How to Cut Small Pieces From Felt

I love felt! ... Except when it comes to small pieces. 

Those teeny-tiny things can be a pain to cut out and when I use eco-felt (craft felt) it sometimes frays before I even have a chance to finish. Not anymore, my friends! Grab your scotch tape and follow me. After this quick and easy tip you'll never have a problem cutting these little guys out again!

How To:

1. Place your pattern piece onto the felt. Add a nice, oversized piece of tape on top of the pattern piece to secure it in place.
2. Continue taping until the pattern is covered and sticking to the felt.
3. Cut out the pattern as you normally would {minus all the fuss and readjusting!}
4. Tuh-duh! No fraying, no choppy edges and no goof ups.

Pst - sometimes I even use this method for bigger pattern pieces just to make sure I get a nice, clean edge. For larger patterns don't worry about covering the whole piece in tape - just all of the edges. Works like a charm! 

Here's a sneak peak of how I used this trick for an upcoming pattern freebie you won't want to miss!

Stuff My Stocking Contest

Something fun is happening and we think you're going to like it! Create Kids Couture is having a fantastic "Stuff My Stocking Contest" and
Bugga Bugs is participating! You've got to take a peek at all the fun prizes being offered to the winner. To be completely honest, I'm a bit bummed I can't enter the contest myself {yup, it's that good, my friends} but I am happy to announce that I will be one of the judges! How fun is that?! Based on the entries so far, this is going to be a tough choice to make! 

Entering is really simple. Just make one of the adorable stockings seen above using the free pattern and post the picture on the Create Kids Couture Flickr Group Page. Make sure to include the tag "stocking". May the best stocking win!

Last Day of Ellie Inspired Blog Hop

Today is the last day to enter the Ellie Inspired giveaway and blog hop! Be sure to check out all of the great posts from the other bloggers!

We had so much fun participating and hope you are all enjoying your Santa Beards! 

Don't know what I'm talking about? Click here to get your free Santa's Beard pattern and tutorial. When you make yours, we'd love to see pictures on our Facebook page!

Also, a reminder! Our free pattern giveaway is still going on so be sure to enter here!

Black Friday Sale and Giveaway!

It's that time! This Friday marks the Annual Bugga Bugs Black Friday Sale!

All Patterns will be Buy 3 Get 1 Free! 

Sale begins 12:00 AM (EST) Friday morning and will last until 12:00 AM (EST) that night.

Patterns will be going fast! If you don't see the one you're looking for, keep watching. We'll be relisting as quickly as we can! 

Feel free to share the sale with all your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Blogland so they can take part in the fun! We'll see you Friday at the shop!

In the meantime, how about a fun giveaway?! Bugga Bugs is giving away free patterns to three lucky people! Use the widget below to enter for your chance to win! Be sure to enter as many ways as you'd like to increase your chances!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway ends November 24. Winners will be contacted by email. Open to all countries. For fun PDF sewing patterns for felt food, toys, dolls and activities visit the shop!

Free DIY Santa Beard Pattern

I am so excited to be a part of Ellie Inspired's 12 days of Christmas!

You heard it here, folks: Mustaches are old news. Santa beards are all the rage. My little ones agree and have had a blast today pulling this thing on and off. The Christmas spirit is alive and well, my friends! My oldest even ventured to wear it outside while he road his bike (oh, please never grow up! I love these moments!). When our little neighbor girl saw him she excitedly asked, "Oh! Did Santa give that to you?!" Yup. That's how cool we are. Now your kid can be cool too because I'm including a tutorial and free pattern for you below! Enjoy! And be sure to post photos of your little Santas on our Facebook page! We love to see what you're doing!

DIY Santa Beard

Supplies: 5 pieces of cream or white felt, a little stuffing and some elastic.

1. First, cut out your beard pieces.

2. Next, cut out your mustache and detail pieces and place them in stacks of three (largest on bottom, smallest on top)

3. Get a piece of thin elastic and wrap it behind your kiddo's head from sideburn to sideburn (right in front of the ears).

4. Sandwich the elastic ends between the beard pieces at the very top. Sew around the edges of the beard. I like to sew over the elastic a couple of times just to reinforce things. Leave the mouth open for now.

5. Fill the bottom of the beard lightly with a small amount of stuffing. This adds a bit more fullness and dimension. Sew around the edges of the mouth. Almost done! Really, though, you could be done here if you'd like. It's super cute as is. Me? I'm all for details!

6. Double thread your needle and pull it through the back beard piece until your knot stops under the top beard piece (so you don't see stitching on the back of the beard). Pull your thread through a stack of detail circles and then back down through them.

7. Bring your needle through to the next bubble on the outer edge of the beard and start your next stack.

8. Complete the outer edge first using 11 circle stacks.

9. Fill in the rest row by row - staggering the stacks as you go. Leave the mustache circle free.

10. Place your mustache stack appropriately and carefully secure to the beard by stitching down the center. You can add more stitches but I like the individual pieces to be able to flop around. It adds to the whimsy.

Strap it on your kiddo and send them out to enjoy. Ho-Ho-Ho! 

Stay tuned! I think a matching hat is in order (with a special twist you won't want to miss)!

Get Your Santa Beard Pattern Here!

 Be sure to check out Birdsong tomorrow for even more 12 Days of Christmas fun!

12 Days of Christmas with Ellie Inspired

Hurray for fun giveaways! Adorable Ellie Inspired is hosting a great blog hop full of Christmas cheer featuring some of your favorite bloggers this year. Check it out here to see some of the clever things some of these great bloggers have come up with. Make sure to head back on over to Bugga Bugs on Sunday for a fun little Christmas something from yours truly! So excited!