![StitchLoveValentineBlogHop](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/StitchLoveValentineBlogHop-600x189.jpg)
Mollie from Wild Olive knows how excited I am about her new book, Stitch Love: Sweet Creatures Big and Small. I’ve got it in my hot little hands right now and there will be a full review coming in a couple of weeks after I have a chance to make a project from it. In a nutshell – it’s exactly as fabulous as I thought it would be!
In the meantime, I jumped at the chance to be a part of this Valentine’s Day blog hop in celebration of the new book. Mollie is giving away a few special patterns that are like the patterns you’ll find in the book – but completely new and getting ready for Valentine’s Day. And a few bloggers got to play with them first!
I chose this little otter/ferret. 🙂
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/otter-line-300x311.jpg)
Mollie thinks of him as a ferret – I think of him as an otter. My way I get to make a terrible otter pun. 🙂
I immediately saw that envelope as a 3D pocket, with the whole thing appliqued in felt – so that’s what I did!
I started by tracing the body pieces on a scrap of The Magical Embroidery Stuff (aka Sulky Sticky Fabri-solvy).
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/02-stitch-face-600x450.jpg)
I love it so much! You stick it to the felt, stitch right through it, then cut out the pieces and rinse the stuff away.
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/04-soak-600x450.jpg)
Magic! (You can read more about here.)
Then I layered those pieces on a piece of pretty fabric. (This is Dream in Pink from Timeless Treasures.)
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/06-stitch-600x450.jpg)
Tuck a bit of the ears and tail behind the body, and then whipstitch all around each piece. A tiny dab of fabric glue on the back of each piece holds them in place while you stitch. No irritating pins to grab your thread!
Now add the envelope. I traced it as one piece so I could fold it into a little pocket. Flat it looked like this. . .
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/01-envelope-600x450.jpg)
And then I folded it and stuck it on the otter like this. . .
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/07-add-enlvelope-600x450.jpg)
Stitch all the way around the outside edge of the envelope.
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/08-stitch-envelope-600x450.jpg)
Next I added his paws so it looks like he’s holding the envelope instead of having it float in front of him. 🙂
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/09-add-paws-600x450.jpg)
Just cut them out, stick them in place, and stitch them down. They’re tiny. 🙂
I cut out two hearts and whipstitched them together around the edge to add some pretty detail – and make them stiff enough to easily tuck into the envelope.
Hoop it up in a tiny hoop (here’s how I do it with no glue) and you have this. . .
![You otter be my Valentine - a free pattern](http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/otter-be-my-valentine-1000-px-539x600.jpg)
Download the pattern here so you can make your own!
Different bloggers will be giving away cute little critters like this one all week long! Here’s the schedule. . .
Monday: Shiny Happy World (That’s me!) & Wild Olive
Tuesday: Little Dear Tracks
Wednesday: Lark Crafts
Thursday: Hugs Are Fun
Friday: Feeling Stitchy
Saturday: Pretty By Hand, nanaCompany & Wild Olive
If you make one and post about it on social media, use the hashtag #stitchlovebloghop. 🙂
Oh – and did you like how I sneakily changed an embroidery pattern into an applique pattern? I do that all the time. It means if you buy Mollie’s new book of embroidery patterns, you’re also getting a book full of cute applique patterns. That’s a good deal! I have a tutorial with more info here.
Happy Valentine’s Day! And happy stitching!
Best,
Wendi