit.

Sweet as can be, this Gingerbread Girl brings a dash of whimsy to your tree. Her hat and bow gives her a festive flair, perfect for the holiday season.

Key Products Used:

Creating handmade felt Christmas ornaments with Spellbinders and Nichol Spohr's Stitch and Create Ornament Die Kits.

These felt ornaments are keepsakes that I will hang on my tree year after year. They would also make wonderful gifts for family and friends. Happy Holiday!

Karen

Mixed Media · papercrafting

Colorful Collaged Journal Covers: How I Made My Handcrafted Gifts

Karen Brown1 Comment
Color-Blocked Collaged Journal Covers.

I recently signed up for Willa Wanders Fodder Challenge 2023 and I was so inspired by Instructor Barb Smucker and her Collaged Notebooks. I knew I wanted to try this technique and I am so glad that I did!

Collaged Mixed Media Notebook Covers

Color-Blocked Collaged Notebook Journal Covers.

My “How To” Process:

  • I started by creating colorful papers for my cover. Instead of using a gelli plate, I put acrylic paint on my mixed media paper and then used a scraper to move the paint around. On a palette, I started with basic primary colors and then had loads of fun custom mixing my colors. I was going for coral but wound up with several really pretty melon colored pages. On some pages I smoothed out the paint and on others I left it a bit rough with slight ridges of acrylic. I also painted marks (circles, lines, Xs and doodles…) on additional pages.
  • I also went through my gelli prints and selected some more papers that I used. The dark blue and bright orange were both gelli prints.
  • Once I selected a bunch of papers that I liked, I started playing around with layouts. I was going for a contemporary color-block look. Using a metal ruler, paper trimmer and 1 1/2″ circle punch I trimmed the pages to the sizes and shapes I wanted.
  • I laid a piece of plain paper inside the cover to protect the journal pages from excess glue during my assembly process.
  • Next, it was time to start covering my journal. I started with the the papers that would go along the spine. This journal has a cool open spine that did not need to be covered so the paper edge went directly up to the edge of the spine, but I left a 1/2″-1″ overhang for the other side. To get a nice smooth cover I dipped the paper in a pan of water for 2 seconds, blotted off the excess water, and on the back, brushed on a 50% mixture of Matte Modge Podge and Matte Medium with a flat brush. Then, I carefully put the paper up against the spine, leaving the overhang off the edge. Next, I put a piece of wax paper over the glued piece and brayered over the area to remove air bubbles and excess glue. Finally, I dabbed up the excess glue that seeped out.
  • I repeated this process until the front and back covers were complete. This journal has a nice black elastic band, but it was a little trickier to cover the back because of the grommets. For my next journals, I ordered notebooks without the elastic band. I will report back which style I like better.
  • To finish the notebooks, I folded the overhung edges (starting at the corners) toward the inner face pages and then glued securely with the glue mix I used above.
  • Last step was to glue a facing page to the front and back inside covers. I again used my mixed media painted pages for this.
  • I let my journals dry and then placed books on top overnight to keep the notebook nice and flat.
Mixed Media Collage Journal

These two journals are gifts and I plan to make more for Christmas. I hope to have another post about them this fall.

Collage Mixed Media Notebook Covers

I bought all my own supplies, but I am including links to the products used in case you’d like to give it a try.

Products Used in This Tutorial:

Products Available on Amazon:

Soho Open Spine Notebook

Liquitex BASICS Paint I used 3 Primary Colors and white

Liquitex Matte Medium

Matte Modge Podge

Brayers

Metal Ruler for Cutting and Tearing Paper

Scraper

Karen