Felt Butterfly Clip Magnets - Tutorial

More butterflies. Ah yes, more. This time in fuzzy felt in some uplifting spring colors. These are easy and quick to make. And in this household they are very much needed.

For years we've had kiddie magnets on the fridge. And some random magnetized cars that "crawl" up anything metal too. These kiddie magnets migrate around the house. They become walking hazards, wined up in the wash, and like-wise lost in this abyss we call home. So, I felt a need in my inner-being for some grown-up, crafty, magnets for my portion of the fridge/freezer that no small hands can touch.

The other problem, besides the juvenile nature of our message keeping, is that the magnets available don't always stick well. A take-out menu sometimes requires two or three magnets to keep it safe from the floor and the mouth of my 10-month-old-paper-eating-mischief-maker. These actually stick and they hold paper in their cute little clip. And I am proud to say, these are a bit more "elegant", if you would, than the I-Iguana magnet I am staring at right now.

Materials:

• Felt in varying complementary colors (I used 100% felt here. But the poly kind will do just fine too.)
• Sharp fabric scissors (and a pair of sharp smaller scissors is useful, though not necessary)
• Regular scissors (to cut through the magnetic tape...never, never, use your precious fabric shears on things other than fabric, like, say, fritos bags, like my husband does.)
• Pen (ball point will do)
• Butterfly pattern - download here
• (2) kinds of glue (Use Elmers or something else runny for the felt-to-felt part. Fabri-tac will do too. And use something creamy for felt-to-wood.)
• A small dish
• An old paint brush (for the glue)
• Small clothespins (these are 1 3/4 inch)
• Magnetic tape (or you can use round magnets too, or any other type of magnet strong enough to hold up the clip, the felt and some paper.)

How To:

1. Print out and cut out the butterfly pattern. (I transferred mine to a piece of cardboard for durability, but this step isn't necessary.)



2. Choose two contrasting colors of felt and trace around the butterfly pattern onto each piece of felt. Use the fabric scissors and cut around each tracing.



3. With a pen, draw in the lines on the wings onto the felt butterfly that will be applied on top. (I just eye-balled this. You can too...alter the pattern if you want.)


4. Use the fabric scissors and carefully cut out each pen line. Bend each wing piece and used the tip of the fabric shears to snip a small slit along the pen line. Open the wing back up and insert the tip of the fabric shears into the slit and cut out the pen line.


5. Decant about 1 teaspoon of runny glue and add 1/2 teaspoon of water to the small dish and mix to combine with the paint brush. Brush the entire surface of the felt butterfly with no holes with glue. Apply the other felt butterfly piece on top and press gently to adhere. (The glue here will help the felt stiffen a bit, which will help durability.)

6. Add a dab of craft glue (the more creamy stuff) to the middle of the clothespin and press the felt butterfly on top to adhere.


7. With the regular scissors, cut a 1 1/2 inch length of magnetic tape and cut it again in half lengthwise. Remove protective paper and adhere to the back of the clothespin. (If you are working with regular magnets, the craft glue will come in handy here.)

8. Let the piece air dry and then hang it on your fridge and clip your latest and greatest note!