raccoon week: hair clips and keychain

it's time to accessorize... with raccoon hair clips and *bonus* a raccoon keychain, thanks to the lovely Jennet from Feathered Nest Studio!

Hi! I'm Jennet from Feathered Nest Studio, and I am super excited to be participating in Rachael's Raccoon Week! Today I am going to share a fun hair clip project based off of her Raccoon Felt Ornament pattern. Since raccoon is the new black, stylish hair accessories are a must!

To start, print out Rachael's pattern except make it about 70% of its original size (unless you want a sizable raccoon on your head). Then gather your supplies. Supplies:

• felt scraps (three or four colors)
• coordinating embroidery floss
• needle
• scissors
• barrette clips (I used 2 inch ones)

Follow your pattern to cut out your pieces from felt. Feel free to think outside the box with your raccoon colors (although my three year old informed me that raccoons are not blue or pink or yellow, only brown. He didn't buy my "artistic license" argument).

Using needle and coordinating floss, start sewing your pieces on. I just used a simple whipstitch for this.

 

I just made one small change to Rachael's pattern. I used white felt for the eyes, then dark floss to add French knot pupils to the center of the white felt. I like any excuse to use French knots. Plus he looks cute like this.

Now it is time to attach the barrette clip to the back piece of raccoon head felt. That sounds weird, but you know what I mean. I just used an embroidery floss in a color that matched the felt and stitched the barrette on.

Then blanket stitch the back to the front.

Done! Wear and receive many compliments.

Bonus! You can use this same tutorial to make a raccoon keychain! When it cones time to sew the barrette clip on, don't. Instead, cut a strip of felt approximately 3/4 inch by 5 inches long. Fold in half and slide a metal key ring on it. .

Make a couple of stitches to hold the felt strip closed. Insert this between the raccoon front and back and blanket stitch everything closed. 

Voila! Raccoon keychain!

Now go be a trendsetter with your raccoon accessories.

thank you, Jennet! i can't get over the awesomeness that is raccoon week :)

if you make raccoon fair clips or a keychain from this tutorial, please share pics in the imagine gnats flickr group. pattern and tutorial are for personal use only.

happy stitching!