sewing & craft projects

1. Begin by patchworking together the fabrics to create the front and back panels for the Owl. Join the 2 front pieces vertically and the 3 back pieces horizontally to make 2 panels both with a finished size of approximately 22x18cm. Using the Owl body template, cut 2 Owl shapes, 1 from each panel (you can position the Owl template on the front panel off centre so the seam is towards the side rather than in the middle). Pin the panels right sides together and stitch with the sewing thread (either backstitch by hand oruse a sewing machine) roughly 0.5cm in from the edge, leaving the marked turning gap open. Turn the Owl right side round and just add a couple of extra stitches to the vertical seam at the front (where it meets the open gap) to strengthen it. Fill the Owl with the toy stuffing.

2. Taking the piece of card, cut it by eye into an oval shape and pop it inside the opening to create a flat base. Cut the base from the felt into an oval using the template, place over the opening and secure in place with random straight stitches using the embroidery thread.

3. Cut all of the remaining pieces using the templates (2 eyes, face, beak, and 2 wings from the felt, and the crest from the fabric). Add the crest to the top of the Owl’s head with embroidered random straight stitches. Hold the felt face in position, with an eye oval on top. Secure by attaching one of the eye buttons in the centre. Decorate the eye with some more random straight stitches. Repeat for the other eye. Fold the beak in half and attach into position, again with random straight stitches.

4. Fold the fabric piece for the pocket in half (so it is 5x8cm), and then into quarters (so it is 5x4cm) and cut a curve along the 2 unfolded edges. Open the pocket out, but so it is still folded in half, and embroider in place with the folded edge remaining open at the top. Double stitch the top 2 straight stitches at either side to add a bit more strength to the opening.

5. Taking the felt for the wing decoration, cut a circle, a little larger than the button you are using to attach the wing. Position the wing (with the longest measurement towards the front), felt circle and button on the side of the Owl’s body and sew in place. Repeat for the other wing.

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TIPS & HINTS

The front and back panels for the Owl can easily be patchworked randomly to use up scraps of fabric, as long as each panel is 22x18cm in size.

The buttons don’t need to match, in fact it’s nice if they don’t as the Owls will just look more quirky.

When cutting 2 of the same shape from the templates, for the fabric both layers can be cut at the same time.  For the felt, cut the first, discard the template and cut the second using the first to cut round so both shapes match. Some felts can be a little too bulky to cut through 2 layers at the same time.