Felt Cuisine

How to make beautiful, hand made, pretend play food that will delight and entertain children of all ages

Strawberries by Design
Hiromi Hughes www.FeltCuisine.com

Felt Cuisine - Strawberries by Design

How to make beautiful, hand made, pretend play food that will delight and entertain children of all ages

Legal Notices
Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" www.FeltCuisine.com All Rights Reserved. For Personal Use Only. Please note that you are not permitted to Sell or Distribute copies of the main books in the Felt Cuisine series and / or physical products made from the designs and patterns contained within them.

HOWEVER
While the larger books in the Felt Cuisine series may not be distributed or passed on without authorisation from the author, this FREE Strawberries by Design pattern is one that you are most welcome to share, give away, and pass on to whoever you feel may be interested It will give people some more information about how the whole Felt Cuisine series came about and also provides a good indication of the layout and the level of detail that we go into in our larger books. Alternatively, your friends can sign up for their very own Free copy of Strawberries by Design by subscribing to our inner circle mailing list at www.FeltCuisine.com

Contact Information : Hiromi Hughes P.O. Box 3338 Caroline Springs Victoria 3023, Australia Tel : 61-3-8361-5988 Fax : 61-3-8361-6172 Email : Info@FeltCuisine.com Web : www.FeltCuisine.com Blog : www.FeltCuisine.Blogspot.com

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

Felt Cuisine

Strawberries By Design"
Table of Contents Foreword : A Message From The Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chapter 1 - Equipment You Will Need & Creating The Cardboard Templates . . . . . . . . 6 Chapter 2 - Strawberries - Step By Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Feedback, Comments and Final Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Felt Cuisine - The News is Spreading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Current Releases in the Felt Cuisine series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 What others are saying about the Felt Cuisine series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Your 30 Day, No Risk, 100% Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

" Strawberries by Design"

A Message from the Author

WELCOME !

I would firstly like to thank you for your interest in my work and this FREE strawberry design that I would like to offer you as my gift...
My name is Hiromi Hughes, wife, mother and fellow craft enthusiast from Melbourne Australia. I would also like to let you know a little about me and how this strawberry design ( and in fact the whole "Felt Cuisine" series ) came about... I grew up in Japan studying fashion design and have always loved designing things, being creative and making my own hand made gifts for friends and family. This passion for design has only grown since my husband and I started our family and I have found myself at home spending lots of playtime with my children.. Like most kids, they love their toys. Unfortunately, most toys available nowdays are the regular mass produced, cold, hard, plastic toys...nothing wrong with that of course, but I wanted to create something different. Something softer, warmer and more natural, yet something that still allowed them to have fun, use their imagination and inspire their creativity. I also wanted my children to understand and to feel the care and love that is put into gifts that are hand made and not just purchased ready made from a store. I want my children to grow up valuing their family and friends and appreciating the true meaning of gifts, especially those that are made with love and affection by others. Gifts that are hand made by loved ones can not easily be replaced, bring people closer together and build fond memories that will last a lifetime... So I started to make some pretend play felt food for my children and they loved them. I made some for my friends and their children and the feedback I received was wonderful. It was such a pleasure to see the joy that these pieces brought to the faces of those that received them...
Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

I then began to sell my work online and again, the feedback I received was wonderful and greatly appreciated. I have since sold my work to many wonderful people all over the world including the USA, Europe, South America, and throughout Australasia. The problem however, was that there is only one of me and when I sold some of my work, I had to sit down and make it. Also, I had constant requests from people asking me if I would show them how it was done so they could make some for their loved ones ... This lead of course to the creation of the "Felt Cuisine" series of craft guides. My children began playing with their "Felt Cuisine" pieces when they were 2 years old and they have lasted wonderfully well. They are very safe toys, with no fragile, sharp pieces that are likely to break off and no small moving parts. Like anything though, they need to be treated with care. They are made of fabric, are hand sewn and are of course not completely indestructible. Although my work may look difficult to make, the pieces can be very easily re-created by anyone as you will see by the Strawberry pattern that I have provided to you here...

Please note that while the larger books in the Felt Cuisine series may not be distributed or passed on without authorisation from the author, this FREE Strawberry Pattern is a book that you are most welcome to share, give away, and pass on to whoever you feel may be interested It will give people some more information about how the whole Felt Cuisine series came about and also provides a good indication of the layout and the level of detail that we go into in our larger books. Alternatively, your friends can sign up for their very own Free copy of Strawberries by Design by subscribing to our inner circle mailing list at www.FeltCuisine.com
I hope that you and your children will enjoy creating and playing with all the wonderful strawberries that I know you will all soon be making... As always, if you have any questions, comments or feedback about this design, please do not hesitate to contact me. Your feedback is always welcome and always appreciated. Warmest Regards

Hiromi Hughes P.O. Box 3338, Caroline Springs, Victoria 3037, Australia Tel : 613-8361-5988 / Fax : 61-3-8361-6172 email :Info@FeltCuisine.com Web : www.FeltCuisine.com Blog : www.FeltCuisine.blogspot.com

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

CHAPTER 1

"Strawberries" by Design

Equipment You Will Need :

Red and green felt, some stuffing, red and green thread, light brown embroidery thread, general sewing equipment and some cardboard.

Creating the Cardboard Templates :

I have provided here two differently sized templates for both a large strawberry and a smaller strawberry. To create the cardboard templates, you have two options.

Option Number 1 :
Simply print out the Strawberry Master Templates on the following page. They are exactly the right size and are ready for you to cut out and use. Please note : If you do wish to use this method, these templates will last a lot longer and they will be much easier to use, if they are made from thick cardboard. We therefore suggest that you print out the templates, carefully cut them out with scissors and trace their shapes onto thick cardboard. Alternatively, you can use carbon paper to trace these templates onto the cardboard, but ensure you use a fine tipped pen to minimise the size difference to the original templates. Once you have created these templates in thick cardboard, label them. They will then become your "Master templates" that you will be able to use over and over again in the future.

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

Option Number 2 :
If you do not have access to a printer, or if you do not wish to use the method detailed above, the measurements for the strawberries are provided in the diagrams below. By following these templates and the provided measurements, you will be able to recreate these templates yourself directly on to thick cardboard using a pencil, a ruler and a drawing compass..

Small Strawberry :
Master Template for a Small Strawberry
(a) (b) (c) (d) 9.5cm 2.5cm 1.25cm 4 mm (or 3.7 inches ) (a half circle) (or 1.0 inch) (or 0.5 inches) (or 0.2 inches)

Large Strawberry :
Master Template for a Large Strawberry
(a) (b) (c) (d) 12cm 3.5cm 1.75cm 5 mm (or 4.7 inches ) (a half circle) (or 1.4 inches) (or 0.7 inches) (or 0.2 inches)

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

CHAPTER 2

"Strawberries" Step by Step

Step 1 :
Create your cardboard templates as detailed in Chapter 1.

Step 2 :
Cut out the red felt using the cardboard templates detailed in Chapter 1. Ensure you cut the felt to the exact size.

Step 3 :
Fold the red felt template in half. Use a running stitch 5mm from the edge using double red threads as shown below. Make a knot, but do not cut the threads.

Step 4 :
Turn the felt inside out, then use a running stitch around the open perimeter, 5mm from the edge.

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

Step 5 :
Gently pull the thread, to partially close the strawberry.

Step 6 :
Insert stuffing, until the strawberry is ripe and firm.

Step 7 :
Pull the thread tight, to close the opening.

Step 8 :
Pass the needle through the opening several times to secure the strawberry and then make a knot.

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

Step 9 :
Decorate with light brown (double) embroidery thread.

Step 10 :
Pass the thread around the needle 4-5 times to make a French Knot.

Step 11 :
Pass the needle through the middle of one French knot, to the location of the next knot and repeat. Decorate the strawberry all over with a number of French Knots (to represent the strawberry seeds).

Step 9

Step 10

Step 11

Step 12 :
Cut out the green felt using the cardboard templates detailed in Chapter 1. Ensure you cut the felt to the exact size.

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

10

Step 13 :
Using double green threads, attach the leaf to the strawberry as shown in the photos below. if you pull the thread slightly tighter, you will get a more realistic "3D" effect for the finished strawberry.

And then, you have finished your very own "Strawberry by Design"...

Congratulations !

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

11

Feedback, Comments & Final Thoughts...

Thank You !
Once again, I would like to thank you for your interest in my work . . . I do hope that you and your children had as much fun making these strawberries as I did in designing them and creating them myself. As I stated at the start of this book, my aim with the "Felt Cuisine" range, was to provide some new ideas for children's toys. Something that was different, something soft and warm, that encouraged the natural creativity and imagination of our children. I want children to realise and value the effort and love that goes into a gift that is handmade and not just bought ready made from a store. I also want to strengthen the bonds between people as I have seen happen with me and my children. The children love helping me in the "kitchen" as I make my felt creations and it has really brought us even closer together... So I hope that these creations of mine have helped bring a smile to children of all ages wherever they may be... I of course would love to receive feedback on my work, so please feel free to contact me and let me know what you thought... what did you like about these designs and this book ? and more importantly, what did you not like ?, were the designs easy to understand and easy to follow ? What was the reaction you got from the children ? etc etc... All such feedback will be gratefully received and taken on board and can only help in making future releases in the "Felt Cuisine" range as good as they can be... If you would like to show off your own pieces of "Felt Cuisine", then of course feel free to email me any pictures of your finished work. I would love to see them and to see what designs my work has inspired... Of course as a valued customer of mine, I will be keeping you up to date with news of what is happening in the world of Felt Cuisine. If you have not done so, I encourage you to sign up for our Felt Cuisine Inner Circle where you will be the first to know of any news, tips, hints, new designs or releases and any exhibitions that I will be taking part in... You can sign up for our Inner Circle at www.FeltCuisine.com Until next time, I bid you farewell. Yours in Creativity

Hiromi Hughes
P.O.Box 3338, Caroline Springs Melbourne, Victoria 3123, Australia Email : Info@FeltCuisine.com Web : www.FeltCuisine.com Blog : www.FeltCuisine.Blogspot.com

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

13

Felt Cuisine

The News is Spreading...

As time passes, more and more people are seeing and hearing about the Felt Cuisine series of craft guides and the news is starting to spread. Here are some of the write ups and profiles that we have received from the media since we began...

The Australian Stitches & Craft Show 2008

In 2008, I was lucky enough to be invited to exhibit my work at the Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show. You can click here to see a write up on this fantastic event. My work was also on display at the Sydney & Brisbane Stitches & Craft shows as well. It is a fantastic event I will be certainly involved again this year. To find out more about the Stitches & Craft show, feel free to check out their website at www.StitchesAndCraft.com.au

Living Creatively
I also received a write up in the wonderful Living Creatively website that was launched in 2008. To check out the Living Creatively website, visit www.LivingCreatively.com.au. To read the write up that we received about the Felt Cuisine series, you can either click here, or on the living Creatively logo pictured to the right.

Mornings with Kerri Anne - Channel 9, Australia

My work has also been featured on the top rating daytime show Mornings with Kerri Anne on Channel Nine here in Australia. Kerri Anne Kennerley is one of Australias favourite faces since she first appeared on television in 1963. Kerri Anne is a big art and craft fan herself and she always ensures she does a story on the Stitches and Craft show as it travels around Australia.

The Associated Press Network

We were also interviewed by Holly Ramer, a reporter for the Associated Press Network in the USA. My thoughts and my Felt Cuisine series of craft guides were highlighted in her story that appeared in a number of publications across the associated press network. To see a sample of this feature, click here for a story featured in the Times & Democrat newspaper in South Carolina.

Along with the above, my work, videos, images and books have been featured on over 4,690 web pages across the net over the last 18 months... On Blogs, forums, in discussion groups and across the coffee tables of countless craft enthusiasts in nations all over the world. It is wonderful to hear the positive feedback that I receive almost daily now and I can only imagine the smiles these pieces are bringing to the faces of loved ones throughout the world...

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

14

Current Releases in the Felt

Felt Cuisine - Cakes by Design

Cuisine

Series...

"Fully illustrated, step by step guide to make 14 different handcrafted, pretend play Cup Cakes & Whole Cakes, that will keep your kids entertained & delighted for hours. (Warning : Only for those with a sweet tooth)
"Recipes" include : Mango Mousse Cake, Chocolate Mud Cake, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Strawberry Mousse Cake, White Chocolate Mousse Cake, Blueberry Cheesecake Green Tea Cheesecake & Tiramisu Cake. PLUS all the garnishes & toppings you will need to give your creations those finishing touches

Available from www.FeltCuisine.com

Felt Cuisine - Sushi by Design

"Learn to create 16 different varieties of beautiful, hand crafted, pretend play, sushi pieces, that will delight your children & introduce them to the wonderful world of Japanese Cuisine"
"Recipes" include : Nigirizushi (Tuna, Salmon, Egg, Eel, Prawn & Squid). Norimaki (Seaweed, Tuna, Salmon & Omelette). Takanamaki (Mustard Seed, Cucumber, Avocado & Calabash). Tobikomaki (Flying Fish Roe, Eel Spinach, & Cucumber). Gunkanmaki (Salmon Roe, Squid & Okura, Sea Urchin). Inarizushi & Temakizushi (Tuna & Cucumber Crab Stick & Avocado, Prawn Tempura, Salmon Roe & Perilla...

Available from www.FeltCuisine.com

Felt Cuisine - Tarts & Pancakes

"Learn to create 12 stunning, tarts to add a bit of 'sweetness' to any pretend play party & finish off with a big stack of pancakes & strawberries (or maybe chocolate ?) ... I am getting hungry just thinking of them"
"Recipes" include : Fruit Tart, Strawberry Tart, Blueberry Tart, Raspberry Tart, Green Tea Tart, Apple Tart, Mont Blanc Tart, Lemon Tart, Chocolate Swirl Tart, Chocolate Heart Tart, Coffee Tart, Black Forest Tart & of course the Pancakes you can't forget about the Pancakes...

Available from www.FeltCuisine.com

Felt Cuisine - A Taste of Italy

"Learn to create 6 gourmet Pizza's, 5 varieties of Pasta so real you'll be asking for the parmesan cheese, Garlic Bread that will make your mouth water & a sweet batch of 5 different Cannoli's to satisfy your sweet tooth... a meal for the whole family"
"Recipes" include : Gourmet Pizzas (Hawaiian, Pepperoni, Spicy Chicken & Mushroom, Vegetarian, Seafood and Deluxe), Garlic Bread, Pasta (Fettuccine, Penne, Farfalle, Ravioli & Tortellini) & of course the Cannoli...

Available from www.FeltCuisine.com

PLUS ... Many more to come...

There are lots of exciting patterns in the works for you all to try and they will be released over the coming months. To ensure that you dont miss out on any of these new releases, I invite you to sign up for our Felt Cuisine - Inner Circle mailing list to be kept up to date with all that is happening in the world of Felt Cuisine. You can sign up at www.FeltCuisine.com

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

15

Testimonials

What our Customers are saying about the Felt Cuisine Series
Ive never worked with felt before & am shocked at the realism that can be achieved (I love the raspberry). Thanks again for helping me get back some creativity in my life Julie Lawrence, Tennessee, USA I was researching felt food when I found your web site & YouTube videos. WOW ! You have such a talent ! The best I've seen yet ! - Jennifer Voss, Illinois, USA The patterns were very easy to follow & my friends and family will LOVE them as Christmas gifts ! They turned out great ! Thanks so much - Vanessa Venedam, Nova Scotia, Canada I just wanted to tell you how wonderful your books are ! Your instructions couldn't have been clearer & your photos are the best - Linda Blaker, Missouri, USA I am soooo thrilled to be able to make some of this food for my kids. You are amazingly kind & patient & that says a lot for your customer service ! - Elise Cline, Missouri, USA Please tell me you are working on more ! Seriously, I love your work, Thank you. I don't sew at all & I KNOW I can do this ! - Rachel Hanson, California, USA I thought I'd drop you a line to let you know how ASHTONISHED I am with your incredible work. I've just downloaded your OUTSTANDING eBooks & you have me drooling over the fantastic pieces I've found there - Monika Garcia, Valencia, Spain Thank you, thank you, thank you, I am so excited, this is the most awesome & most fun craft I've seen & I can't wait to start. I have 3 grand-daughters I want to make them for & I know they will truly enjoy them - Carmen S, Puerto Rico. Just wanted you to know that I'm truly in awe of your amazing talent & have highlighted your creativity into my blog - Sandra Khoo. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia "I am so excited to make these! your instructions are very well done. If only all patterns were so thorough ! I like your introduction as well. it is nice to know the story behind how you started making these" - Jennifer Langford, New Hampshire, USA When I first opened the book, I thought "WOW !, I really have got more than what I paid for". When you said that you were making a book with all the templates, step by step guides etc, I had no idea that the book would be so detailed and precise" - Elaine A, Victoria, Australia Hi Hiromi, I just received your wonderful eBook ! It's amazing & I can't wait to get started. I just wanted to compliment you on your time & effort on such wonderful books. My favourite part about the whole thing is your philosophy on bringing families closer together & bringing children & their parents back to the "roots" of the value of handmade gifts. Every word is so true & I want to thank you for inspiring me to get closer to my children Gloria Sanchez, Texas, USA

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

16

Your 30 Day, No Risk, 100% Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee !

I am so confidant that you will love making these pieces as much as I do, that I offer all of my customers an Unconditional 30 day guarantee.
IF, after receiving any of the products in the Felt Cuisine series, you are dissatisfied in any way, then of course I will happily refund your money. I am very proud of my work, have thousands of happy customers in nations all over the world and quite frankly, I would be embarrassed to take your money if you were anything less than thrilled with your purchase !

So you can see that there is absolutely NO RISK to you !

If you dont like the patterns that I have created, if you simply cant follow the instructions provided, if you feel that your purchase is not worth the money you spent, even if you dont like the colour of the pages... You can simply let us know, return your books to us (for those who purchased our books on CD Rom, DVD or any other physical format) and we will issue you a full refund of your purchase costs (including postage costs for those who have bought any of our physical products). Signed :

Hiromi Hughes Creator of the Felt Cuisine series. Melbourne, Australia.

Copyright 2007 - 2009 "Felt Cuisine" (www.FeltCuisine.com)

17