Summer foods of the fresh and felt variety are in season! New Maker Team member Kelli of @kellisfeltkitchen wants to brighten up your kitchen with these colorful Fruits + Veggies Magnets. This set makes a great gift for a gardener, home chef or nature lover. They'll also be a hit with little hands "helping" in the kitchen.
My second favorite place (besides my craft room) is the kitchen, and these magnets bring a smile to my face every time I see them! They're fun to make and an excellent scrap buster project! You can also make them into keychains by using ribbons and key rings instead of magnets. Children should always be monitored while playing with felt play food.
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 3 - 4 hours
Additional Supplies:
Fruits + Veggies Template (click to download)
Iron
Wonder Clips - optional
Directions:
1. Print Fruits + Veggies Template to scale at 100% on non-shiny side of freezer paper. The Freezer Paper Method works well for this project due to the small pieces. Cut out template pieces keeping like colors together but do not cut along the lines yet.
Alternatively, print pattern on cardstock. Cut and trace pattern onto felt with disappearing ink pen, and then cut out.
2. Use medium heat to iron template pieces onto felt. Cut pieces out along lines and discard freezer paper. You can cut the “x 2” shapes faster by holding two pieces of felt together with clips and slowly cutting pieces at the same time.
3. Use a small dab of glue to affix magnet to center back of each fruit base piece. Let dry for at least one hour.
Place coordinating felt circle over magnet and sew around edge.
Banana + Carrot
4. Using Fruits + Veggies Template as a guide, draw details on felt with Frixion pen. Use DMC 801 to backstitch over lines.
Place Stem (Banana) and Leaves (Carrot) between front and base pieces. Clips can help hold felt in place while stitching. Start at the top using a blanket stitch and coordinating floss to sew pieces together.
Before closing, add desired amount of Polyfil. Finish stitching closed.
Remove any visible pen marks on Banana and Carrot with heat source, such as a blowdryer.
Pepper
5. Place Stem between front and base pieces. Start at the top using a blanket stitch and DMC 444 to sew pieces together.
Before closing, add desired amount of Polyfil.
Glue Mikado oval to front center of Pepper. Press lightly and allow to dry for 24 hours.
Broccoli
6. Use DMC 13 to blanket stitch around Stem pieces. Use a stuffing tool to add Polyfil.
Place Stem between front and base of Broccoli Crown. Use a blanket stitch and DMC 910 to sew pieces together. Add desired amount of Polyfil before closing.
Strawberry
7. Use DMC 444 and straight stitches to mimic seeds on front piece of felt. Angle seeds to make Strawberry appear more round.
Use a blanket stitch and DMC 321 to sew front and base pieces together. Add desired amount of Polyfil before closing.
Blanket stitch across top curved edge of Leaves with DMC 910. Turn Leaves upside down and add glue to inside. Set leaves on top of Strawberry. Press lightly and allow to dry for 24 hours.
Watermelon
8. Stack Limelight, Linen and Hibiscus pieces together with straight edges aligned. Use DMC 335 and a blanket stitch to stitch through entire stack along top straight edge of Hibiscus felt.
Continue stitching around curved edge. Switch to DMC 3866 and blanket stitch around curved edge of Linen felt. Use DMC 801 to add five seeds to Watermelon.
Add Selva base. Use DMC 701 and blanket stitch along top edge of Watermelon, careful not to go through front Hibiscus layer. Continue stitching around curved edge. Watermelon is the only magnet with no Polyfil.
Your Fruits + Veggies Magnets are ready for refrigerator duty!
Love the idea of a sweet keychain? Skip adding the magnet in Step 3 and add a folded ribbon to the fruit or veggie while blanket stitching closed. Slide on a key ring and you've got your daily dose of Vitamin See-what-I-made!
Thanks to Kelli for designing and writing this tutorial! You can see more of her work on Instagram @kellisfeltkitchen and on her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials from the Benzie Design Maker Team!
