Craft Day - Felted Butterfly

She's cute!

 She can be worn many different ways.

With a little DIY she can be yours.

Just gather a few supplies:

a felting mat, multi felting needle, single felting needle,

black embroidery thread, embroidery needle

black and yellow felt, yellow,orange,white

 and cream roving, scissors and a pin back.

Now you are ready to start making your butterfly pin.

Cut out a 4inx4in black felt square.

Cut out a basic butterfly shape out of your

yellow felt. This should be about 2 1/2in. long

and 2in wide.

Place your black felt onto your felting mat.
Place your yellow felt on top of the black felt.
 Using your multi felting needle
 start pushing your felt pieces together.

(This is a straight up and down motion.)

Turn your piece over and felt the back side.

Once you have felted the back side turn your piece

back to the front.

Now it is time to add some of your roving.

Pull small pieces of roving.

 Place the roving on your yellow butterfly, 

with your felting needles start blending your fibers.

Continue adding small amounts of different colors of roving

until your butterfly is the color and texture that you want.

(Remember to turn your work over each time you add

a different color of roving. Always felt front, felt back)

Use your single felting needle to make more

defined lines.

For the center of your butterfly take a piece of multi

colored orange roving and work it into the butterfly's

center body. If it sticks up a bit that is good.

Cut out your butterfly leaving a 1/4in. black edge.

It would be fine to stop here

 but if you would like a more dramatic center 

here is how you do it.

Thread your needle with a full strand of black embroidery thread.

Using a straight stitch, stitch under the butterfly's center 

from bottom to top so that her center stands up.

Once you reach the top of your butterfly you can now

start making her tentacles.
(You will be making a string of knots that will form her tentacles.)

 Make a knot with your thread on one side of the center

of the your butterfly. After you have made one knot bring your thread

 into the top part of your knot and make another knot.

 Continue making knots until your tentacles
 are the length that you want them to be.  

On your last knot bring your thread

down a knot to lock it in place and carefully cut your thread.

Use knots to make your eyes.

Then make your second tentacle the same way as the first.

To define the body of your butterfly start with

 three strands of black thread.

 Make small straight stitches down the center of the body.

Then come back up to the center and make a stitch around

the body pulling it tight.

Finish your butterfly body using one strand

 of black embroidery thread.

Stitch back and forth across your butterfly center making stripes.

Your butterfly is almost finished.
 Just sew a pin back onto the back of your butterfly
 and she can fly anywhere.

Pin her onto your bracelet.

Or stretch your bracelet out and make a book mark.

This little butterfly can be anything you want it to be.

Have fun with her and let her fly with you

on

scarfs, headbands, a barrette, belt, necklace

or just simply as a pin.