First things first...we have a Blues and Branches winner...woohoo! The winner is lucky #6 Jen said... Without a doubt, the vintage blue dessert stand. It would look perfect in my living room. Congrats Jen! Get your email address to me and I will send it on to Erin and we will get your new necklace to you. Now on to my gift idea for the week. This week I chose to make something to give to the kiddos. Let me just say that already this toy has been a big hit in our house...to be honest it has already caused several "I want a turn!" fights. That's is always a sign of a good toy! Felt Fishing Set Tutorial You will need: fishing set pattern click on picture below felt in several colors for fish scrap of coordinating fabric for scales, I used a fat quarter black velcro 2 sheets of felt for fishing rod gray felt for hook dowel mine was 3 ft long 4 ft of black yarn coordinating thread poly fill To make: Cut out pattern pieces. Cut out 2 pieces for each fish. Use "scales" pattern and cut out 1 piece for each fish. Cut out a little circle out of the velcro, one for each eye. Make sure to leave some velcro for the hook. Place the scales piece on the same piece as the eye. Sew the front and back edge of the scales onto the fish with coordinating thread. Do NOT sew the top and bottom, those ends will be secure when you sew the fish together. Place the two fish pieces together, with the front of the fish on the inside. Sew all of the edges EXCEPT the very end of the tail, like this... Turn out your fish, very carefully and slowly. Patience young grasshopper. Use the end of a pencil, it will make tons easier. Stuff your fish, just until the front part is full. Don't fill the tail with stuffing. When your fish is lovely and fat, as my boys would say, sew the tail closed. Do this by sew "outlining" the entire tail. I sewed starting at the back of the scales all the way around the outside and back. See...doing this will give the fishies great little flat fins. Now you have your pile of fishy, but how are they going to catch them?? Let's make the fishing rod. Using your hook pattern piece, cut out two hooks from gray felt. Also cut out a small piece of black velcro and place it on one hook. Sew the hooks together with the velcro piece facing out. Do not sew the top closed. Using a pencil, lightly fill the hook with poly fill, just to give it some umph. Take your yarn and insert one end into the stuffed hook, make sure to insert several inches. Then sew the top closed. I also sewed and extra stitch across the top for more security. For the handle I cut two 6x7 pieces of orange felt. I sewed them together and then I "quilted" lines every about 1/2 inch. This gave it a nice texture. Glue one end of your dowel inside one edge of your felt square. Roll, glue some more, and continue gluing. Until you are done and then glue it closed. Do the same exact process with a smaller 2x3 piece. Except when you glue it on the top of the dowel, make sure to insert the other end of your yarn. Now you have a toy that your kids will play with for hours...my advice in hindsight....make more than one fishing pole...that might cut down on the fights! The velcro on the hook will "catch" the fish on the felt itself as well as the velcro eye. Linking up to these marvey parties: Skip to my Lou- Made by you Mondays The Girl Creative- Something I Whipped Up Making the World Cuter Monday Craftomaniac Mondays Sumo's Sweet Stuff- Market Yourself Mondays Today's Creative Blog- Get Your Craft on Tuesday