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The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 47.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

Combine my free unlined felt stocking pattern with my free felt ornaments pattern and you can make all kinds of really cute Christmas stockings!

2012

Bobble stitch makes an awesome texture on all kinds of crocheted stuffed animals. This video shows how to do it.

2013

A free embroidery pattern, perfect for Thanksgiving.

2014

A free pattern for a sweet gingerbread house. It’s loaded with fun embroidered details, but uses only the very simplest stitches.

2015

Make a happy snowman with this free applique pattern!

2016

Use this easy placemat pattern along with just about any of my applique patterns – including all the free ones!

2017

This pattern includes instructions for lots of different parts you can mix and match to create your own unique snowman.

2018

Stitch up an adorable felt penguin! Palmer is just the right size to be a stuffed animal for one of the Dress Up Bunch dolls (he’s included in the Winter PJs pattern) or add a yarn loop and hang him on your Christmas tree!

2019

Stitch up a cute Christmas pickle ornament! The bumps are made with bobbles from the tutorial released exactly seven years ago this week.

2020

I adore this version of Eloise Emu that Michelle made, adding a pair of glasses from the Fancy Doodads pattern! Both the Emu and the accessories patterns are on sale this week.

2021

One of my first collections of blenders! The amethyst blenders are part of the Gemstones collection of bright, saturated tertiary colors. They pair perfectly with the Classic Rainbow collection of primary and secondary colors to make a complete rainbow.

2022

Another free pattern in the Christmas applique collection!

2023

A deeply discounted bundle of TEN individual applique patterns! This is included in the Week 47 Sale, and that discount will be on top of the 40% discount already built into the bundled price.

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 46.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

A super simple unlined felt stocking pattern that you can decorate any way you like! The post has loads of suggestions.

2012

This video shows how to strand your yarn when you’re working short color changes – like making the contrasting chest on this adorable little owl.

2013

Usually I embroider any facial features before I sew and stuff a doll or stuffed animal, but sometimes it makes more sense to do it afterwards. This video shows how to do it. The technique also works well for repairing worn stuffed friends without taking them apart.

2014

A free pattern for an itty bitty pocket-sized baby. This one also makes a great stocking stuffer!

2015

Benedict Bear is my favorite of all the Party Animals. I’ve made him so many times – and my daughter made an especially nice polar bear version. 🥰

2016

This is one of my favorite patterns to recommend for beginners who are a little nervous about trying applique. It’s really easy to make, and making the same block over and over again is a great way to practice. It’s also a terrific way to use up scraps!

2017

I was inspired by the movie Frozen to make this fancy wool coat, hat and boots. The collection also includes the long-sleeved dress she’s wearing under her coat.

2018

Make a cuddly bear quilt – perfect for winter snuggling. You can add even more faces by mixing and matching heads, ears and faces between the bears!

2019

Kevin Koala is such an incredible cutie! I love those fluffy ears. 🥰

2020

Just in time for some Thanksgiving sewing! Pair this with the free placemats pattern and decorate your holiday table!

2021

Make a sweet, fluffy puppy face. You can add this one to any of the other dog quilt patterns.

2022

I stopped selling tools and supplies, but I’m not going to leave you hanging! This post lists all of my favorites, along with links to sources where you can find them.

2023

This is a bundle of holiday printables you can use to make greeting cards, gift tags, invitations, and more! Each design comes in several sizes, plus a PNG with no background so you can drop it onto any color you like.

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 45.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

This post has everything you need to embroider a teeny tiny embroidery pattern onto a T-shirt. You’ll learn how to enlarge the pattern, and also what kind of stabilizer you need to use to stitch on stretchy T-shirt fabric.

2012

This post has a video and also photo tutorials showing how to do the fun loop stitch – a great way to crochet fluffy ears and tails.

2013

Many crochet patterns start by telling you to crochet a certain number of chains, then single crochet in the second chain from the hook. When you’re just getting started, it can be really hard to figure out which is the second chain – so this post lays it out for you in really clear photos.

2014

Everything you need to make an easy charity quilt using scraps, Quilt As You Go, and an easy stitch-and-flip technique that means almost no measuring.

2015

A free pattern for an easy lined Christmas stocking. This one uses an older version of the free Santa applique pattern, but you can decorate it with any of my applique patterns.

2016

Speaking of free Christmas applique patterns, here’s Rudolph! You could also add this to the Arctic Chill quilt pattern – just use black for the nose instead of red. 🙂

2017

This adorable little bird pattern is so versatile! I’ve used it to make a galah, but also a cockatiel and other crested birds, and if you leave off the crests you can make all kinds of other little songbirds! For one entire summer, this was my go-to baseball game project. Most games were long enough to completely finish one bird.

2018

Crochet a cute little doll!

2019

The Quilt-Along is over, but the post still has some great info to inspire you! We used the Shiny Happy Houses pattern and the free Santa’s Workshop Signs to make all kinds of cute North Pole Projects, including placemats, stockings, gift bags, and more.

2020

Last week I shared the Mix & Match Monsters crochet pattern. My daughter created all the ones you see on the cover, but this little guy is one I came up with. I love him. 🥰

2021

More experimenting with digital cut paper art.

2022

A major overhaul of one of my very first patterns.

2023

Making your very first quilt can be really overwhelming. I have a ton of tutorials, but it can be hard to know where to start. This breaks it down into just six easy steps, with links to more info for each step.

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 44.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

This is a super simple bookmarks, very easy to make, and a nice addition if you’re giving a book as a gift. You can embroider it, or just use a really pretty fabric.

2012

Before I discovered my favorite fusible adhesive, I used freezer paper applique for all my quilts. This video shows how to applique points – the trickiest shape for that kind of applique.

2013

One of my two non-applique quilt patterns! This one is super easy (no matching seams), fat-quarter friendly, and a fun way to showcase your favorite fabrics.

2014

Unbreakable ornament pattern! This one has lots of little details that are fun to stitch.

2015

This post has everything you need to know about what eyes are safe for baby toys.

2016

Couching is a method of sewing 3-dimensional “stuff” (cord, braid, beads, string, yarn, etc.) to the surface of fabric. You can do it by hand, but in this post I show you how to do it using a basic sewing machine. It’s a fun way to add texture to quilt blocks!

2017

Make a witch costume for your Dress Up Bunch dolls – or – if it’s after Halloween – use the same pattern to make a princess dress.

2018

I’m so sorry to say the words “stocking stuffer” in the same week as Halloween, but these cute little monsters are perfect for that. They stitch up fast, are a great way to use up scraps, are easy enough for beginners, and have the most pleasantly beanie filling. And the pattern is free!

2019

Another free crochet pattern! This one makes an adorable little pumpkin. Leave off the googly eyes and it’s a sweet decoration to put at a Thanksgiving place setting.

2020

I’m so dang proud of this pattern! Not only does it have instructions for 15 parts you can mix and match to create your own monsters – the samples for those parts are color-coded to help you see how pieces are shaped. Increase rows are in one color, decrease rows are in another, and straight rows are in a third color. That makes it really easy to see how you can add or change rows to make a similar piece that’s skinnier, wider, longer, or shorter. If you’re interested in eventually designing your own patterns, this is a great intro.

2021

More fun experimenting with drawing animals who are doing more than just smiling at us. 😂

2022

Adrian Alligator (aka Casey Crocodile) has a fun, toothy grin.

2023

This little piggie has the most enormous kissable nose!

2024

I updated the cute Tucker Tiger pattern to include SVG files and a video showing how to assemble the block using a light box.

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 43.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

One of my very first embroidery patterns! Super simple, only the most basic stitches – and the pattern actually includes six dogs.

2012

Instructions for a peg leg and eye patch to add to Nelson Owl to turn him into a pirate. Fun!

2013

Make Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc. (one of my favorite movies!) with this free pattern.

2014

Most of my animal applique patterns have simple black eyes. There are ways to make black eyes show up on a dark face, but for this free pattern I wanted to make the eyes more of a feature than usual. I love how it turned out!

2015

This is – by a HUGE margin – the single most common question I get. Most fusible applique is done with satin stitching around all the pieces, and everyone is worried that the edges will fray like crazy or the pieces will come loose with the simple straight stitching I use. To answer the question I show one of my daughter’s quilts after almost two years of constant use and countless trips through the washer and dryer.

2016

It really is everything you need to know – what kind of felt I like to use, how to transfer patterns and markings, how to sew pieces together, and free patterns to give it a try. I adore working with felt.

2017

I designed this free tote bag pattern to be super easy to make, and to be able to embellish it with any of my square applique patterns with no resizing needed. It’s also the perfect size for trick-or-treating! Make a themed bag to match your child’s costume – the post has loads of suggestions.

2018

Fall is the perfect time for making cuddly rag quilts out of flannel. In this post I show you how you can do that with any of my applique patterns!

2019

For years I closed up amigurumi by slipstitching across the opening. That’s the instructions you’ll see in almost all my patterns. But in 2019 I decided there must be a better way – something that would leave a more consistently smooth, rounded top. I played around until I came up with this easy solution.

2020

In my Mix & Match Monsters applique pattern, some of the monsters have a mysterious dotted line that runs through their bodies. In this video I show how to use that line to create monsters with fun underbites!

2021

All the animals in the Arctic Chill applique pattern came from drawings I originally did as part of a 100 Day Project. In 2021 I put those drawings together to create this fun cheater quilt fabric.

2022

I drew three chickens in the style of my Silly Chickens applique pattern and made a printable out of them. You can use it to make greeting cards, framed art, and all kinds of other projects.

2023

A cute collection of holiday fabric that coordinates with all my free Christmas applique patterns!

2024

I decided the Farmers Market color collection needed blenders in two new hues – a purply beet red and a slightly blueish spinach green. Just showing the beets here because they’re my favorite!

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 42.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

Stacey wrote this excellent post with tips for choosing the best crochet hook for you. If you’re curious, I like a hook with an inline throat and a thumb rest. If you’re confused by any of those terms, the post has a link to another post that explains all the different kind of crochets hooks there are. Handy!

2012

I have very few quilt patterns that don’t use applique – this is one of them. I designed it to be especially easy, with no seams to match up. Yay! I really hate matching seams. 😂

2013

If you have a kid who’s interested in sewing – this is the post for you. There’s a video of my daughter (age 11 at the time) teaching kids to use a sewing machine. They’ll learn how a sewing machine works, how to sew wavy, straight, and parallel lines, how to use decorative stitches, how to turn corners, and more – and then they’ll use a free pattern to turn all their practice fabric into awesome original snakes. It’s loads of fun and a great way for kids to get a feel for how a sewing machine works.

2014

This is a free pattern for a very easy doll-sized quilt. It’s perfect for the Dress Up Bunch rag dolls, but it also works for American Girl dolls and loads of stuffed animals.

2015

Make an adorable stuffed dog with floppy ears and long, floppy arms and legs.

2016

Make a pirate costume for your Dress Up Bunch dolls! The pattern includes the shorts, shirt, eye patch, bandana, and trick-or-treat bag with skull and crossbones applique!

2017

I have two different monster quilt patterns – Scary Squares and the Mix & Match Monsters. This post explains the difference between the two patterns and has some tips for choosing which is right for you.

2018

This workshop took me forever to create and I’m super proud of it. It’s all felt applique and embroidery and there are videos showing how to do all the different embroidered hills without doing any marking.

2019

October is for monsters! You can add this silly Yeti to either of my monster quilt patterns.

2020

Another monster you can add to any quilt! I especially like this guy made in gray fabrics. He looks like a gargoyle!

2021

Use this pattern to make just about any raptor – eagles, hawks, falcons, kites, and more.

2022

I designed a fun mini fabric collection with these lions.

2023

Inspired by a seagull who stole an entire croissant right out of my hand in Vancouver – this is a very fun pattern to make!

2024

I love Frankenstein’s monster and this applique pattern is super fun!

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 41.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

I’ve used this simple method to make so many Halloween costumes over the years!

2012

Nine cute little robots – easy and fun to embroider.

2013

Munch is BY FAR my most popular stuffed animal pattern! He’s super fun to make and the pocket mouth is a great place to stash an extra little gift. I’ve seen Munches made in holiday colors, sports team colors, school colors – basically every color of the rainbow. They’re ALL adorable.

2014

A dapper little fellow! I love unbreakable Christmas tree ornaments. 🙂

2015

A free applique pattern for a cute moose! This one is a great block to add to your Woodland Critter quilts.

2016

In this post I explain how you can use tissue lamé fabric to make shiny appliques. It’s so much fun! I used it to make a cute little alien here, but it’s also great to use with the Beep Beep pattern for cars and trucks.

2017

If you love hand stitching, then this is the pattern for you! You get patterns for twenty-five different geometric designs to stitch up itty bitty felt stockings into an advent calendar. It’s a true labor of love, and if you use wool felt, it’s an heirloom. If you don’t love hand stitching, just keep moving. You will hate this. 😂

2018

October is the season for monsters, and Stacey designed TEN free monster patterns to celebrate. Have fun with them!

2019

Everyone loves the pocket mouth on Munch (shown above in 2013) so I figured out how to add a pocket mouth to a crocheted monster too! This video shows how.

2020

My daughter was helping me design a new crochet pattern and made this cute little guy.

2021

Examples of quilts made with half-blocks and double-blocks and the exact measurements you need for each.

2022

A sweet mockingbird printable.

2023

Pretty, modern Christmas tree fabric. I had so much fun designing these trees! I think the white lines look like royal icing.

2024

Just for fun. Whenever I’m in a funk I draw monsters. They’re totally forgiving and fun.

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 40.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

One of my very first softie patterns! This one is super easy to make, and you can use lots of different fabrics.

2012

Make a delightfully chunky and huggable cat.

2013

Before I recommend any product, I typically test it for months in my own work. Sometimes that’s just using it, but sometimes my tests are more elaborate. In this post I explain everything that went into testing fusible adhesives.

2014

In time for Halloween stitching – this is such a fun pattern! It’s all hand-sewn, so you can stitch anywhere. They’re super fun to scatter across a Halloween display, and you can stitch a barrette to the bottom for a creepy hair clip. If it’s too creepy in black, you can use light gray felt and embroider a smiling face (included in the pattern) for cuteness.

2015

Clear safety eyes + glitter paint = magical eyes for any stuffed animal. This post has all the tips you’ll need, including links to suggested paints.

2016

I love using cuddle fleece for the backs of all my quilts, but it’s also really easy to applique with it! This post shows you how.

2017

This adorable stuffed sloth has buttons in her hands and feet so you can wrap her arms and legs around things!

2018

This is one of my very favorite crochet stuffed animal patterns. I love his hairy ears, his silly underbite, his ridiculously large hands, his high-waisted pants. He’s just so much fun!

2019

Want to add some warty bumps to your monster? This video shows you how!

2020

Make a Halloween quilt! This pattern includes the witch in two sizes – one that fits completely into a standard 10-inch block, and one that fits into a 12-inch block, or has the tip of the hat bust out of the block (as shown). You could also put the large one into a double-high block to make your grid a little more complex.

2021

More experiments with drawing full-body animals. I’m working on a way to do this for quilt patterns without the face pieces getting too tiny and fussy.

2022

Octavian looks so fierce!

2023

An adorable hamster with enormous cheeks. 😂

2024

I updated the Kevin Koala pattern to include SVG files and light box instructions – plus optional eyelashes!

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 39.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

I love visible mending! In this post I show you how to bend a particularly tricky spot – a tear where the pocket attaches.

2012

You can add a sweater to almost any crocheted stuffed animal – just by changing your yarn color!

2013

My daughter and I wrote a book teaching kids to sew stuffed animals! In this post I introduce you to Jo and her sewing history, along tips for teaching the kids in your own life how to sew.

2014

Make an adorable little pirate with a beanbag body – just the right size for slipping into a pocket.

2015

Make a cuddly cat with with long, floppy hands and feet.

2016

All my favorite tips and tricks for working with flannel to make a cuddly, soft quilt.

2017

I love crocheting stuffed animals with standing legs. It’s probably my favorite body shape! But with the usual method for doing it you get a little hole between the legs. It’s super easy to close up with a small scrap of yarn, but you can also avoid it altogether with this easy pattern modification.

2018

Bailey Bear is one of my easiest stuffed animal patterns – freshly updated to add tutorials that I didn’t have when I first designed him.

2019

Organizing all my quilting tutorials in a way that makes it easy for you to work through them systematically.

2020

Make a tiny little witch hat – perfect to clipping to your hair!

2021

I designed a collection of fabric inspired by kudzu!

2022

I designed a mini fabric collection for my most popular fabric design so far – those little birds!

2023

Easy peasy cut & sew Christmas stockings. You can make a fully lined stocking with a contrasting cuff with one seam. It’s magic!

2024

This is actually two patterns in one! You get the bat with folded wings to hang upside down, but you also get flying wings! That version works especially well for making half-block additions to your quilt.

The heart and soul of Shiny Happy World is in the archives. There are hundreds of free patterns and tutorials and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the information. Every Friday I share just a manageable sliver – a peek at what was happening during the same week of every year since the start of Shiny Happy World. This is Week 38.

Want this round-up (along with a discount code to use on the sale patterns) delivered to your inbox every Friday? Click here to sign up for the Shiny Happy World newsletter!

Click on the images to go to the posts.

2011

I love the shine of plastic craft eyes – I think it gives stuffed animals a very life-like glint. But craft eyes aren’t baby safe, even though they’re called safety eyes. If you’re crocheting a stuffed animal for a baby, this post will tell you how to crochet the eyes and attach them.

2012

This little bat is just so silly looking with his mis-matched googly eyes. I love him!

2013

Poppy is one of the most popular rag doll patterns. I think it’s the slightly crooked pigtails. 😁

2014

Make a cute, huggable pig with a sweet, kissable snout. 🐽

2015

A little bear Christmas ornament, all hand-stitched felt. I love unbreakable ornaments!

2016

There’s a pattern for a witch costume for the Dress Up Bunch dolls – and this post shows how you can use it to make a princess costume instead!

2017

I cut a lot of batting for the QAYG method I use – which means my cutting mat gets really fuzzy really quickly. That makes it not cut as well, so it needs to be cleaned. Luckily, there’s a VERY easy way to do that.

2018

Make a little mouse to photobomb the other animals in your quilts. 😀

2019

I wrote a book! It includes over 500 motifs and I’m really proud of it.

2020

Moss Moss made the cutest witch costume for her Squeak the Mouse Dress Up Bunch doll!

2021

More experiments with digital art – before I learned that I need to draw them at a larger size/higher resolution for them to print well. 🙄

2022

THIS one is big enough to print. 🙂 Cardinals always make me think of my Granma. They were her favorite. And yes, she preferred to spell it Granma. She said she wasn’t grand. 🥰

2023

I turned those cardinals (and a bunch of other beloved birds) into a set of easy cut & sew Christmas ornaments.

2024

I added an alternate grid with half-blocks to my collection of layout guides. In a nutshell – I did all the math for you! Get fabric requirements, cutting guides, and layout templates for six different sizes, from Itty Bitty Baby to King size. You can use this layout with any of my quilt patterns.