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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 51.

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

Quick and easy little fabric bags – perfect for small gifts or party favors.

2012

Fleece is terrific for making cuddly softies. It’s very forgiving in many ways, but its thickness can make it challenging. This post has all the tips you need to make it easy.

2013

We use these simple fabric bags to wrap all gifts in our home. The ribbons are built right in so clean-up after opening gifts is as easy as can be.

2014

Turn any quilt (even a single block) into a wall hanging by adding a simple sleeve.

2015

An update on the quilting of the free Controlled Chaos scrap quilt, including links to tutorials showing how to do that Big Stitch Quilting.

2016

This is a very simple alphabet and numbers pattern designed to be especially easy to embroider. It it to add names and/or dates to the back of your felt ornaments!

2017

A set of free patterns for cute little signs to add to the Shiny Happy Houses pattern to make a fun North Pole quilt!

2018

A fun pattern featuring a parade of sweet elephants.

2019

Another free pattern for your Christmas quilts (or placemats, or stockings, or gift bags, or. . . )

2020

I love the way Lynne adapted the Shiny Happy Houses pattern and the North Pole signs to make this GORGEOUS tree skirt!

2021

Some fun alligator fabric I designed for a Spoonflower design challenge.

2022

Another fun fabric design. Wouldn’t this be cute to back a penguin quilt?

2023

A handy-dandy downloadable PDF of everything you need when making a quilt with a simple grid layout with sashing and borders – materials list, cutting guides, layout templates and more for six different quilt sizes from Itty Bitty Baby to King.

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 50.

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! The cover only shows four cats, but you actually get six.

2012

These little felt chickens are easy to stitch up out of scraps. They’re all hand-sewn, so you can stitch them anywhere. Fill them with regular polyfill and they’re a fun toy. Add a hanging loop and they make great Christmas tree ornaments. Fill them with aquarium gravel or something else heavy and they make terrific pattern weights. I’ve probably made hundreds of these over the years.

2013

On that monster, all the little points on her head are 3-D pieces, only attached behind the head to kids can flick and bend and play with the shapes. You can do that with almost any of the smaller pieces in an applique pattern! This post shows you how.

2014

The anchor of my collection of free Christmas applique patterns – Santa Claus!

2015

Using stretchy knit fabric makes extra-cuddly stuffed animals, but you’ll need to use the right needle and be careful not to overstuff. This post has all the details you’ll need.

2016

Make a pretty dress (and a felt kite!) for your Dress Up Bunch dolls.

2017

These are the reusable gift tags I use with my fabric gift bags. Cleaning up after gift opening is super easy – just fold the bags (the ribbons are attached) and stack the tags and they’re all ready for next year.

2018

Add a bunch of elves in different colored outfits to your Christmas quilts!

2019

Such a sweet little seal!

2020

I LOVE soaking in hot water, so I think Japanese macaques are brilliant.

2021

Nothing stinky about this sweetie. 🥰

2022

Cute zebra printables – perfect for an animal-themed nursery.

2023

A handy-dandy downloadable PDF of everything you need when making a quilt with a simple grid layout – materials list, cutting guides, layout templates and more for six different quilt sizes from Itty Bitty Baby to King.

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 49.

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 teamed up with Made By Joel to stitch his free gift tags art onto bags made with my free goody bag pattern. Fun!

2012

The perfect way to use up scraps of your favorite fabrics – and they make great gifts for a stitchy friend!

2013

Sometimes to get a thicker line when I outline my applique, I use a thick thread. This post explains different thread weights and talks about the needle sizes you need, what to use in the bobbin, and how to adjust the tension.

2014

If you love hand stitching, you’ll love this project. If not, just move along. 😂

2015

Cute Christmas accessories for your Dress Up Bunch dolls!

2016

Some great things to keep in mind when donating stuffed animals, including suggestions for places that are often looking for donations. The post is specifically about stuffed animals, but a lot of the info applies to quilts as well.

2017

Stacey (the founder of FreshStitches) decided to retire and I added her crochet patterns and tutorials to Shiny Happy World.

2018

I designed this hat and tree especially to fit Milo the Mouse, but the pattern includes instructions for making them both bigger, to fit any stuffed animal. It’s super easy!

2019

I love this little bear! Click through to see a cute polar bear version, stitched up in white yarn with an added scarf.

2020

A fun mix & match pattern to make gingerbread cookies. Make a whole quilt full of gingerbread people!

2021

I love this little graphic I created to show my Gemstones color collection. It uses all the tertiary colors – red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, etc. but I gave them gemstone names because that’s more fun.

2022

Cute Santa Claus printable art – use this to make cards, invitations, place cards, and more!

2023

Use these instructions and any quilt block patterns to make an adorable cloth book! At the end of the tutorial there’s a video showing me paging through the sample I made. Find the grumpy face!

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 48.

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

It’s not very pretty, but it keeps my thread clean, untangled, and organized. I’ve been storing it this way for over ten years now.

2012

It’s kind of a cross between a lazy daisy and a fly stitch and it works great for feathers, petals and scales. This video shows how to do it.

2013

Squeak is an adorable dressable mouse rag doll – one of the Dress Up Bunch.

2014

Elliott is a lanky little elephant with fun, floppy arms and legs. This post has some info about how you can add Elliott’s head to Squeak’s body to make a dressable elephant doll!

2015

All the ornaments in the 2015 pattern collection! My favorites are the Dala horse, the snowman sweater, and the rubber duckie. 🙂

2016

A free pattern for an adorable sloth lovie! This coodinates perfectly with the Silly Sloths quilt pattern.

2017

Make a cute Christmas quilt! This is just one of many free Christmas applique patterns.

2018

Milo is a perfectly pocket-sized mouse. He also make a great stocking stuffer!

2019

Pippa is one of my favorite patterns! I love her fuzzy PJs and tiny stuffed kitty. 🥰

2020

One of the coolest things about crochet patterns is that you can change the size of your project just by changing the thickness of the yarn used. No pattern adaptations needed! (My daughter love to crochet tiny versions of many of my patterns using perle cotton embroidery thread.) I love this extra-tiny version of Tipper the Tiny Crab that Alyssa made with sock-weight yarn. Add a loop and he’s an adorable Christmas tree ornament!

2021

You can get lots of my designs on stickers at Red Bubble – and they’re usually having some kind of sale. 🙂

2022

Zebras are such classic nursery animals! I’ve always thought it would be fun to make a quilt with just this block repeated over and over again – in a bright rainbow of colors. 🌈

2023

Another classic African animal! The eyelashes make it extra pretty. 😍

2024

Another addition to the collection of free Christmas applique patterns. This one can be used for lots of everyday projects, too!

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.

2024

Make a vulture or condor – a great addition to Safari and Zoo quilts.

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.

2024

I updated the Frasier Frog pattern to include SVG files and light box instructions.

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.

2024

Love this fierce owl! This is a set of printables in a bunch of different sizes – and also a version with a transparent background so you can drop it onto a color background 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 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!