![\"pack](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pack-pals.jpg\")
<\/a>Pack pals\/ keychains for Alastair and his friends. I’m pleased to report that my keychain tutorial is posted at Brother’s website.\u00c2\u00a0 Any of these links will take you there.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
I’m pleased to report that my keychain tutorial is now posted at Brother’s website.\u00c2\u00a0 Any of the links at the end of this post will take you there.<\/p>\n
Apparently, I was not very clear about the felt. \u00c2\u00a0 A reader wrote with some questions,\u00c2\u00a0 asking if she needed to buy from a bolt.\u00c2\u00a0 My answers\/comments are:<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0<\/em>I just buy the felt sheets at WalMart, JoAnn’s or Michaels.\u00c2\u00a0 They are 9×12″ or 12 x 18″.\u00c2\u00a0 The smaller soft ones run about\u00c2\u00a0 $.25 each and the larger stiff ones about $.59. \u00c2\u00a0 Of course, you could use some by-the-yard felt, but I don’t think that comes in the stiff weight.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n When I first got on this jag, I used soft for both with a cutaway stabilizer for the first hooping.\u00c2\u00a0 But then I could not get rid of the stabilizer beyond the outline and had to color it with a sharpie.\u00c2\u00a0 Still, the keychain was too floppy to suit me.\u00c2\u00a0 So I went with the stiff stuff.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n You can use stiff for both layers, but with my stiff hands, it is hard to cut through two layers of that. Now I always use stiff for the top but when I can’t find matching colored soft felt, I use stiff for bo<\/em>th.<\/p>\n When I first heard about these keychains, I too was puzzled about their attachment to the backpacks.\u00c2\u00a0 I discovered that they just loop over the hanger loop\u00c2\u00a0 with the embroidered piece slipping through the loop or over the wider shoulder strap. \u00c2\u00a0 That is why you need such a long loop.\u00c2\u00a0 I’m guessing backpack straps are about 2″ wide, so that uses up 4″ of the ribbon loop.\u00c2\u00a0 Then the embroidery has to fit through the remaining opening.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A second tutorial for other machines was to be posted at this time. \u00c2\u00a0 But a wicked case of bronchitis and life in general got in the way.\u00c2\u00a0 I expect you know how that happens.\u00c2\u00a0 But it will be posted soon.<\/p>\n NANA FUN<\/p>\n I have a cute story to share with you about these keychains.\u00c2\u00a0 You know how pleasing it is to know that your projects are appreciated by the recipients.\u00c2\u00a0 Those shown above were made for my 6 yo grandson, Alastair.<\/p>\n After receiving a keychain that had just the text Pokemon<\/em>, he asked me if I would please make some Pokemon<\/em> character keychains for him and his pals.\u00c2\u00a0 Additionally,\u00c2\u00a0 he asked if I could make a Frozen<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0 keychain for his sweet friend Maddie.\u00c2\u00a0 I was on it in a New York minute.<\/p>\n The day after I mailed all 12 keychains to him, including 3 Frozen<\/em> figures for Maddie, she approached Alastair’s mother after school.<\/p>\n Quietly and politely, she asked, “Do you think Alastair’s Nana could make me a Frozen<\/em> thing like the Pokemon<\/em> on his backpack? I would really like that.”<\/p>\n Immediately she was gently reprimanded by her mother for this bold request.\u00c2\u00a0 But my Rebecca, unaware that they were already in the mail,\u00c2\u00a0 assured her that perhaps she would have one for her birthday next month.<\/p>\n Now, a week later,\u00c2\u00a0 keychains have not yet arrived\u00c2\u00a0 (hurry up, USPS!!!).\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 I am so eager to hear her reaction to these special delights made just for her.<\/p>\n Each day since then I have been hoping it would arrive.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Children are always thrilled when there is a short time between asking and receiving.\u00c2\u00a0 I hoped Maddie would have an experience much like one my son experienced when he was 10.<\/p>\n About two weeks before the start of 5th grade, he spotted an ad in Boys’ Life magazine.\u00c2\u00a0 Immediately he sent off an order along with his hard earned chore money. \u00c2\u00a0 He deemed\u00c2\u00a0 these hard-to-find items useful for the new school year.\u00c2\u00a0 His plans for these items included shocking Merry who was always seated next to him\u00c2\u00a0 (alphabetically.) From her neatly organized desk\u00c2\u00a0 she frequently chided him for his untidy work space.<\/p>\n Ryan expected his merchandise within a few days.\u00c2\u00a0 Seven days after placing his order and 4 days of extra bike rides to our little post office, he wrote to the manufacturer.\u00c2\u00a0 The letter went something like this:<\/p>\n Dear Sir,<\/em><\/p>\n A week ago I ordered imitation vomit, garlic bubble gum, and fake dog poop.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 I ordered these because I NEED them (his caps).\u00c2\u00a0 If I don’t receive them immediately, I will tell my friends about this and they will tell their friends and they will tell their friends.\u00c2\u00a0 Soon you will be out of the fake dog poop business.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n Call me immediately.<\/em><\/p>\n Ryan Ferguson<\/em><\/p>\n 904-734-1122<\/em><\/p>\n The next day, his “goods” arrived.\u00c2\u00a0 “See?” he said.\u00c2\u00a0 “It pays to complain!”<\/p>\n The first day of school, he put the imitation vomit on Merry’s chair and placed the dog poop in her desk.\u00c2\u00a0 I don’t know what he did with the garlic gum.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Crafting Category: Embroidery Category: Guests Category: Kids Category: Disney Category: Let me know what you think of the tutorial and if you have any questions.\u00c2\u00a0 Happy sewing!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’m pleased to report that my keychain tutorial is now posted at Brother’s website.\u00c2\u00a0 Any of the links at the end of this post will take you there. Apparently, I was not very clear about the felt. \u00c2\u00a0 … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.brother-usa.com\/Homesewing\/DesignStudio\/View.aspx?cat=projects&id=13840<\/a><\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.brother-usa.com\/Homesewing\/DesignStudio\/View.aspx?cat=projects&id=13839<\/a><\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.brother-usa.com\/Homesewing\/DesignStudio\/View.aspx?cat=projects&id=13838<\/a><\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.brother-usa.com\/Homesewing\/DesignStudio\/View.aspx?cat=projects&id=13837<\/a><\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.brother-usa.com\/Homesewing\/DesignStudio\/View.aspx?cat=projects&id=13836<\/a><\/p>\n