Felt Bat Decoration with Free Pattern

 I've been a fan of working with felt for a long time and have enjoyed making a few kits by people like Corinne Lapierre but can never resist putting my own twist on the designs, so I thought it was about time I tried designing my own from scratch!

As it's so close to Halloween (not that I need an excuse to be spooky) I thought I'd try a bat and I won't lie, this project tested my patience haha. But, I'm so glad I stuck with it as I'm thrilled with the results. I've included the video of my process below, and also the pattern if you wish to make your own.

I simplified the pattern in the end (hindsight is a wonderful thing), as after changing the ears I thought "Duh, I could've done the whole thing with just two main pieces instead of six". As the video is of the original, it has been made with the six pieces, but I've given instructions below for the easier version.

I hope you enjoy this, please let me know how you get on. I'll definitely be designing more with felt in the future and sharing the patterns on here, so watch this space!

Have a goodun, Karen x

Free Felt Bat Halloween Decoration Pattern

Materials

• Black felt
• White felt
• Stranded cotton in 

1. white ( DMC B5200)
2. grey ( DMC 413)
3. pink ( DMC 3687)
4. red ( DMC 498)

• Beads:

1. small seed beads in teal size 11/0
2. 2x rondelle beads in black 5x4mm
3. 8x red bicone beads 4x4mm

• small piece of toy stuffing

Felt Bat Free Pattern

Just click on the image below, then right click and save to download

Instructions

1. Print and cut out the template pieces in the quantities mentioned
2. Draw around the templates onto felt and cut out
3. Embroider as shown and using the couching method add seed beads to wings
4. Sew on ruff below the face
5. Sew on rondelle beads for eyes (marked by stars)
6. Holding the two main pieces together and using an overstitch sew the backing to the front, leaving a small opening at the bottom of the body for stuffing and adding red bicone beads at the points on the wings
7. Sew across the base of ears and wings (marked by the dashed line) creating a pocket for the main body only.
8. Stuff main body and sew shut the opening
9. Attach a loop at the top of the head for hanging if desired

Terms of Use

This pattern is for personal use only and may not be copied, altered or redistributed without written permission from the designer. If you know someone who may like this pattern, please send them the link to this page!

How to Draw a Triquetra in 10 Easy Steps

 

What Is a Triquetra?

The triquetra symbol is an ancient surface pattern, most commonly found in Celtic Knotwork Art.

It's a symmetrical symbol based on three interlaced arcs and is also known as a trinity knot.

Despite it historically having no actual meaning, many people give it significance and believe it represents (among other beliefs):

• The triple goddess
• A version of the Valknut, representing Odin
• Interconnectedness
• The holy trinity
• The three promises in a relationship (love, honour and protect)
• Protection

How to Draw a Triquetra

There are several techniques for drawing a triquetra, and this happens to be my favourite one.

This technique does take the longest out of all that I've personally tried, as it takes quite a bit of drafting, but it is also the most precise and the most fun for a geometry nerd such as yours truly!

Follow my channel to see the dots and freehand methods coming soon!

Materials You Need

• Pencil
• Ruler
• Paper
• Compass
• Pen
• Eraser

Step One

• Draw a line near the bottom of your paper, using the pencil and ruler and pressing lightly as you will be erasing the pencil later.
• This will be the width of the finished triquetra.
• Mark the exact center of the line as shown.

Step Two

• Set your compass to the same width as the full line in Step one.
• Using either end of your line and the 'centre' of your circle, make two marks above the middle of your line as shown.
• This is the quickest and easiest way to make an equilateral triangle!

Step Three

• Using the point where your lines from step two intersect as the third point of your triangle, join all the ends together, marking the middle of each line.

Step Four

• Line up each point with the midpoint mark on the opposite line and draw a line through the triangle.
• Do this on each side.
• This marks the exact centre of the triangle.

Step Five

• Now mark if it's easier, the quarter-point of one side and set your compass to the width from this point, going to the midway point of the next side. See the image for details.
• Now using the midpoint of one side as the centre of your circle, mark a curve inside the triangle between the other two sides as shown.

Step Six

• Repeat step five for the other two sides.
• You now have the outer edge of your triquetra and can see the shape starting to form!

Step Seven

• Decide how thick you would like the band of the triquetra to be and shorten your compass by that much.
• Again, using the midway point of a side, draw a curve inside the triangle, but making sure to stop when you reach the middle lines from the other sides. See the photo for details.

Step Eight

• Repeat step seven for the other two sides!

Step Nine

• Now switch to your pen and mark out each corner of the triquetra, moving from the curve to the point.
• On each corner, make one side go 'over' a band from the next corner, and the other side stops dead when it reaches the next corner, as shown in the picture.

Final Step!

• Repeat Step Nine for the other two corners, making sure to keep the long side and short side consistent.
• You may find it easier to turn the paper for each corner to help with this and remember which side is which. For example, in my triquetra, the long side is always on the left and the short on the right.
• Erase all your pencil lines and shade the edges where one band goes under another.

Symbol Drawing

That's it!

Celtic knots are so much fun to draw, and the patterns are endless, but this still remains one of the timeless favourites (including mine).

As mentioned above, there are other techniques for drawing triquetras, and I'll be doing some tutorials for those very soon.

But for now, I hope you enjoyed this. If you have any trouble or just fancy saying hello, please comment below!

Gingham Valentine's Day Heart: Free Cross-Stitch Pattern

Gingham Valentine's Day Heart: Free Cross-Stitch Pattern

Gingham Heart Cross-Stitch Pattern

This quick and simple cross-stitch pattern uses the striking gingham pattern in beautiful reds. I think it would make an ideal gift for a loved one on Valentine's Day.

Use a basic frame to turn it into a reminder of your love, or use this pattern with waste canvas and embellish a piece of clothing or gift bag with it for a cute and affordable gift! Complete the set of three designs (see the other patterns below) for a stunning display that can be used to decorate your home every February.

What You'll Need

• Stranded cotton thread in bright red (DMC 321), dark red (DMC 814) and white (DMC B5200)
• White 18 count Aida fabric (approximately 7x7")
• Scissors
• Cross-stitch needle
• Frame with 4x4" aperture (optional)

Gingham Valentine's Day Heart: Free Cross-Stitch Pattern

Cross-Stitch Key

Symbol	Colour	DMC Thread
-	Bright red	321 (2 strands)
|	Dark red	814 (2 strands)
.	White	B5200 (2 strands)
Backstitch Outline	Dark red	814 (1 strand)

What Is Gingham?

Gingham is mostly a lightweight to medium-weight cotton cloth that's woven in a very distinct pattern. The stripes go both horizontally and vertically, creating a checked design. The first gingham fabric had stripes only going one way, though, and this type was available until the late Victorian period.

Gingham is most commonly made using two colours: white and a bright colour. The most common colours in gingham are the primary colours: red, blue and yellow. However, this design can be made with any colour.

How the Design Is Made

The design is created as the threads in both directions meet, creating various shades.

• White + white = white squares
• Coloured + coloured = dark-coloured squares
• White + coloured = light-coloured squares

Popularity and Pop Culture

Since its invention, gingham has remained a popular fabric, mostly because it's affordable and is associated with summer. However, its use in popular culture has helped keep gingham in high demand.

• Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz wore a gingham dress.
• Gingham shirts were a favourite of the 1960s mods.
• Designer brands such as Ben Sherman and Fred Perry have created gingham shirts.
• The football club Man U wore gingham during the 2012–2013 season.

A Brief History of Gingham

Gingham is often associated with the dresses worn by southern belles in America, so I was surprised to learn that the famous checked gingham pattern was actually created in Manchester, England, during the mid 1700s.

It was originally composed of plain stripes, but a factory in England decided to play with an idea and created stripes going both horizontal and vertical, resulting in this instantly recognisable design that has remained popular today. The actual word 'gingham' originates from the Malay word for striped, 'genggang'.

Uses of the Pattern

Gingham is most widely used for casual dresses and shirts, and it has never really been seen as suitable for formal wear due to its low cost. You'll see gingham mostly in the summer, as the traditional fabric is lightweight and brightly coloured. It also has no right or wrong side, so it is ideal for reversible items.

Other popular uses for gingham include the linings of picnic baskets and outdoor table cloths, again because of its association with warmer weather. This led to gingham having the nickname 'tablecloth pattern'.

Make a Set of Three Valentine Hearts

This design is the second in a set of three cross-stitch hearts for Valentine's Day. Make them and explore various styles!

The full set includes:

• Blackwork heart
• Gingham heart
• Bargello heart

Feel free to share the link to this pattern, but please do not replicate it or sell it in any way.