sewing & craft projects

Before you begin sewing, read all the instructions, print and cut out all of the templates below. Refer to the images for positioning of the body parts, appliqué and embroidery when making your Beaver.

1. Cut out 2 body shapes and pin right side together. Sew around the edge, roughly 0.5cm in from the edge, leaving the turning gap open. Turn the body right side round and stuff  until you are happy with the shape. Holding the body upside down, make a small well within the base of the stuffing and tuck the pebble inside, padding it out with more stuffing if needed. Cut out the oval base, place this over the open end and fix into place with random straight stitches using the embroidery thread.

2. Fold the fabric for the body appliqué in half, right sides together. Line the template up with the fold, pin and cut the shape out. Open the fabric out, and secure in place on the Beavers body using random straight stitches. Cut 2 eye circles from the craft felt, position 1 on the side of the head and add an eye button in the centre, repeat for the other eye.

3. Cut the teeth shape from the craft felt, and anchor to the front of the Beaver’s face with a couple of stitched, with 1 longer stitch centrally. Stitch on the nose button at the top.

4. Cut 1 ear from the felted wool (or fabric depending on which you are using) and 1 from the fabric. Hold both pieces, wrong sides together and embroider blanket stitch around the curved edge, leaving the straight edge unstitched.  Place the ear in position on the side of the head and attach, along the straight edge with random straight stitches.  Repeat for the other ear.

5. Cut 2 paw pieces from the felted wool (or fabric depending on which you are using). Hold both pieces, wrong sides together and embroider blanket stitch around the edge, leaving the bottom open. Stuff the paws a little, then close up the gap by continuing the blanket stitch. Add a couple of lines of backstitch to the front of the paw and attach to the Beaver’s body with a few stitches. Repeat for the other paw.

6. To finish off, cut 1 tail piece from the felted wool (or fabric depending on which you are using) and 1 from the fabric. Pin them, wrong sides together and embroider blanket stitch around the edge, leaving the bottom open.  Stuff the tail a little toy stuffing, and then attach to the rear of the Beaver with random straight stitches. If you want to, add a few long straight stitches to the tail in a criss-cross pattern to decorate it.

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Finished size of the Beaver is approximately 16x10cm excluding the tail.

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