Introducing Our Newest Autumn Designs

Good morning, everyone, and welcome back for another day of exciting introductions. Thank you so much for joining us! Today's focus is on Autumn and Thanksgiving designs. It's going to be a big day, so buckle up! All of the new products we're debuting today will be available on our website Saturday (8/24) at Noon EDT.

I also wanted to remind you that I will be going live on Instagram this evening at 8pm EDT to answer any questions you may have about today's lineup.

First up in today's introductions is a sweet little fella you got a sneak peek of the other day. The Smiling Scarecrow Die (retails for $22) is a real charmer.

This cheery scarecrow rebuffs the idea that he can’t be inviting. He beams with warmth and welcoming, making it perfect for all of your Autumn home decor needs. Our scarecrow features a floppy hat and optional straw detail so you can tailor your design to your needs.

Next up, we have an addition to a seasonal favorite, Harvest Pumpkin. The Harvest Pumpkin: Autumn Floral Details II Die (retails for $26 - coordinates with the Harvest Pumpkin Die that retails separately for $58) is almost certainly going to be just as beloved as the first edition.

This follow up to our original Autumn Floral Details Die gives you even more options for decorating your Harvest Pumpkins. Featuring twirling vines, a cheerful daisy, and a spray of mini botanicals, this arrangement adds graceful interest to your felt pumpkins. Use the prearranged design for a spectacular bouquet or use the individual flowers for more subtle styling and endless embellishment options. 

Next up, what Thanksgiving table would be complete without the bird of honor in attendance?

Does anything symbolize Thanksgiving more than the humble turkey? Our Turkey Trot Die (retails for $26) gives new meaning to stuffing your bird! Use this die to create home decor or even little plush keepsakes for your littlest guests.

And finally...who's up for pie?

Whether you prefer a one or two-crust pie, the Deep Dish Die (retails for $22) has you covered! Create your favorite desserts in miniature using this delightful die. Pumpkin, Cherry, Key Lime, Chocolate Mousse, you can do it all!

We also have two new Color Stories to introduce today (along with a few new colors)!

The first new Color Story today is called Keeping Cozy (retails for $55).

As the weather grows cooler and the sky deepens, the colors surrounding us all seem richer, too. Tones of spice and merlot hug the earth like a blanket and we all burrow into the new season. The Keeping Cozy Color Story welcomes that process with a serene collection of colors. Included in this palette you will find Lagoon, Desert Rose, Russet, Burgundy, and Lichen felt.

You may have noticed one of the new colors for this month in that palette. Lichen is a gorgeous muted green. It's sophisticated and it adds a touch of lightness to all of your autumnal creations.

Here you can see it along with some of our other greens in a comparison.

From Left: Sprout, Lichen, Pea Pod.

The second of today's Color Stories is Autumn Leaves (retails for $55).

Turning Leaves are a quintessential part of Autumn. The fiery hues of foliage may differ from one tree to the next, but they all put on a remarkable show. The Autumn Leaves Color Story aims to capture a bit of that natural beauty. Included in this palette you will find Red Currant, Glowing Ember, Marmalade, Grove, and Furrow felt.

You'll notice two new colors in this palette.

First is Glowing Ember. It's a rich, deep orange that is absolutely made for Autumn crafting. It is much more red in tone than many of our oranges and it's a beautiful complement to Smoked Paprika.

Here you can see it with some of our other felts to get a feel for the color.

From Left: Smoked Paprika, Glowing Ember, Squash.

And our final new color for this release is Furrow. Furrow is a dark heather brown with beautiful creamy flecks and an earthy, variegated texture.

Here you can see it with a few of our other browns.

From Left: Truffle, Furrow, Walnut.

Whew! See what I mean when I said "buckle up"?! Now that you've gotten a peek at everything we're using today, how about checking out the Guest Creators to see what they have up their sleeves.

Would you just look at Carol's incredible vine stitching?! Her decision to use a chain stitch just goes to show how impactful your choice of stitch can be on your projects.

 

I love that Melody zhuzhed up her Deep Dish pies with florals and hint of sparkle. And her stitches are so even and perfect. Her projects are a feast for the eyes!

Now it's my turn to share! I can't wait to let you in on what I've been up to. I've honestly been having the best time sewing away every evening after bedtime.

Let's start with my Smiling Scarecrow wreath.

I knew I wanted to make this little guy the star of the show on one of my projects and when the idea of a wreath popped into my head, I decided to roll with it. The straw wreath base just felt like the right move.

I decided to create a little nest of leaves using the Falling Leaves (the five larger leaves) and Mighty Acorn dies (the smaller oak leaf). I used the Autumn Leaves Color Story along with Shortbread, Barley, and a tiny touch of Tundra to create the leaves and scarecrow. I really love the Furrow for the scarecrow's hat. The texture it adds is so perfect!

I used beads and sequins to add irises and pupils to the eyes. And I used a leaf and flower from the Harvest Pumpkin: Autumn Floral Details II Die to dress up his hat. I also sprinkled beads and sequins all over the leaves to add a healthy dose of sparkle. And the optional "straw fringe" gives him such charm. I just love him so much.

I used hot glue to attach all of the elements to the 12" wreath and tied a rust gingham bow to the top. It turned out even better than I expected!

I mentioned using one of the flowers and leaves from the Harvest Pumpkin: Autumn Floral Details II Die, so let's get into another project with that die!

I wanted to create a wall hanging pairing the new Autumn Floral Details Die with the original. I love being able to refresh an older die by pairing it with something new. I used the Keeping Cozy Color Story and I am smitten!

This new die includes a vine pattern that can be stitched with a simple running stitch (as I have here) or a more decorative stitch (like the chain stitch that Carol used). The design also includes a cluster of leaves and flowers and a shaped "holes only" die that makes assembly a snap. 

Here's the original Autumn Floral design. I love this unique color palette! I sewed the pumpkins directly to a strip of burlap that I cut into a ribbon. The burlap is actually sandwiched between the front and back of the pumpkin.

For this bottom pumpkin, I mirrored the pattern by flipping the pumpkin over and cutting the design on the back (I hope that makes sense). One of the things I love most about working with felt is how forgiving the felt is. There really is no "bad" side. That makes it easy to switch up the look of each project to make each one unique.

Next, I think it's time to talk turkey. Turkey Trot that is!

I've seen several really cute seasonal floral picks lately and I thought it might be fun to try making my own.

I cut this turkey from Furrow and Cocoa felt. The feet and beak are Squash and the wattle and comb are Red Currant. I chose to use a lazy daisy stitch to create the feathers on this guy (there is a diagram on the Stitching Guide that comes with the die). I usually use six strands of thread when I'm doing lazy daisy stitches, but this time I went with three so they would be a bit more defined and not as fluffy. I used dark brown beads to embellish his eyes, but otherwise let the feathers do the talking. I really love how that stitching pops!

This second turkey is cut from Walnut and Gingersnap. I used Sunflower and Cardinal for his details. I chose to stitch a simpler design on the feathers with a monochromatic thread and then embellished with bright and sparkling sequins. I used green eyes for this little guy and I think he turned out so, so cute!

And finally, I have a special placemat that I made to use as part of my Thanksgiving dessert display this year. I know I have a candle in the center of these photos (instead of a pie), but that's only because I don't have time right now to bake. There will be pie.

I cut the pies using the Keeping Cozy Color Story plus Chai and a tiny bit of Tundra.

I assembled each pie and embellished with the coordinating beads and sequins.

The pie pans are only one layer thick, so I just sewed through them to finish off the edge (rather than sew two pieces together).

Then I used iron-on adhesive to attach a piece of white linen to a piece of white wool felt. I traced around a cake turntable and cut out the circle (it's about 12" in diameter). I blanket stitched around the edge to give it a bit of decorative flair and to seal in the edge a bit. I will probably use a bit of fray check to make sure the edges stay nice and crisp though too.

Once that was finished, I used hot glue to attach the pies to the mat. My plan is to place a cake plate in the center to display my pie. I genuinely can't wait to use it this Thanksgiving!

That's all I have for you today, but I hope you've enjoyed it! Thank you so much for joining along this week. We will have more inspiration to share tomorrow morning, so be sure to check back at 9am EDT. 

I also want to remind you that I will be going live on Instagram this evening at 8pm EDT to answer any questions you have about today's new products.

In the meantime, it wouldn't be a grand debut without a giveaway! Leave a comment on this blog post letting us know:

What is your favorite kind of pie? 

before 7am EDT on Saturday (8/24) and I will randomly select one winner to receive a $50 credit to our store! The winner will be announced on Saturday (8/24) morning's post at 9am. The winner has 30 days to contact Customer Service (customerservice@poshtadesign.com) and claim their prize. Good luck and we'll see you tomorrow for even more inspiration!