Tutorial Tuesday

This week's tutorial was inspired by two things: 1) the FS April Monster Cupcake Stitchalong and 2) my best friend's recent decision to purchase a bakery. I love a good cupcake as much as anyone else. So, instead of wearing a heart on my sleeve, this is a cupcake to take its place.

It's a cupcake badge! It could also be considered a brooch, but I am sticking with it being a badge. Now, it isn't a monster cupcake like the stitchalong. It's a cupcake I free handed on a piece of scrap fabric. You could use any image you wanted and turn it into a badge. I think it would be fun for parties, or bridal and baby showers. I am going to use this one to celebrate my best friend's baking adventure.

To get started, you'll need the following:

-embroidered design of your choice 

-a 4-inch embroidery hoop

-two 6x6-inch pieces of scrap fabric (it can be larger than this, if you have it)

-scrap trim ( I used lace ribbon, but you can use pom fringe or any trim of your liking)

-pins

-one 6x6-inch piece of batting or a handful of poly-fil

-thread in different colors of your choice

-embroidery and sewing needles

-one safety pin

-scissors

-a sewing machine (this can be hand sewn, but if you want to use a machine, get it fired up!)

Step 1: Embroider your design of choice onto the fabric. I free handed my cupcake, but you can stitch anything you might want.

I let the hoop guide my design size. I followed the edge of the hoop to create the stitched border around the cupcake.

Step 2: Trim the fabric to 5x5 inches. Don't cut the fabric in a circle, leave it in a square for now.

Step 3: Place the fabric with your stitched design on top of the batting. I used a running stitch to attached the batting to the fabric by following the border I had stitched while the fabric was in the hoop.

NOTE: If you decide to use poly-fil, you will skip this step and continue on. 

Step 4: I used the base of the embroidery hoop as a measurement guide for the lace ribbon that I used as trim. I cut just a little extra overlap. 

Step 5: Arrange the trim on top of your design with the ends or outside edge facing inward. We are going to stitch the other piece of fabric on top of this, then turn it. Once we turn the badge, your trim will be right side out.

Step 6: Once you have your trim placed over your embroidered design, cover it with the blank piece of fabric and stitch around the edge in a circle. Make sure to leave a little space open to turn the badge. I was able to see through my fabric and used the stitched borders as a guideline.

Step 7: Now you can trim around the edge you just stitched and flip your badge. I left a little extra fabric on the opening I'll used to flip the badge so that I have enough to slip stitch it shut.

Step 8: Fold in the opening you used to flip the badge and slip stitch it shut. 

NOTE: If you decided to use poly-fill, this is when you would stuff the badge, and then slip stitch it shut.

Step 9: Your badge should look something like this now. Stitch the safety pin to the back and it's ready to wear.

I love the idea of this as a brooch or badge, but if you like, you could pin it to a tote or handbag. If you're feeling really adventurous, you can swap the safety pin out for a bobby pin or hair clip and wear it in your hair. 

I hope you enjoy making your own badge. I am off to see if I can trade this badge for some sweet treats from my best friend.

I hope you enjoy this badge. Please stay tuned in the coming weeks for more tutorials and, on occasion, a tutorial roundup with more fun and colorful projects for you to try.