These simple felt seashell brooches are the perfect summer accessory. Giving beachy, mermaid vibes and done up in cheerful colours, making them is a great way to spend a hot afternoon hiding from the sun!
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The ocean is a friend of mine, I’m a serious beach girlie. Not to sit and lounge, but to walk in the lapping waves, searching for treasures and breathing deep the salty air.
So I love designing anything nautical. You’ll notice the shop has a number of ocean-y patterns like these mermaids and these critters.
I’ve had seashells on my list of designs to make for over a year, I just couldn’t decide what I wanted them to be. I finally settled on this scalloped-edge brooch design and I love them!
These felt seashell brooches would be so charming adorning a backpack, a beach bag, a camp t-shirt or whatever else you can dream up!
You could totally create a “crafternoon” with the tweens in your life and set out all the supplies for making these badges. I know it would be a hit!
And if you’re looking for even more felt brooch design ideas, I just finished this round-up post of 18 free patterns!
Materials
To make ONE felt brooch in either shell style you will need:
PDF Pattern – Find it at the bottom of the post, no sign-up required
Backing felt – 3.5″ x 4.5″
Cream felt – 2″ x 3″
Main shell colour – 2″ x 2.5″
Darker secondary shell colour – 1″ x 1.25″
1″ Brooch pin or safety pin
Matching embroidery threads (except for the backing colour)
Scalloped Scissors 5mm (optional)
Embroidery Scissors
Pins & Sewing Needle
Hot glue gun like this Surebonder
Marking pen like this Frixion
Heat source
All the felt colours I used are 100% wool and are available in this shop.
I used Wood Violet, Berry, Robin’s Egg, and White for the conch.
I used Papaya, Salmon, Sage, and White for the scallop.
How to Make a DIY Felt Seashell Brooch
I’m starting here with the conch shell design.
Step 1: Cut out the pieces according to the instructions on the pdf pattern. You’ll cut out 2 shell pieces, one smaller oval in cream, one smaller oval in the backing colour, and one larger oval in the backing colour.
Next, take the scalloped scissors and trim around the larger oval just a tiny bit to get beautiful scalloping all around. (This is optional, you can just leave the edge as-is if you prefer.)
Step 2: Center the main shell piece on the cream oval and stitch it in place all around the perimeter with a single strand of matching thread and a small backstitch.
Use a heat erasable pen to mark the 3 embroidery lines across the shell as shown.
Stitch these lines with a single strand of matching thread and a tiny backstitch.
Use a heat source, like an iron or a mini hair straightener to remove the embroidery markings.
Step 3: Switch to a single strand of cream thread and go back over the embroidery lines, using the same stitch holes to double up the stitches. This adds a little depth to the shell. Run the cream stitches beneath the original (purple) stitches.
Use a single strand of matching thread to attach the darker shell piece in place with a tiny backstitch.
Step 4: Center the cream oval on top of the scalloped oval and stitch it in place with a single strand of matching thread and a tiny blanket stitch.
Step 5: Cut 2 small slits in the remaining oval piece and fit the ends of the metal brooch pin through. (This can also be done with a safely pin.) Add a small amount of hot glue to the back to hold the pin in place.
Step 6: Center the oval on the back of the finished frontside and use hot glue to attach it in place.
Easy Felt Seashell Pin Sewing Tutorial
The scallop shell design has a fairly similar assembly process, but we’ll go through it anyway.
Step 1: Trim around the larger backing circle as close to the edge as possible with the scalloped scissors.
Step 2: Center the darker shell piece towards the bottom of the cream circle and stitch it in place with a single strand of matching thread and a small backstitch.
Step 3: Layer the larger shell piece on top of the darker one, so that the bottom ‘point’ of the shell lays just barely beyond the edge of the darker piece. Stitch it in place all around the perimeter with a single strand of matching thread and a tiny backstitch.
Draw embroidery lines using a heat erasable pen extending down from each ‘dip’ along the outside of the shell into the point at the bottom.
Step 4: Embroider each line with a single strand of matching thread and a small backstitch.
Remove the markings with an iron or mini hair straightener.
Go back over the embroidered lines with a single strand of cream coloured thread, using the same stitch holes and keeping the cream stitches to the left of the original (coral) stitches.
Step 5: Center the cream circle on top of the scalloped edge circle and attach it in place with a single strand of matching thread and a tiny blanket stitch.
Step 6: Add the metal brooch pin and finish the back of the scallop seashell brooch in the same way as the conch design pictured above.
Free DIY Felt Seashell Badges
Now then, aren’t these just darling?!
I’m actually so excited I get to showcase some of my best seaglass finds in these pics! The lavenders and seafoam greens are my favourites and rare for me to find! I beach-comb whenever I’m close to the ocean. 🙂
I hope you’re as obsessed with these cutiepie felt seashell brooches as I am!
As promised, here’s the free printable pdf pattern. Just click to download. No sign-up required for this design. But if you want to tag me in pics of your creations, I’d be thrilled!
Happy seashell crafting!
xo
