Little Bird Garland
You will need:
felt in 4 colours
embroidery thread to compliment the felt
scraps of printed cotton
toy stuffing
needle
bodkin
button
65cm 3mm ribbon
Cutting:
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Cut out the templates.
Pin the bird template to the felt or using a magic pen (always test
beforehand on a scrap to ensure it disappears) draw around the template.
Cut out 2 bird shapes in your chosen colour.
Mark the eye position by poking a pin through the dot on the template and
through the felt, lift the paper and mark where the pin pierces the felt.
On the wrong side of your printed cotton using a magic pen draw 1 pair of
wings.
Repeat for two more birds.
Cut out 2 heart shapes in the same way as the birds.
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Sewing:
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Pin your cotton wing onto one felt body piece, judge this by eye, using
the template as a guide.
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Using running stitch and embroidery thread, stitch all the way around the
wing to secure it to the felt, keeping the stitch size and the gap
between the stitches as even as possible. Repeat for the other side of
the body.
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A French Knot was used for the eye (you can use a button or bead if you
prefer) Practice on a scrap if you’re new to French Knots. Begin by
bringing up your needle and thread where you want the knot to be, wrap
the thread around the needle 2 or 3 times, staying close to the fabric
and holding the thread taut. Push the needle down through the fabric,
just next to where the thread came out, keeping the thread taut and pull
the needle right through the thread you wrapped around the needle. Pull
the knot firmly and fasten off at the back. Repeat on the other body
piece for the other eye.
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Pin together both sides of your bird, right sides facing out. Starting at
the bottom of your bird, slightly off centre, use a contrasting thread
and running stitch to assemble your bird, hiding your knot between the
two layers of felt. Your stitches should be around 3-5mm long. Stitch all
the way around the bird, stopping about 3-4cm from where you started
(don’t fasten off yet). Stuff the bird until it’s plump
adding small
amounts of stuffing at a time, fill the head and tail first and then fill
in the body. Continue with your running stitch to close up the hole,
fastening off securely.
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Repeat the process for two more birds and one heart.
Completing the garland:
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Take the ribbon, fold over 8cm and knot to make your hanging loop.
(adjust the ribbon length to suit)
Thread your bodkin with the ribbon and pass through the centre of your
first bird’s tummy from top to bottom, repeat with other two birds. Then
stitch the end of the ribbon securely to the heart at the top ‘V’
section. Stitch on a button to cover where the ribbon finishes.
Lay the garland out and evenly space the birds. To secure them to the
ribbon stitch through the ribbon and felt at the top of each bird, use
regular sewing thread for this so it is less visible.
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Cut out the templates and start making!
Little Bird Garland
colettemoscrop.com
© Colette Moscrop 2014
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For personal use only.