Joining the Dots - Part 3 - 5 Years Later

This is part three of the additional items that go with the Fob a Month - 6 fob that I posted five years ago. It was one of those things that slipped through the cracks of life, things that you think you have done but apparently had not. The lack of the needle book was pointed out to me not so long ago and I've been meaning to do something about it ever since. As this is the first non-SAL Friday of the year it seemed like the perfect time to make it happen after all.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - December

Welcome to the last of the Fob a Month patterns - for now at least. If you have been enjoying these smaller patterns don't worry as I'll be doing a series of 25 x 25 stitch patterns next year! They will make great fobs if you use 14ct Aida/28ct evenweave. At the time of writing this I haven't yet made an overview post about these but some general information can be found in yesterday's post. That said on to the reason for this post: the Fob a Month for December! It being December I didn't have to think twice about which flower to choose: poinsettia - what could be more Christmassy?

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - November

Welcome to the eleventh edition of the Fob a Month for 2018! While it might be a given to do the poppy in November because of Remembrance Day I won't be doing that because I did the poppy in August. I did however choose another of my favourite flowers instead: the Anemone. I love the white ones the most with the big purple-black centre so that's the one I designed.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - October

Welcome to the tenth edition of the Fob a Month for 2018! This month is all about Halloween for many people and although my fob a month series has been flower themed I did sneak in a little Halloween anyway. One of my favourite autumn flowers is the humble dahlia. It's not always appreciated for what it is: a blaze of colour towards the end of the gardening season brightening things up with the many shapes and colours the flowers come in.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - September

Welcome to the ninth edition of the Fob a Month for 2018! It's a bit later than usual for the Friday freebie but my new washing machine arrived at last and I was so focussed on playing the WMR game (Wash Mountain Reduction) I forgot it was Friday. This month I was inspired by Asters - while I'm not a fan of purple and pink I do love all the shades Asters have and picked a pale bluish purple for the pattern.

Friday Freebie on a Saturday: Fob a Month - August

Welcome to the eighth edition of the Fob a Month for 2018! This month I was inspired by poppies! I adore poppies in all the colours they come in but for this month I decided to go with the common wild poppy here in Europe. The bright red with black centres is so distinctive and cheerful.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - July

Welcome to the 7th edition of the Fob a Month for 2018! This month I was inspired by marigolds with the yellows and oranges, some of which are almost brown.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - May and June!

Welcome to another edition of the Fob a Month for 2018! As life happened a bit too much I didn't get round to doing last month's so I'm making a post with both patterns this month so I don't end up getting too far behind with this.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - April

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Fob a Month for 2018! This month the pattern was inspired by tulips... and not just any tulips but black tulips! It's always been a source of amusement to me that what people call black tulips are generally (but not always) more like really dark purple or red tulips called black tulips as they are the holy grail of tulip colour, so I chose really dark purples and reds to create my pattern.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - March

Welcome to the third instalment of the Fob a Month for this year. The theme of the year has become flowers - though it wasn't an intentional thing when I started this at the beginning of the year, I'm quite happy to have decided to go this route. This month's flower inspiration is the hyacinth - I have blue grape hyacinths growing in my garden and they are so very pretty. I love the normal ones too, but I can't grow them as they set off my allergies a lot more.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - February

Welcome back! It's Friday so time for another freebie - this time the February Fob a Month pattern. Like last month I made a pattern inspired by the colour of a flower - daffodils this time as they start showing themselves around the middle of the month and really brighten my days, more so than crocuses which are too small to be seen from my window.

Friday Freebie: Fob a Month - January

Yes you see that correctly! The Fob a Month is back! Every second Friday of the month I'll be giving you a fob pattern that is 35 stitches square at most. There is no theme to this - just whatever I come up with at the time but they will always be a good size for a fob - or if stitched on larger fabric a biscornu.

It's been a while

A long, long while. December was crazy busy and January somehow became the month of recovery. I don't talk about it much but my health isn't too brilliant so after crazy busy times I need recovery time and this time it took a whole month.

During the month I had time to reflect, as one does in January, on what I'd been up to last year and what I want to do this year. One thing I realised is that back to back stitching deadlines are not for me. Yes it's fun making something new every 2 weeks - the ornaments of the month that I posted on the Nerd Central Command International website and the fob a month I posted here but then stopped doing due to lack of time and energy, though I did plan on continuing with them it somehow didn't happen 3 months in a row. I'm going to continue giving free patterns here, but not on a schedule. This will give me more time to make things I want to make and not have to worry about specific things that people are expecting me to make.

One thing I have been playing with as a plan is making 3-D ornaments and this I really want to do as I think it will be fun. So look out for them, and the free patterns, during the coming year.

The other things I want to work on this year are my WIPS, With all the deadlines last year they got left by the wayside and some are in danger of becoming UFOs *yikes*

I will continue joining in with competitions that are hosted on the deviantart group #stitchingpirates. The current one is called Gamers Delight and I have a nice plan for my entry, which will be a creature from the Doctor Who: Legacy game I enjoy so much, but don't play as much as I'd like as I can't stitch and play at the same time. I hope to post almost daily updates on this project once I start it.

I will be blogging about how to make an almost T.A.R.D.I.S. like bag, a bag that can hold so much more then it looks like it should be able to carry, which the Harry Potter fans might see as a bag with an Undetectable Extension Charm, much like Hermiome Granger's beaded bag, but not as big on the inside. The important bit about this bag is that it meets RyanAir's rules about the second bit of hand luggage so it can carry extra stuff when travelling. This will be the first thing I blog about as I do have  deadline for it - in less than 2 weeks from today it has to be ready for the recipient to collect it.

After the wall of text it's high time I gave you something nice to look at so here are some pictures of things I finished but have not yet blogged about.

Ornament of the Month - October

Ornament of the Month November

Ornament of the Month - November

The last 3 are all Ornaments of the Month for December.

This was going to be the Fob a Month pattern for November but alas it was not posted in time for that, however I will give the pattern soon.

I don't think  I ever got round to posting this either but.. not only did I complete this but I also won first prize for finishing this first in the speed stitching contest!

I have a few more things to post but they are still on the way to the intended recipient and as they are a surprise and I know at least one of them reads this blog I'm going to wait till after they arrive to share them.

That's all for now.. I'll be back soon with the start of the bag project!

Fob a Month - 8

This month's fob is fortunately only a day late, which is quite an improvement on last month.

With autumn on our doorstep my mind turned towards that as a theme, I chose a toadstool as that is really one of the more visible things you can see that herald autumn other than the falling of leaves. I used a lovely picture by ky-sta over on deviantArt which can be found here: Red Mushrooms 9 and did 2 things with it.

The first thing I did was do a direct pattern conversion and then reduce the colours from around 100 to a "mere" 43. I stitched this and then added small beads to create the dots of the toadstool.

The second thing I did was use the picture as an underlay over which I then placed the colours over the top to create a pattern with just 15 colours, which I also stitched.

The results are 2 different toadstools made from the same picture using mostly the same colours made into a fob. Because I chose to use brown 28ct jobelan the fob is again rather on the large side but it does make it about the right size to use as an ornament as well.

The fob is 3" round. The realistic toadstool is 29 x 28 stitches. The stylised toadstool is 29 x 25 stitches.

What you need to make the example above:

• 2 pieces of 5 1/2" square 28ct brown jobelan
• DMC in the colours on the patterns
• Mill Hill Magnifica colour: 10010
• Your stuffing of choice
• Bordeaux craft thread for the cord
• White rick rack: 11 1/2" long and about 5/16" wide
• Water soluble pen
• Matching thread to sew
• Contrasting thread to baste with

You can download the patterns here: Realistic toadstool - Stylised toadstool

 

Instructions: Stitch one or both of the toadstools onto the centre of the jobelan.

Randomly stitch the beads onto the realistic toadstool as the spots.

Use a 3" round biscuit/cookie cutter and a water soluble pen to mark a circle on the back each embroidery, making sure to keep the embroidery centred.

Use the contrasting thread to baste the rick rack onto the front of one of the embroideries, use the line on the back as your guide and make sure the rick rack is centred on the line (a bit fiddly but not too difficult) overlap the ends a little and make sure you tuck the endings into the seam line.

Cut the circle out making sure to leave a 1/4" seam allowance.

Pin the cord in the top centre of the embroidery making sure the have the loop placed on the embroidery and the ends sticking out, as you don't want the loop on the inside of your ornament when stitched *wink*

Place the two sides right sides together and pin into place making sure to line up the circles.

Starting at the bottom stitch the 2 sides together carefully making sure to sew through the rick rack and leaving about 1 1/2" to turn - don't remove the basting thread yet!

Snip the seam allowance making sure not to go too close to the sewing line and carefully turn your work the right way round.

Check to see if all is sewn down properly before removing the basting thread and sewing the fob closed.

I hope you enjoy this pattern, please do share a link to yours if you make it!

The very delayed... Fob a Month - 7

A month late but nevertheless here it is...

The reason it's late is mostly that when the fob was due I was in the middle of redecorating my living room and somehow after that was done I didn't get round to finishing it.

This month's fob was the brainchild of my bf who wanted to have a go at designing a cross stitch pattern as well. I made the actual pattern but the idea of it and what elements to use were his decisions. With Doctor Who starting the new season the day after this fob was due he wanted to make something that reflected the show and the time of year it started. The stories are adventures in space and time so the clock represents time and the star sign represents space, with Virgo being the star sign at the time of the first episode of the season with the added effect of hands of a clock which was quite unintentional.

The fob is 3" square. 46 stitches square.

What you need to make the example above:

• 2 pieces of 5 1/2" square 14ct black Aida
• Kreinik #4 braid: 001L, 002 and 012L
• Your stuffing of choice
• Black craft thread for the cord

You can download the pdf pattern here: Fob a Month - Main pattern
You can download a clock version here: Fob a Month - Clock version

Notes:

• If you prefer a clock use the alternate pattern given, remember you can set the clock to any time you like by changing the direction of the hands.
• If you would rather use another star sign go for it! Almost any star chart on the internet can be used to make it. 

 

Instructions: Stitch the pattern in the centre of the square of Aida, doing the back stitches and last of all the French or colonial stitches. I always do colonial stitches as they are easier to do.

I used the usual method for making a biscornu and started by doing an outline of 42 backstitches per side 3 stitches away from the finished cross stitch. On the front I used copper Kreinik, on the back gold and the 2 sides were stitched together using silver which gives a really nice finish.

Remember to add the cord at the 12 O'clock position so it hangs the right way up!

I hope you enjoy this pattern, please do share a link to yours if you make it!

Joining the Dots - Part 2

This is part 2 of the additional items that go with the Fob a Month - 6 fob that I posted 2 weeks ago. This week I'm giving the pattern for the scissor case. It's got 2 sides to it so there will be no raw edges and you have the option of doing all the dots the same colour or do as I did and do some in the lighter green and some in the darker green. There is one more part to this set: a needle book.

Making this to fit the box was a bit more challenging as it was in my opinion more important to be able to hold the scissors than to make sure it could lie perfectly flat in the box, as a result it needs a little squishing to get the lid closed but I don't mind at all. Made with Aida it's rather stiff but if you made it with linen or lined it with cotton or, if you prefer, felt it would probably be less stiff.


If you wish to make the fob, pincushion and scissor case as a matching set you will need a piece of 18ct Aida or 32ct linen of at least 10" x 15" or 7,5" x 20" - you need to start pretty close to the edge and to one side to make sure you have enough fabric left for the rest. You need a 1/4" seam allowance for each piece so the sections must be stitched at least 1/2" away from each other using the back stitch lines as the counting point.

The scissor case is  3 3/4" square. 68 stitches square.

What you need to make the example above:

• 1 piece of 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" 18ct Aida or 32ct linen if you are ONLY stitching the scissor case - otherwise see above for the amount needed.
• DMC 3347, 3348 and 3827
• One button - I used a 1/2" heart button.

You can download the pdf pattern here: Fob a Month - 6 - Scissor Case

Instructions: Fold the fabric in half before starting, on each side you will stitch one side of the case - remember to keep the embroidery to the side if you are doing the entire set, that little bit left is enough to make one more thing.

Once the cross stitching is done do the back stitch outlines.

Press the completed stitching from the back to make sure there are no creases. Then cut the pieces out 1/4" away from the back stitch lines.


If you want to include a tassel then make it now.

Place the 2 pieces wrong sides together, fold the seam allowances in and whip stitch the sections together, making sure you tuck the tassel between the two sides in the corner opposite to the stitched side of what will be the inside. As you do not need to turn the work or stuff it you can completely close the seam straight away.

Fold the two sides that in the pattern show as being the larger triangles outside the grey triangle towards each other. Whip stitch the sides together from the outside reusing the stitches you used to stitch the 2 sections together, it's not easy to see but you can feel the holes with your needle or use the fabric as a guide. If you do small stitches it won't matter too much if you don't do it through the previous holes.

Put your scissors in the case and fold the case closed then place your button just below the point along the seam line. Hold in it place and take the scissors out of the case. Stitch in place using a colour thread of your choice. Then make a button hole stitch loop, I used only 1 strand of floss for the starting loop but more is perhaps more practical. A nice tutorial showing how to do this can be found here: Ysolda.com: sewn button loops

Note: If you leave the button off and make a larger loop of ribbon or cord to hang it with you could use it as an ornament in the Christmas tree! Just add some sweets (candy for the USA-ians out there) or a small gift or make it on 14ct Aida or 28ct even weave so it's larger and can hold more.

I hope you enjoy this pattern, please do share a link to yours if you make it!

Next time I will give the pattern for the little needle book, which will then be the last part of this series.

Joining the dots - Part 1

This is part 1 of the additional items that go with the Fob a Month - 6 fob that I posted last week. This week I'm giving the pattern for the pincushion. As it needed to fit into a specific space I first measured the available width and depth to make sure it would fit. I didn't want the pincushion to completely fill the slot as I also want a little space to put other things too.

I made mine to have a little green bicone in the centre to mirror what I did with the fob however you could put another dot in the centre instead. As the lid has some brown/orange buttons and embroidery I decided to add that colour into this piece. I loved the backstitch pattern from the August ornament so much that I used that pattern again for the side panels.

I have made 2 different options for the pincushion - the version I made and an inverse version of the top/bottom with a simplified backstitching side panel. I only stitched the front with the polka dot pattern - I left the back empty except for the backstitch lines.

If you wish to make the fob, pincushion and scissor case as a matching set you will need a piece of 18ct Aida or 32ct linen of at least 10" x 15" or 7,5" x 20" - you need to start pretty close to the edge to make sure you have enough fabric left for the rest. You need a 1/4" seam allowance for each piece so the sections must be stitched at least 1/2" away from each other using the back stitch lines as the counting point.

The pincushion is 2" square and 1"high (approx, depends on how full you stuff it). 36 stitches square.

What you need to make the example above:

• 1 piece of 8" x 8" 18ct Aida or 32ct linen if you are ONLY stitching the pincushion - otherwise see above for the amount needed.
• DMC 3347, 3348 and 3827
• Your stuffing of choice
• 2 small crystal bicones

You can download the pdf pattern for the front and sides here: Fob a Month 6 - Pincushion. For the back you only need to do the outer line of backstitching you can see around the square front.

 

Instructions: Fold the fabric in half before starting - on each half you will stitch either the back or the front AND 2 side panels at least 1/4" away from the centre line so you have 1/4" seam allowance for each side. If you are also doing the fob you want to stitch your pieces so they are about 1/2" away from the back stitch lines of the fob. 

 

Once the cross stitching is done do the back stitch outlines.

Layout suggestion (note I noticed that the centres of the side panels in this picture are incorrect, they should be the darkest green)

Press the completed stitching from the back to make sure there are no creases. Then cut the pieces out 1/4" away from the back stitch lines.

Whip stitch the sections together. I found it easier to first stitch all the side panels to the front and then stitch between the sides before adding the bottom. When you have about 1" left to stitch of the last seam take a moment to add some stuffing, you want it plump but not too plump as it would then lose it's shape and become round. Then finish sewing the last bit of seam.

Last of all sew the 2 bicones in place in the same way as you did the beads for the fob.

I hope you enjoy this pattern, please do share a link to yours if you make it!

Fob a Month - 6

It's a day late but unfortunately I had not finished stitching this in time to take photo's in daylight and I've been rather busy today. This month's Fob a Month was inspired by the sewing box my bf gave me last month while we were on holiday together.

It's a handy little box that can carry all I need and fits into my travel bag as well as my handbag. As it has no accessories I decided to make them myself to make the box just that bit more functional for how I would like to use it. Of course I started with the fob and decided to share that this month as part of my Fob a Month project. I also designed a pincushion and a scissor case for the scissors. I haven't yet decided how to deal with the ORTS but I'm sure that once I have the other pieces made that will become clear.

What isn't so clear in the photo's is that the green fabric has white polka dots on it and that's where my pattern inspiration came from. The fob is double sided with one side having the inverse colours to the other.

I will be sharing the patterns I have already designed with you as soon as I have completed stitching them. If you wish to make the fob, pincushion and scissor case as a matching set you will need a piece of 18ct Aida or 32ct linen of  at least 10" x 15" or 7,5" x 20" - you need to start pretty close to the edge to make sure you have enough fabric left for the rest. You need a 1/4" seam allowance for each piece so the sections must be stitched at least 1/2" away from each other using the back stitch lines as the counting point.

The fob is 1 7/8" square. 34 stitches square.

What you need to make the example above:

• 1 piece of  3 1/2"x 7" 18ct Aida or 32ct linen if you are ONLY stitching the fob - otherwise see above for the amount needed.
• DMC 3347 and 3348
• Your stuffing of choice
• DMC 3347 for the cord and tassel
• Green seed beads
• 2 small crystal bicones

You can download the pdf pattern here: Fob a Month - 6

Instructions: Fold the fabric in half before starting - on each half you will stitch either the back or the front at least 1/4" away from the centre line so you have 1/4" seam allowance for each side. Once the cross stitching is done do the back stitch outlines.

Press the completed stitching from the back to make sure there are no creases. Then cut the pieces out 1/4" away from the back stitch lines.

Place the 2 pieces wrong sides together and fold the seam lines between the layers and whip stitch the 2 sides together only going through the back stitch lines, the same as you would for a biscornu, adding a green bead every other stitch, remembering to add the cord and tassel at opposite corners. (Believe me if you do forget things either get pretty complicated or you end up ripping out a whole load of stitches)

When you are about 1" away from the starting point take a moment to add some stuffing, you want it plump but not too plump. Then finish sewing the last bit of seam.

Last of all sew the 2 beads in the centre of each side using a single thread to stitch them in place by going through each side's bead, then through to the other side and repeating that 2 or 3 times for each bead.

I hope you enjoy this pattern, please do share a link to yours if you make it!

A Fob a Month - 5

As some of you may have noticed the July Fob a Month was not posted on the usual date. It was due 3 days before I was due to go on holiday and in the rush to pack there just was no time to post the fob even though I had completed stitching it. Once I got back I had almost forgotten it was due and so here we are several weeks later with the pattern at last!

After the last pattern I decided to make an easier one and felt it was high time the glow in the dark thread came out of the box to play. I stitched it on black even weave to make it show up better but if you prefer you can stitch it with black thread on a light background too.

This year I went to the Hastings Pirate day for the 4th year running and wanted to stitch a fob to reflect my holiday plans which is why I chose the most commonly known "pirate speak" word I know of which is "Arr"

The fob is 3/4" high and 3" wide. 7 x 25 stitches

What you need to make the example above:

• 1 piece of  6" x 6" 25ct black Jobelan
• DMC E940 (glow in the dark) or 310 (black) if you are working on a light fabric
• Your stuffing of choice
• Black craft thread for the cord and tassel (or just use black DMC)
• Black seed beads
• A large crystal bicone

You can download the pdf pattern here:  Fob a Month - 5 pdf pattern

Notes:

• The black lines are the back stitch lines needed to make the fob - for the back of the fob you can either just do the back stitches or do the pattern a second time. I did the back stitches in glow in the dark.
• If you want your fob to *really* glow use a matching Kreinik glow in the dark blending filament - it really does help make it glow! 
• I make my tassels by wrapping craft thread a good 10 times around a bit of thick card that is 1/16th inch thick and 1" wide.
• I make the cord by measuring out 5 x the length I want. then I loop it around a knitting needle or chopstick and put that though a slatted chair back to hold it in place while I twist then folding it in half and putting a knot in the ends.

Instructions: Fold the fabric in half before starting - on each half you will stitch either the back or the front at least 1/4"away from the centre line so you have 1/4" seam allowance. This is one of those rare occasions that starting with the back stitching is a good idea.

Stitch the letters making sure you consult the pattern carefully for placement. Then cut the pieces out 1/4" away from the back stitch lines.

Place the 2 pieces wrong sides together and fold the seam lines between the layers and whip stitch the 2 sides together only going through the back stitch lines, the same as you would for a biscornu, adding a black bead every other stitch. On the diagonal lines I added a bead every stitch.

At the first pointy end add the loop and at the other pointy end add the tassel. About 1" before you reach the beginning of your stitching stop stitching and stuff the fob with a filling of your choice, then continue to ship stitch the sides together.

I hope you enjoy this pattern, please do share a link to yours if you make it!

A Fob a Month - 4

 

A bit later in the day than usual as my youngest son came back from a 4 day school trip today and had lots of stories to tell of his time away. I also had some issues when I attempted (and failed) to get this into a pdf file - I shall have to try this again when I'm not so tired. This month's fob was entirely inspired by Pinkythepink's Mucha princess patterns which can be found in her Etsy shop. The blended threads give a smooth gradient of colour making them trick the eye into thinking there is no colour gradient at all. That also gives away this month's challenge in the pattern: blended colours. 

Please don't close the browser tab or window and run away screaming! It's actually not that daunting, it's just a matter of selecting one thread of each colour you need and using them together, you don't need to do anything special at all while stitching that you wouldn't normally do anyway when using 2 threads to stitch with.

Generally the difficulty with blended threads is when you have to do a few stitches here and there but as all the stitches of the same colour are touching one another and you only need to use a combination once it should be fairly straight forward

This month's pattern gives you two options that you can use depending on how you want to finish it. If you wish to make the example I have made you will need less thread and will end up with an almost round shaped octagon. Alternatively you can make it square and perhaps turn it into a biscornu, I am giving the pattern for both.

The pattern also gives you more options! Namely you can choose which princesses colours to use - do you want to do Bella, Merida or Rapunzel? All 3? Or even another colour? The choice is yours! All 3 colour options are below along with a more muted brown in case none are to your liking.

The fob is 1 1/2" high and wide. 28 x 28 stitches

What you need to make the example above:

• 2 pieces of 4" x 4" 18ct off white Aida
• DMC threads in the colour of your choice of fob found in keys below. 
• Your stuffing of choice
• Green thread for the cord, I used the colour that is 0 in the key.
• DMC or thread to coordinate 
• TOHO 11-773 seed beads, they are bluish with a iridescent coating 

You can download the pattern for the fob above here
You can download the biscornu version here 

Notes:

• The black lines indicate the sewing (inner line) and cutting lines (outer line)
• Use 2 strands when 1 colour is mentioned
• Use 1 strand of each colour when 2 colours are mentioned
• If you choose to make the biscornu you will need 2 pieces of 4 1/2 " square 18ct Aida or enough for 34 x 34 stitches of your chosen fabric.

Alternate colourways: 

Bella:

0                              3853
1                              3853 & 3854
2                              3854
3                              3854 & 3855
4                              3855
5                              3855 & 745
6                              745
7                              745 & 677
8                              677
9                              Ecru (only for the biscornu)


Merida:

0                              3808 
1                              3809
2                              3809 & 3810     
3                              3810
4                              3810 & 597
5                              597
6                              597 & 598
7                              598
8                              598 & 3813
9                              Ecru (only for the biscornu)


Rapunzel:

0                              552
1                              552 & 208
2                              208
3                              508 & 209
4                              209
5                              209 & 210
6                              210
7                              210 & 211
8                              211
9                              Ecru (only for the biscornu)


Earth:

0                              300
1                              300 & 975
2                              975
3                              975 & 3827
4                              3827
5                              3827 & 976
6                              976
7                              976 & 977
8                              977
9                              Ecru (only for the biscornu)

Instructions: First stitch the front of the fob, the other side can be either left unstitched or stitched with the same or another colour.

Use the inner black stitch lines to make a template, mark it out on the back of the fabric and cut the pieces out about 1/4 inch away from the inner stitching lines. Pin the loop in place making sure to have them tucked between the layers and only have the ends that will be on the inside sticking out. Turn, stuff, and sew the final seam shut.

Then add the beading by stitching a single bead in place till you reach a corner. at each corner put 3 beads on the needle when you make the stitch to make a little "picot" with the beds. At the bottom of the fob make a group of beaded tassels. I did 2 with 8 beads, one with 10 and the last with 12. You make them by putting the desired number of beads onto the needle, skipping 3 and sliding the needle back down the remaining beads making sure to put the needle through the fabric to attach each one before you start the next.

I hope you enjoy these patterns, please do share a link to yours if you make them!