Monday, April 6, 2009

Cake - Foam Part 3


Something frivolous now for project #3.

We start with this

cover it with felt

add ribbon


cover with more felt


sew on some velcro circles

stack

and start decorating -

layer

by layer;

or throw on some candles


and go the whole hog




then change the theme

and celebrate love,

spring



and the pursuit of happiness.

And when we've had our cake, we eat it too -







What fun I had with this project!
I first became obsessed with it when I saw this (and fell in 
love with the entire shop, really), but I've been a mom of little 
kids just long enough to know they want to serve cake to 
every guest at their tea parties, and blow out the candles, too.

So they got a three-dimensional felt board-cum-hospitality prop.

I am relieved to say I did use the good wool blend 
stuff this time for the main cake, although some of the 
colored fondant is acrylic.

Not hard to make at all, although it does take time. Here's 
the pattern for the big (10" diameter) and medium (8") cake 
slices. The top layer (6")is a solid disc so that the candles 
have a nice stable platform.The foam is 3" thick and in 
addition to the pieces in the pattern, you will need 
(quarter-inch seam allowance included)

For each large cake slice:
1 piece felt 10.5" x 3.5"
1 piece felt 4.5" x 3.5"
11" of 1/2" ribbon

For
each medium cake slice:
1 piece felt 8.5" x 3.5"
1 piece felt 4.75" x 3.5"
9" of 1/2" ribbon

to make the walls of the slice.

Top-stitch the ribbon lengthwise along 
the longer felt rectangle.


Some notes and tips:
  • An electric knife is really nice for cutting foam, provided you don't also use the same knife to carve the Thanksgiving turkey.
  • If you don't have an electric knife, a box cutter/X-acto knife works well if you position the blade vertically, not slanted, and saw up and down.
  • It doesn't matter if the edges of the foam are slightly uneven or bumpy because the felt case smooths these out.
  • I used a little over a yard of the white wool-blend felt for the entire project.
  • Resist the temptation to make the felt case either too snug (the final product will be bulgy) or give too much allowance to make it roomy. The cake slices will fit together best if the felt cases fit the foam inserts just so.
  • I did not consider stuffing the felt cases with polyfill rather than a foam insert because I wanted the flat sides to facilitate smooth and tight packing and stacking.
  • When making the circular cover for the whole cake (see 4th picture), I found it helpful to complete all the slices, then pack them together and measure the final diameter of the circle they made. Mine measured 10.5" and 8.5" in the end.
  • The small cake with the velcro was made simply with two 6.5" circles and a rectangular piece 3.5" x 19.5" (quarter inch seam allowance included in all dimensions).
  • The felt strawberries and the felt peg doll actually belong to another incomplete project, so you'll see them again in a later post. The felt daisy and tulip cake toppers were unicorn food from this post.

Now for the candles:

Here are patterns and instructions:

I don't think I've done a blanket stitch since I was about 10!

If you don't feel like sewing, scroll down to 
the next post for the cardboard version!

Edited to add: One commentor told me that PBK 
has a felt cake too! I went online to look and oh, 
it is gorgeous. Go here to see.

Another commentor left this wonderful link where 
you can buy 8" foam rounds as well as precut foam 
wedges. I cannot vouch for this being high-density 
foam but it is very, very helpful if you don't 
want to splurge on the other kind!

45 comments:

  1. I love it! I saw something similar once but I don't think it had take apart pieces. What a grand idea!

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  2. This is awesome! My daughter would love to do this. I definitely need to get my hands on some foam...

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  3. I'm blown away by how cute these are! My three year old saw the candles at the bottom of the post and said "mama look! Pretty candles!". I hope that I can find the time to have a go at this, because it's just LOVELY!

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  4. Oh, you made it!!! It's fantastic -- even better than the link we drooled over! I definitely can NOT let my kids see this!!! : )

    And can't wait to see what the doll and strawberries go with -- the doll is so so cute! (Well, the berries of course too, but that doll, she makes me smile real big!)

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  5. O.M.G.

    This is a GORGEOUS project...but goodness gracious, L, THE PATIENCE!!!

    I must, MUST, bookmark this for when N is old enough to play tea party :)

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  6. I've been planning on making a cake like this for O ever since I saw the same cake that inspired you! This post is just what I needed to get me motivated. THanks!

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  7. I forgot to ask...where do you buy your wool felt? I really need to order some since I usually use the cheap stuff :) Thanks!

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  8. Hello all! Thank you for stopping by and talking to me! Oo, I hope you do find some time to make a cake - foam or cardboard.
    Melissa: I buy my felt at JoAnn, but I've gone and sent you a very long-winded email about some other things I've learnt shopping there for felt. Didn't want to post it all here because it was like a novella.

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  9. Ohhh! So prettys and funnys cakes!!! Il love them!

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  10. Ok, I've been reading your older posts, and you totally rock! How do you not have 500 followers? How does this post not have 200 comments?!

    You HAVE to sew a little bride and groom to stick on the top, and then a little felt cake cutter with your daughter's name on it! How cute would that be?! (Ok, it's just that I make wedding videos so that's where my head went... you don't really have to but it would be adorable!)

    Super job!

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  11. LeIr, go check out "one pretty thing", your cake is in tonight's weekend round up! woohoo! two in one week, that is fantastic and totally deserved.

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  12. American Felt and Craft, www.feltandcraft.com sells foam rounds and foam wedges specifically for this, the thick foam at my local creaft store is really expensive plus I have to cut it myself, this way my cake fits together great. Oh yeah and they sell the really nice felt too, not the plastic kind!

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  13. Awesome, paperbagprincess! Thank you for the link and the note- am going to update the cake post right now!

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  14. I love it. Hugs and kisses.
    http://acasinhadasissa.blogspot.com/

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  15. These are just the most adorable things I have ever seen. Thanks for this! I am planning on making some for my nieces birthdays this year (all 4 of them yikes!) I was just wondering if you used velcro to hold the decorations on the sides of the cake or if they stuck all on thier own? Also wanted to let you know I bought the cake forms from American Felt and they are high density and look like they will work great!

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  16. Hi Maria- couldn't find your email address so posting a comment here and hoping you'll get to see it. Yes, the felt decorations stick to the sides of the cake without velcro. It's like a 3D felt board. They won't stick as firmly as velcro, of course, but they won't fall off. I took all the pictures of the cake in this post just with the felt sticking on to the cake without velcro.

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  17. This looks so good, I almost want to eat it.

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  18. Hi, can you tell me what kind of foam you use and where you get it from?
    LOVE THE CAKE!
    Thanks!

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  19. Make It Perfect: Couldn't find your email address so am hoping you'll read this in the comments.

    Here's an earlier post on the kind of foam I used:

    http://ikatbag.blogspot.com/2009/03/foam.html

    And another link a reader sent in for pre-cut foam wedges:
    http://stores.americancraftandfelt.com/-strse-Sundries/Categories.bok

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  20. This is wonderful and so delicious looking! Thank you so much for posting such an awesome tutorial!

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  21. Amazing! Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing your pattern. :)

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  22. thank you! thank you! I've always wanted to know how to do this!

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  23. Thanks for sharing the how to on the cake and all the additional ideas of how to decorate the cakes and the pieces.

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  24. I did this last year too! http://wehmeyerfamily.blogspot.com/search/label/felt%20food

    I couldn't get the velcro to work very well though...mine was too sticky. I actually gave up and just used the felt to felt self-sticking property with no additional stickiness.

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  25. This is the most fabulous CAKE EVER!!!!!!! I so wish I could sew--- I'd work day and night for something this AMAZING! Thanks for this dose of cake inspiration. :):)

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  26. Thanks for this great idea. I made one for my little girls 3rd birthday. I posted a link here.
    http://simplyhomeandfamily.blogspot.com/2010/01/fun-felt-birthday-cake.html

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  27. My sister and I made something similar to this years ago when our mom was in the hospital for her birthday and couldn't have real cake. We should have kept it for the kids to play with!

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  28. This is absolutely fabulous! I love it to pieces!

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  29. This is one of the most inventive cakes I have seen! Totally awesome!! :)

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  30. That looks so cool!! Is so convenient... you can change it!! TFS!! Take Care!!
    Jennie @ http://earthyscrap.blogspot.com/

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  31. Muchas gracias!!!!!! esta super lindo!!!!!!!

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  32. Realize I am a late arrival to add a comment but as I made some felt food for my Grand Daughter (for Xmas) and still have a bit more to do, I am surfing the web and came across your site.
    As a cake is on the list; I do appreciate your tutorial, so THANK YOU. In more ways than one, your creations are sweet. :)
    Regarding the use of velcro, FYI (and others) I have found 'sheer ribbon' (the type they sell as Garland for Xmas Trees ... preferably without the wire) works exceptionally well as a fastener. Just attach the required amount either by machine, by hand, or beads of glue to the removable piece (only)! Because it is lightweight (no bulk), sheer to some extent (I used a flesh colour) and does not ravel it is also great to use as a stablizer or a base. ie: Shredded faux cheese. Depending upon the brand, sually it comes in 5 foot rolls and up to 6" in width so the price is right as well. -Brenda- google profile 'mrsben' CANADA

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  33. As I'm in the midst of making the cake, I do hope you don't mind me adding more tips here as I do not have a blog.
    Re cutting out the foam: I found an industrial quality UTILITY KNIFE (Duramax Pro #06-0600912) works well for cutting out the circle(s).... or for cutting curves. Method: a)Starting on the line of the pattern b) hold the knife in a 'straight' upright position with the blade completely extended (it extends 3") and c)using an up 'n down sawing motion, cut each layer out. d) Upon completion you will have some foam attached. With your fingers carefully seperate the foam and trim with the Utility Knife. You now have a relatively smooth circle!
    For the wedges (or straight cuts) I recommend using an Electric Knife. Note: The same method cud be used for making complete pies or wedges, however the Utility knife position would be on a slight diaganol.
    Also -- with the exception of a sewn removable slip-cover for the bottom tier that will cover the wedges; I am planning just to glue my felt on to all pieces for a snug fit as edges can be trimmed if necessary. (Use: non-toxic, clear drying fabric glue)
    For candles -- I am just covering thin wooden dowels with felt that can be inserted in the top foam tier that has been drilled to accommodate them.
    To save a lot of sewing -- Felt decorations for the entire cake will be in scale not only with my GD's play dishes but will be interchangable with cupcakes, petite-fours etc.

    THANK YOU AGAIN for your patience. I promise I won't ramble on any more. :) -Brenda-

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  34. @mrsben
    Love the tips, Brenda! Thank YOU for sharing them. Your granddaughter is going to LOVE all the food you're making for her - the interchangeable felt decor is what MY kids would die for!

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  35. Lorraine, you are welcome but it is I who should be thanking 'you' for your inspirational cake and for letting me post such lengthy comments both of which are sincerely appreciated.
    Hugs to you and your adorable children. -Brenda-

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  36. This is adorable. I found a source for foam "cake dummies" for less than the other source (about half as much!) They do have a rounded edge on the tops, but if that bothers you, you can slice it off with an electric knife. They come in 3" and 4" thicknesses, and several diameters.

    http://taylorfoam.com/shop/contour-top-individual-round-cake-dummies/

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  37. Oops - I just discovered that the link I gave you also has flat-top rounds, as well as heart shaped (and a bunch of other shapes - octagonal cake, anyone?) cake dummies, too!

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  38. I am so sorry - just delete my TWO posts about cake forms from Taylor foam - turns out they are expanded polystyrene aka "Styrofoam" - NOT what we need for these! Shucks - I thought I was onto something. They look just like the ones American craft was selling. Duh!

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  39. I LOVE this and want to make it for my daughter (just had her one year old bday, so now she knows what cake is). What kind of stores sell this type of foam? Thanks!

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  40. Какая красота!!! Столько чудесных идей! Спасибо! Обязательно сделаю своей крошке что-нибудь подобное!

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  41. Lindo!!!
    Happy....
    Obrigada por ser tão especial:)

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  42. Thanks for an awesome post. This is really a great idea. I am all ready to make this awesome cake (or should I say, all ready to head to Joann). However, I just noticed there is no pattern for the cake wall area. I see the top and bottom for each slice and the candles.

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    Replies
    1. Measurements in the post itself. I don't do templates for rectangles.

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  43. Love this and think it is a wonderful idea, i have linked back to this in my blog:
    www.feltlikesmiling
    and hope that i will make this one day really soon, thanks for sharing

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