New sketches in for Fox Hollow Tales!

Just in! Sketches for the official Fox Hollow Tales map! Two corners of the map are shown below and a new sketch of Wojer fishing at his favorite watering hole. Did you know you could get a chance to name one of the roads or shops in Fox Hollow? Check out our kickstarter page to discover how you can be part of the fun! There are only 14 days left!

947371_10151637102004919_1978928868_n 462626_10151637099414919_38382157_o 946801_10151637099304919_586850690_n

Categories: animals, Jennifer Carson, new books!, Pat Ann Lewis, picture book, storybook, writing for children | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Another free pattern to celebrate Fox Hollow Tales!

Bear in a top hat--couldn't get much cuter!

Bear in a top hat–couldn’t get much cuter!

This cute little bear is one of the creatures you might meet in Fox Hollow! Want to meet some of the other creatures that live in Fox Hollow? My Kickstarter campaign is going strong and you can visit and see other character sketches and watch the video! Please help me spread the word and meet my goal!

This Bear is easy to make– you can make him into a pin or an ornament.

Here are your directions!

1. Download the bear-pin-J.Carson pattern.

2. Print the pattern on cardstock or print on regular paper and trace onto heavier paper.

3. Trace the pattern onto the back of your fur fabric. Only trace 2 ears on fur. Trace 2 more ears on felt.

4. cut out the pieces. Pin the side head together from nose tip, under chin to neck edge. Sew with a whip stitch.

5. Pin the gusset to the head. Stitch in place.

6. Turn right side out and stuff. Gather neck edge.

7. With a blanket stitch, sew one fur ear to one felt ear– place felt on wrong side of ear and blanket stitch edges.

8. Stitch ears to head.

9. Sew glass beads on for eyes.

10. Embroider nose and sew pin back on back of head, or attach a hanging loop.

If you want to make a top hat: cut one circle about the size of a quarter. Cut a rectangle about 2″ wide by however tall you’d like it. Sew the flat edges of the rectangle together with some embroidery floss. Cut a circle the size of the top of the fat and whip stitch circle to top of hat. Them stitch the larger circle to the bottom of hat. Stitch hat to bears head. Attach a little fabric bow and/or other bits and bobs for decoration.

Categories: animals, fiber art, free sewing pattern, handmade gift, Jennifer Carson, new books!, sewing, Softie of the Week, writing for children | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Free softie sewing pattern to celebrate my new book, Wojer and the Wizard of the Wood!

a little badger-- all hand sewn!To celebrate my new storybook series, Fox Hollow Tales, in which the first tale stars a little badger named Wojer, I created this little badger for you to sew! Okay, so Wojer isn’t a European badger, he’s an American badger, but he’s still cute! Here’s what you’ll need to make a badger: wool felt in black or dark gray and white, black seed beads for eyes, floss to match felt and black for his nose, a bit of stuffing and a dab of fabric glue.

If you’d like to learn more about the books, please visit my book page!

Here are your directions:

1.Print out PDF here:badger-felt.carson

2. Trace pattern pieces onto freezer paper. Cut out pieces on the line.

3. With a warm iron press the pattern pieces onto the felt. The body, belly, soles, tail, inner ear and face stripe should be on black/gray. The head and outer ear on white. Cut the pattern pieces out. I like to store all of them in a ziploc baggie while I’m working so that I don’t lose a piece!

4. Match the notched curve of the belly and blanket stitch together, leaving about 1-2/2″ open for stuffing.

5. Match head to body and whip stitch in place. Place inner ear on top of outer ear and secure with a dab of fabric glue. Place Face Stripe on top of white head and stitch on at neck. Place a dab of fabric glue near the nose (away from the edge) and at back of head to keep the felt from slipping when you stitch the gusset in place.

6. Match one side of the belly to one side of the body and stitch together using a blanket stitch– secure threads at bottom of legs and start again at the bottom of the other leg. Repeat for opposite side of body.

7. Sew the front of the body where the belly meets in the chest, up to the point of the nose.

8. Pin head gusset in place between the head pieces. Stitch with a blanket stitch.

9. Continue stitching at point in head gusset down the badger’s back.

10. Stitch soles to bottom of feet.

11.Whipstitch tail in place. Stuff badger. Close stuffing opening with a whip stitch.

12. Sew seeds beads in place for his eyes. Whip stitch ears in place.

Categories: animals, fiber art, free, free sewing pattern, Jennifer Carson, sewing, Softie of the Week | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fox Hollow Tales, Kickstarter is launched!

3…2…1..

Today I launched the kickstarter for my project with illustrator Patricia Ann Lewis– she’s the fabulous artist who illustrated Hapenny Magick and To Find A Wonder. It’s a scarey feeling to put your work out to the world but also exciting =0)

Fox Hollow Tales is a series of stories set in New England in the 1830′s.

Wojer and the Wizard of the Wood

is the first tale in the series and stars a little badger named Wojer.  The neighborhood bully, Lilly, tries to scare Wojer with a story about a wizard who turns anyone who picks berries at the Old Lark Meadow into frogs. But Wojer humorously turns the tables on the Lily and her friends.

Woger-the girls

You can find out more about Wojer and the Fox Hollow Tales series by following this link:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jennifercarson/fox-hollow-tales-first-in-the-series-illustrated-s

Categories: 1830, animals, artists, England, Jennifer Carson, new books!, Pat Ann Lewis, picture book, storybook, writing for children | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fox Hollow Tales, a new series of picture storybooks!

Wojer-book1-coverTo the right is the fabulous sketch for the new series of children’s storybooks that the fabulous Pat Ann Lewis, illustrator of Hapenny Magick and To Find A Wonder, are working on. I can’t wait to show you all some of the fantastic artwork PA has done for the book. Stay tuned for exciting details on how YOU can help us name some of the stores and roads in Fox Hollow, plus news on how to get your copy of the first book in the series, Wojer and the Wizard of the Wood and even a free badger sewing pattern!

Categories: art, book, book covers, Jennifer Carson, new books!, writing for children | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Book Signing at The Beehive, this Friday!! With a make and take craft =0)

April 19, 2013 • Book Signing with Jen Carson

(posted to BEEZ in the Belfry Blog)

Join us at The BeeHive on April 19th, from 5-8pm, for a Book Signing with Jennifer Carson.

Jen is excited to present her newest book, Beyond Bears – How to draw, design and sew your own stuffed animals. She’ll be demonstrating how to make a tiny bear head pin from the book. Copies of the new book, as well as her previous adventure books, To Find a Wonder and Hapenny Magick, will be available for sale.

If you cannot make it to the book signing party, but would like to purchase a copy of Jen’s new book, you can get it from her Etsy shop online. Be sure to ask her to sign it because she is getting famous and all her books will be valuable some day. If they had super heroes in the magical world, Jen would be Wonder Woman. But Jen’s not a super hero because the cape would get in the way of her wings…

Note: If you are new to my blog or can’t quite remember who Jen is… take a look at my blog post from last March. This party is all Jen’s and there won’t be a giant castle cake, but other than that, it will be great!

I heard rumors of teddy bear cupcakes…

Categories: book, Craft, creativity, fiber art, Jennifer Carson, new books!, sewing | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Swirly Turtle, a new hand sewn pattern

A new turtle to hasten the days of summer in! Enjoy!
Swirly Turtle, hand sewn from felt, PMRT

Swirly Turtle, hand sewn from felt, PMRT

Swirly Turtle is made from felt and hand sewn together. He is 6 1/2″ long and about 6″ wide. Easy …

Price: US$3.00

Click for details

Categories: creativity, fiber art, handmade gift, Jennifer Carson, new sewing patterns, sewing | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Two new patterns available! A music playing bear and a Good Luck, Chinese Style Dragon!

Two new patterns are available this week, just in time for the weekend! The first is a big, beautiful bear named Baird. He is 17″ when sitting, has long, dangly arms, is fully jointed with needle felted eyes and embroidered nose. He comes with directions to include a music box (with a nice supplier list too!) Want to see other stuffed animal patterns offered? Click here!
Baird Bear, a music playing bear PMRT

Baird Bear, a music playing bear PMRT

Baird Bear is a new 2013 bear pattern with clearly written and illustrated directions. He sits at …

Price: US$8.00

Click for details

The second pattern is from a customer request for a Chinese styled dragon. He is the Good Luck dragon and is sure to bring some to your household! He is 14″ long and stands at 10″ high with a fabulously curly tail. Eyes and belly are needle felted. Wnat to see other dragon sewing patterns? Check out the dragon page by clicking here.

Good Luck, Chinese Dragon PMRT

Good Luck, Chinese Dragon PMRT

This Chinese style Good Luck Dragon is 14″ long and 10″ high. He is made from hand dyed woven wool …

Price: US$10.00

Click for details

 

Happy Creating!

Categories: creativity, dragons, fiber art, Jennifer Carson, new sewing patterns, sewing | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

And the Winner is…….

sun-drgnThe winner of the Sunshine Dragon raffle is Monica Ramsey! She will be sent the Sunshine Dragon prototype and her copy of Beyond Bears later this week as soon as I receive the copies from the printer (they shipped out yesterday)!

Want to order your own copy of Beyond Bears? Visit my Etsy shop! I also have a new dragon pattern out, the Dragon Hatchlilngs, that is a 2 for 1 pattern. One pattern, two dragons! If you haven’t heard, you can now immediately download your purchase from my Etsy store which makes it super fast and easy to start creating!

Categories: book, contest, dragons, fiber art, giveaway, Jennifer Carson, new books!, new sewing patterns, sewing | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Sewing Pattern, Dragon Hatchlings

New Dragon Hatchlings sewing pattern!

New Dragon Hatchlings sewing pattern, digital download, 2013
New Dragon Hatchlings sewing pattern, digital download, 2013 New Dragon Hatchlings sewing pattern, digital download, 2013 New Dragon Hatchlings sewing pattern, digital download, 2013 New Dragon Hatchlings sewing pattern, digital download, 2013 New Dragon Hatchlings sewing pattern, digital download, 2013

Two beautiful dragon patterns in one digital download. Patterns will be delivered as a PDF file. Detailed instructions with illustrations. Each dragon is about 22″ long. Needle felted eyes and chest, soft sculpted nose, wired fingers/toes. Your choice to thread joint or safety lock joint, instructions included for both. $14.00

Dragons shown are made with hand dyed woven wool and wool felt. You can now order directly from Etsy and download the PDF as soon as your payment is received! Or order through Patternmart for an instant download or  if you’d like a paper pattern.

Categories: dragons, fiber art, needle felting, new sewing patterns, sewing | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment