Hi there! It’s
Andrea Shell here, and I’m thrilled to be a guest on the Spellbinders’ blog! Today I’m sharing a step-by-step photo tutorial featuring the new
Summer 3D Felt Décor Etched Dies by Sandi MacIver. These dies complement the original Felt Décor Collection introduced in 2025, but can also be used by themselves, with paper, and for flat projects.
Fergus looks like he’s ready to hit the beach with this fun
surfboard and
palm tree from the new
Summer 3D Felt Décor Collection! Read on to learn how to create your own summer Fergus scene.
Diecut wool felt with the Spellbinders
Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine and the Summer 3D Felt Décor Etched Dies.
For the
surfboard, you will need 2 board pieces and 1 wave detail. For the
palm tree, you will need 3 tree trunks and 6-8 leaves, depending on how full you want your tree top.
Creating the Palm Tree
To assemble the tree, place 2 of the tree trunks together with the holes aligned and secure with a clip. Using 3 strands of coordinating embroidery floss, do a running stitch up one side of the layered trunks. When you get to the top of the trunk, come back down the same side, filling in the empty holes.
Continue adding the trunk diecuts by stacking two at a time with the holes aligned and doing a running stitch up one side and back down.
Attach the triangle diecut to the bottom of the joined trunks with a running stitch on two sides. Gently stuff the tree trunk approximately two-thirds full with polyfil and fill in the remaining space with your choice of weighted filling. Finish the running stitch on the third side of the triangle before going around the triangle a second time to fill in the remaining stitches.
Stack two leaves together, aligning holes, and secure with clips. Using 3 strands of coordinating embroidery floss, do a running stitch up the center of the leaves. Once you reach the end of the leaves, come back down the center to fill in the remaining stitches. You can stitch the side stitches (veins) on either the first or the second pass.
Attach the leaves to the top of your assembled trunk with hot glue. For a fuller tree top, use 4 pairs of leaves.
Assembling the Surfboard
Layer the wave detail onto one of the
surfboards, aligning the holes, and secure with clips. Using 3 strands of coordinating floss, do a running stitch around the wave twice.
Stack the two
surfboards together with holes aligned and secure with clips. Sew the boards together with a blanket stitch through the board pieces only, ensuring the needle and thread do not go through the wave detail.
After stitching the two long sides of the board, place a small amount of polyfil inside the surfboard and close the opening with a blanket stitch. If desired, prior to closing, you can place a small amount of weighted material in the surfboard.
Creating Fergus the Gnome
Diecut the following pieces from wool felt with the
Fergus Etched Dies:
- For the blue coat, diecut 2 sleeves, 2 side panels, 1 back panel, and 1 long strip.
- For the red body, diecut 2 triangle panels and 1 base.
- For the red hat, cut 1 cone, 2 hat brims, and 1 long strip.
- Diecut 1 large and 1 small beard.
- Diecut 3 circles for the nose and hands.
Note: the image shows 3 strips, but only 2 are needed.
Sewing Fergus’s Coat
Using 3 strands of floss, attach one end of the long strip to one of the sleeves with a running stitch. When you reach the end of one row, go back to fill in the remaining stitches. Repeat for the second row of holes. Trim excess strip and sew the remainder to the other sleeve in the same manner, trimming the excess strip upon completion.
Fold one sleeve lengthwise, aligning holes, and hold in place with clips. Using 3 strands of coordinating floss, secure with a running stitch in one direction. When you reach the end of the sleeve, go back through to fill in the remaining stitches. Repeat for the other sleeve.
Place one side panel onto the back panel of the coat with holes aligned and hold in place with clips. Using 3 strands of coordinating floss, secure with a running stitch in one direction. When you reach the end of the panel, go back through to fill in the remaining stitches. Repeat for the other panel.
To attach the sleeve to the coat, press the sleeve flat so that the holes at the top of the sleeve are visible and align them with the corresponding holes in the coat. Secure by stitching through both sets of holes. Repeat with the other sleeve.
Finish coat by doing a blanket stitch around the edges of the coat.
Creating Fergus’s Body
Stack the two triangles for the body with the holes aligned and secure with clips. Beginning at the base of one long side, stitch triangles together with a running stitch in one direction. When you reach the end of the second long side, go back through the stitches to fill in the stitches, leaving the base open.
Align the holes of one side of the base with the holes of the bottom of one of the triangles. Stitch in place with a running stitch, stopping when you reach the opposite corner of the triangle. Fill the body to approximately two-thirds with polyfill and one-third weighted material.
Connect base to second triangle with a running stitch. When you reach the opposite corner, go back around to fill in the open stitches.
Assembling Fergus’s Hat
Fold cone in half, aligning holes, and hold in place with clips. Using 3 strands of coordinating floss, secure hat with a running stitch in one direction and back down to fill in open stitches.
To create a bend in the hat, run long stitches up the seam to about half the height of the hat and back down. Gently pull the thread to create a bend and tie off the thread.
Slide one hat brim onto the hat and align holes in the base of the hat with the holes in the brim. Use a blanket stitch to attach the brim to the hat. Repeat with second brim.
Use a blanket stitch to secure the two brims together.
With a running stitch, secure the long strip to the hat where the hat base and brims meet. For best results, start running stitch in the bottom row of holes and move to the top row before going back to fill in the remaining stitches.
Creating Fergus’s Hands and Nose
Using 2 strands of coordinating floss, create long stitches around the circumference of a circle. Gently pull the thread to gather the circle and secure with stitches through the layers. For the nose, before gathering the circle, place a small amount of polyfil in the center.
Finishing Fergus
Place hands inside coat sleeves and secure with a small bead of hot glue. Place coat onto body and, if desired, secure in place with hot glue. Layer beard diecuts together with hot glue and affix to body. Attach nose and mustache to beard.
NOTE: Mustache is from the new Summer 3D Décor Collection.
With the new Summer 3D Felt Décor Collection, diecut the desired accessories.
Using 3 strands of coordinating floss, add a single stitch in the center of each leaf.
Place the flower center onto the flower and stitch together with a seed bead.
Use a small amount of hot glue to assemble the sunglasses.
Attach accessories to coat and hat with hot glue.
Thanks for joining me! I hope you enjoy creating with the Summer 3D Felt Décor Collection. To see more of my work, please visit me on
Instagram and my
blog. Have a great day!
[spellbinders-supplies]S7-278,S4-1545,S5-756,S5-755[/spellbinders-supplies]
Other Supplies
Wool felt, embroidery floss, needles, embroidery clips, hot glue gun, hot glue
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