Felt Octopus Needlebook

Octopus are awesome. That’s just factual. You can Google it if you want I’ll wait…

This sea themed needle book features a sequined felt octopus holding all your project needs in his undersea lair.

Your fish pins will love the wave shaped book pages and your organized side will appreciate the small thread pockets on the sandy felt bottom and sides.

The pockets are perfectly sized for small thread scissors 4″ or less and can easily hold 4 or more colors of thread on each side.

One long tentacle wraps around to a faux pearl button closure keeping everything safely tucked away until project time.

You will need:

1- 9″ x 12″ sheet pinkish felt (I used Orchid)

1- 9″ x 12″ sheet pale blue felt (I used Ice)

1- 9″ x 12″ wave blue (I used Capri)

8″x 8″ scrap sand color (I used Banana Nut Muffin)

1 Pearl Button

Sequins :

Hot Pink Sequins and Baby Pink Sequins

Cut out pieces as directed on templates. For tips on cutting open centers see our post on how to cut felt. HERE

Pin octopus shape to 1 rectangle and mark where you would like to add sequins. This can be done with a sharp pencil.

Do not worry about marking the pieces that extend over we will get to those later.

 

 Sew sequins where desired. I alternated the two pinks for a little more depth.

Stitch octopus shape down sewing across the any of the pieces that extend over.

Cut loose the bottom extended pieces along the bottom edge.

Add sequins and line up with sand base as shown and sew down.

For more on sewing sequins to felt check out our post HERE

Set  pieces aside.

Sew side pockets to opposite sides of the back of the felt needle book.

Sew along the straight edges with a running stitch and matching thread.

Sew embellished sand base to the bottom of inside page using a running stitch and matching thread as shown above.

Continue lining up the extended octopus pieces moving them to the inside pieces.

DO NOT cut the main tentacle (marked on template).

Your finished sides should look something like this:

Fold inside piece in half to find the center.

Lay tall wave piece in the center of the long smaller wave piece and sew down using a running stitch and thick thread.

Set piece aside.

Attach tentacle to back side of the attached tentacle on front cover using an overcast stitch.

Sew both sides of felt needle book together using an overcast stitch and matching thread.

Place faux pearl button where marked on template.

BAM! You’ve got yourself one awesome octopus needle book! Go You!

Need some fish pins? 

That was rhetorical – of course you do:

Here’s How:

Be a dear and stop by the shop

See our full line of Felt & craft supplies at American Felt & Craft.

Happy Crafting

~Andie

Felt Sea Urchin Pincushions and Sea Life Pins

 If you’re going to sew your probably going to need a pin or two and a place to put all of them. These little felt sea urchins certainly fit the bill!

But one word of warning if you start making these you may forget all about sewing until you have covered most of the surfaces in your home with sea urchin pin cushions and hundreds nay thousands of fish, octopi, and seahorses.

Summer sewing never looked so cute!

You will need

1- 9 x 12 sheet felt for urchin in any color you dang well please

(I used, Orchid, Peaches and Cream, Key Lime Pie and Peacock)

Flower shaped buttons (Optional)

Marching thread / Stuffing

Ball Pins to create urchin dots

Long sewing pins- size matters here the longer the better

Craft Glue – I used a product called Amazing Goop

Shrink Film (and low grit sandpaper if needed)

Markers or colored pencils to color fish

Templates (at the end of post)

Pin Cushion

Cut the circles from felt sheet, these guys go together pretty quickly, here’s the rundown.

1.  Sew around the outer edges with a basting (aka big ole sloppy running) stitch

2.Pull to create a bit of a cup and fill with stuffing.

3.Place smaller circle over the base and overcast stitch into place.

4. Turn over 5. Add flower buttons if desired.

Add ball pins to urchin in a star pattern.

Now for the big finish or fishish (sorry I couldn’t resist)

Sea Life Pins

Begin by prepping the shrink film, some shrink films are ready to go and need no prep otherwise you will need to prep it with a low grit sandpaper.

 Trace sea templates onto shrink film and color with permanent markers.

Cut out shapes small scissors work best for this. Try to cut away as much of the clear edges as possible.

Cut out the shapes and heat to shrink as directed. Shrink film shrinks differently depending on brand so your results may vary.

Glue fish onto pins with craft glue, I used a product called Amazing Goop – because how can you not use a product called amazing goop!

I found the easiest way to do this is to put a pea sized dollop of goop onto a piece of paper and dip the end of the pin in and then lay onto the backside of the shape.

Let dry as directed and enjoy!

Happy Crafting! ~Andie

Need more felty ocean fun? And come on who doesn’t?

DIY Seahorse hobby horse

Crinkle star fish toys

Branching coral bookmark