At QuiltCon this year, I taught a Make & Take at the WonderFil Specialty Threads booth where we made these little slow stitched fabric charms, and they were a real hit. There’s something so nice about slow stitching, and not being perfect is really part of the idea.
They’re also a lovely little analog project, something you can sit and make by hand away from screens and without a sewing machine. There’s no rush, and you can simply enjoy the process of stitching and adding little bits and pieces as you go. Uneven stitches and frayed edges are all part of the charm!
While we were there, my friend Rochelle and I decided to start our own little charm swap, and Annie wants to join in too. We’re each making a batch and mailing them to each other, which got me thinking, maybe you’d like to make some too. You could swap them with your sewing friends, send them in the mail, or bring a bunch to QuiltCon.
What Are Slow Stitched Fabric Charms?
Slow stitched charms are little handmade keepsakes made by layering fabric scraps onto a wool or felt base and stitching them in place by hand. Embellish them however you like, with as many or as few layers as you want, using lace, trim, beads, buttons, sequins, or whatever you have on hand.
There are really no rules. Uneven stitches and frayed edges are all part of the charm! The wool or felt is folded over a pin and stitched closed, so you can wear your charm on a name badge, attach it to a bag, or swap it with friends.
What to Do with Your Charms
Once you’ve made a bunch, there are lots of fun ways to use and share them:
- Pin one to your name badge at a quilt show, retreat, or sew-in
- Pin them to your bag
- Pin them on your noticeboard
- Swap them with sewing friends, either in person or through the mail
- Tuck one into a card or gift as a little handmade extra
- Turn one into an ornament by replacing the pin with a loop
- Add a magnet to the back and pop it on your fridge
Supplies You’ll Need
- Cute fabric scraps, I used Ruby Star Society by Moda Fabrics
- Large safety pins, I used these 2″ regular pins
- Wool by Wonderfil Specialty Threads or you could use Felt
- Embroidery thread, I used Elganza by Wonderfil Specialty Threads
- Invisafil by Wonderfil Specialty Threads
- Needles for embroidery thread
- Needles for fine thread
- A mix of fun sequins, beads, buttons and lace
How to Make Slow Stitched Fabric Charms
1. Cut your base. Cut wool or felt to 1¾” wide and about 7″ long, sized to loop over your safety pin bar with extra to fold and stitch shut.
2. Add your fabric scraps. Fuse 1–2 small motifs (a strawberry, flower, animal, whatever you like) onto your wool using fusible web. Don’t worry if a piece is slightly cropped or uneven, it still looks great.
3. Decorative stitch around the edges. Using Eleganza cotton thread and a bigger needle, stitch around your appliqué shapes and along any borders. Uneven, random stitching is the goal, not a flaw.
4. Add beads, buttons, and sequins. Switch to your fine needle and invisafil thread. Mark placement lightly first if it helps, then stitch on your embellishments. The more layered and playful, the better.
5. Attach the safety pin. Fold the top of your strip over the bar of the pin and stitch it in place. The back can look messy, it’s hidden once folded.
6. Finish with lace. Stitch a strip of lace trim along the bottom edge (a dab of no-fray glue on the lace ends helps prevent fraying). You can stop here, or keep layering sequins and beads onto the lace too.
7. Fold and stitch the sides shut. Fold the strip in half lengthwise, tucking your knot inside, and stitch down both sides to close it up. Trim excess fabric at the bottom once the first side is sewn so your edges line up evenly.
Come Make & Swap Charms at QuiltCon 2027!
If you’re heading to QuiltCon 2027 in Atlanta, Georgia, come and make a charm with me at the WonderFil booth! I’ll be back teaching the Make & Take again.
I’m also going to make a special charm to give away each day I’m there. The first person to find me and ask about my charm that day gets to take it home!
I hope you have fun making your own slow-stitched fabric charms, whether you make one for yourself, swap them with friends, or bring a few along to QuiltCon!
And if you’re looking for more analog ideas and simple ways to spend a little less time on screens and more time making, check out my post on going analog.
