Wool Felt Coasters

Wool felt is a great fabric; it has a nice texture, looks great, and doesn't fray, so you can use it in a lot of projects without worrying about finishing edges. Because it's non-woven, there isn't even a grainline to think about, which means you can pretty much cut however you like.

This tutorial will show you how to make some really simple but extremely effective coasters using wool felt.

Materials:

• 1/4 yard of two different colours of real wool felt
• Thread to match

Seriously, that's it.

Step 1: Cut your felt

Cut your felt into 4"x4" squares. You'll want to be as accurate as possible, so that they match up when you sandwich them together later.

Though it's OK if you're not, since you can always trim it down after sewing. Either way, you'll end up with a bunch of little squares.

Take three squares: two of one colour and one of the other. Sandwich them so the contrasting colour is in the middle.

Step 2: Embroidery (Optional)

If you want to make these extra special, add a little embroidery to your top layer. 

If necessary during this stem, remind yourself that these are a gift that someone else will see, and you need to make your stitches as nice as possible despite the fact that you forgot how much it cramps your hand to embroider on a tiny piece of fabric that is not perfectlysquareaidaclothi'mgettingachesjustthinkingaboutitagain

It worked out OK, though.

Step 3: Pin and Sew

Pin around the edges (I used clips since they were handy).

Sew through all three layers, turning at the corners.

Don't backstitch at the beginning, but do backstitch at the end, overlapping your stitches. This ensures that your stitches don't get loose, but without looking too tangled and unsightly.

If your felt pieces shift around a bit while sewing, or if they aren't perfectly aligned for any reason, trim the extra bits. Or don't, and you'll be able to see the colours from the top, as well as the sides.

Repeat that a few more times, until you have enough coasters or run out of fabric. 1/4 yards of each colour will give you a TON of coasters, but since you want perfectly straight edges, it's better to get more than you need so you can trim down.

Tie these babies up in a pretty ribbon! Adding the super cute heart bottle stopper is my personal recommendation, especially if it's an engagement gift for Morgan and Lauren. (Which it was!)

Remember last week's blag-a-bag, when I made some gift bags? This is one of the reasons why!