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Coloured Buttons

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Hooray! Sew a Softie in July is here at last. Harriet, my simple sewing project for kids, has been waiting, and not always patiently, ever since I told her that this year I had a surprise...I was making her the first softie tutorial so she would be ushering in our month of quick and easy softie sewing activities. Now, you might be wondering "who's Harriet?" and "why's she so special anyway?"

Well, Harriet is a sewing bug and out of an innate affection for sewing, critters such as these will often appear...as if out of nowhere...whenever there's a lot of sewing being done. Sewing bugs are a little like fruit flies in this respect...one day, nothing...the next, they're everywhere, but they're usually happy, contented and fun companions to have around when you're sewing...so here she is:

What you need

30 cm x 20 cm blue felt

20 cm x 20 cm green felt

16 cm x 10 cm yellow felt

6 cm x 6 cm white felt

Black felt

Needle

Thread

Pins

Rice grains

Polyester fibrefill

Glue

What to do

Using the templates, cut out the shapes for Harriet as shown below. Lay the top half of Harriet about 1/4″ over the the bottom half of her body... ...and pin and sew together. Sew on the arms using a single french knot at the top of each arm. This allows the arms to move. Make Harriet's mouth using a single large stitch. Pin the front and back of Harriet's body together. Sew around the body about 1/4″ in from the edge leaving a gap for stuffing. Use a funnel to fill the bottom third of Harriet with rice or any granular weighting material. Stuff with polyester fibrefill then sew the gap closed. Position and glue on the eyes and Harriet will be a friend who always makes you laugh

If you're looking for another easy to sew project have a look ay my mini softies in a jar.

Happy Sew a Softie month, love trixi and Harriet

PIN FOR LATER

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Harriet: A Simple Sewing Project for Kids | Coloured Buttons

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Hooray! Sew a Softie in July is here at last. Harriet, my simple sewing project for kids, has been waiting, and not always patiently, ever since I told her that this year I had a surprise...I was making her the first softie tutorial so she would be ushering in our month of quick and easy softie sewing activities.

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Red Ted Art's Blog

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My daughter is really into sewing at the moment! Teaching kids to sew is a great life skill and we are always looking for new patterns and ideas for her to sew. As you may have noticed we are going through a bit of a DIY Mermaid Crafts phase right now.. it is has been rather magical in our house.. and one mermaid craft seems to have sparked off the next. One weekend, my daughter had a "Mummy Weekend" (as the "Boys" went away on a Rugby Tour) and when asked what she would like to do, she clearly stated "can we make those mermaids now". Ah. So we did. A trip to the local sewing shop first to pick fabrics and maybe check out the wool and the project DIY Mermaid Dolls began. We actually made three mermaid dolls that weekend - two Mermaid Rag Dolls (coming soon) and one little Felt Mermaid Doll. The mermaid rag dolls gave Pip Squeak (8) the opportunity to practice on the sewing machine and then we created an easy Felt Mermaid Doll Pattern for some hand sewing. This pattern is very much a "together project" - I will indicate who sewed what where....

Joining in with Sew a Softie Month orgaised by Coloured Buttons! See all the websites participating here!

Felt Mermaid Doll DIY - MATERIALS

Felt for the mermaid's body

Fabric for the meraid's tail - we decided to mix and match felt and fabric - you could choose to make it all from felt, but the process will be slightly different - I can indicate how at the appropriate places

Wool for the mermaid's hair

Stuffing (we recycled an old pillow)

Needle & Thread

Pens or felt for the facial features

Your Felt Mermaid Doll Pattern (click on the big red button)

Optional sequences for Mermaid Top

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RED TED ART TV

How to make your DIY Felt Mermaid Doll (Incl. Pattern)
PLEASE NOTE: I took the step by step mermaid doll how to photos as part of a "working session" with my daughter. When we started sewing I had no intention of blogging it.. but decided to take some images anyway. They are not perfect.... the emphasis was on working together and not to get photos! So they are by no means perfect. But hopefully still helpful!
Preparing your sewing

Begin by cutting two body parts and two mermaid tail parts. If you are using fabric with a pattern - consider how the pattern should "run" down or across your mermaid's tail.
NOTE: The seam allowance on the mermaid's tail is very small - about 0.4cm - if you need a bigger seam allowance, but the tail a little bigger!
I did thi spart of Pip Squeak as you need to be accurate!

Sew your mermaid doll's body part and mermaid's tail

We loved this part - Pip Squeak sewed the body with an over stitch WHILST is sewed the tail with a back stitch. It took us about the same time!

For the body - put the right sides "out" and sew all around your body. You will see the stitches but it is part of the design.

For the mermaid doll's tail, put the fabric right side together and sew a 0.4 cm seam all around it.

CHECK the top of your seam against the mermaid's body - ie the body needs to be able to slide in. If the seam allowance is too small for you - cut a slightly bigger tail from the pattern. Once sewn, snip the corners for easier turning.

You can sew the mermaid's tail with felt - in this case - out the right sides OUT together and again using an over stitch sew all around the outside. The mermaid's body still needs to slide in at the top. But it should be easier.

Assembling your mermaid's body & tail

Turn your tail right side round. You may need a pencil to push all the corners out. I sometimes use a needle to get the final corners out.

Stuff your mermaid's body and mermaid's tail.

This is a little fiddly now - but managable - fold the top of the mermaid's tail in - to give a neat eadge - only about 0.5cm. Then insert the mermaid's doll body. Now sew around this edge with a ladder stitch. If you are not comfortable using a ladder stitch, a running stitch is fine too!

Making your felt mermaid doll's hair

Cut 20-30 strands of hair from your wool - we used bright multi coloured wool! So lovely. The length of the wool is totally up to you.. and depends on how long you want the hair to be. On one of our dolls ours is approximately 30cm long.

Place the wool flat on the table. Position the doll over it. When you know where you want the bunches to be, tie them with some addition wool.

Then using more wool, sew the hair pieces to the head - creating a centre parting with your seam.

Finally, sew the "bunches" to the side of the head.

Finishing your felt mermaid off

Now you can add the finishing touches. We used pens to add the face on one doll.. and pens and a little felt for the second doll. You can of course sew the face on too (e.g. using a french knot for eyes). Finally, if you wish, you can also use sequence to sew on a Mermaid's Bra/ Top. I think they look cute with or without!!!

Your DIY Felt Mermaid Doll is FINISHED! I do hope you like our Free Felt Mermaid Doll Pattern!!!!

More wonderful DIY Mermaid Craft Ideas:

More sewing projects for kids & beginners:

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Felt Mermaid Doll Pattern - Red Ted Art's Blog

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Free Felt Mermaid Doll Pattern. How to sew a mermaid doll. How to sew a felt mermaid. felt doll patterns. Diy felt doll pattern. Japanese felt doll patterns. Free pattern for small felt doll. Free felt doll patterns pdf. Handmade felt dolls. How to make felt dolls. Small felt toys to make.

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Join the sew a softie initiative by learning how to sew a pocket pet mouse with your child!

Sew a softie promotes creating an easy to sew softie or plush animal with a needle and thread to connect with the kids.

How can you participate in Sew a Softie?

Share your love of sewing with your child, learn to sew with your child, or have your child act as an ambassador to other children learning to sew.

Learn more about Sew a Softie Here! You may also enjoy learning how to teach kids to sew using burlap and yarn.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Thank you for choosing to support this blog!
When I was a little girl, I had a mouse that I carried around with me everywhere I went.

A pet mouse you can put in your pocket makes a great lovey or comfort object the kids can easily carry around with them. Send them off to school for the first time, or back to school with a little bit of the safety of home right in their pocket.

Cats love these little mice too! Fill a few up with catnip and watch your furry friend go crazy with joy!

How to Sew a Pocket Pet Mouse Softie: Materials

How to Sew a Pocket Pet Mouse Softie: Tutorial

Getting creative with your children is a great way to spend time with them.

Sewing also has the benefit of helping kids develop the fine motor muscles in their hand necessary for writing and other forms of handwork such as knitting or modeling.

These little cuties make a fun gift idea kids can make! Another cute option is THIS pocket kitty by Swoodson says.

Invite your child to follow the steps below with your assistance to make their own pocket pal!

1. Cut out felt and sew the body of the mouse

a) Use a disappearing ink pen to trace pattern pieces onto felt.

b) Thread darning needle with embroidery thread or floss in color of choice. Use the same color as the felt you are using or a contrasting or complementary color.

c) Use a blanket, whip, or running stitch to sew the top and bottom of the mouse body together. Blanket stitch is shown in the photo collage below. To learn how to sew these simple stitches visit Red Ted Art! Maggy has put together a wonderful post complete with video tutorials of the basic stitches to make it easy for you to sew a softie!

d) Thread your largest darning needle with yarn to make a tail. Tie a big knot on one end so it can not be pulled through the stitches. Insert the needle into the body and out between two stitches to create a simple tail. Pull off needle and trim tail to the desired length. Use the same color, a contrasting color, a complementary color, or a variegated yarn to produce an ombre tail! Check out the tails on some of the mice in the photos above!

e) Stuff mouse body with wool, cotton, or recycled stuffing. Old unloved or well used plush animals make great donors to new softies!

f) Complete sewing the body of the mouse together with the stitch you began with. Again, the photos show blanket stitch.

2. Sew eyes and a nose onto the mouse face

a) Use a disappearing ink pen to mark where you will put the eyes.

b) Thread embroidery floss in color of choice onto a darning needle.

c) Enter between stitches on the side of the body and come out through one eye.

d) Sew a French knot and come out through the other eye. Check out Maggie's tutorial to learn how to sew a French knot if you need to.

e) Sew another french knot for the second eye and come out through the tip of the mouse's nose.

f) Use a satin stitch to sew the nose. I tried this many different ways and of course, the one I photographed for this tutorial looks more like a duck bill than a mouses nose! Not to worry, they all turn out great no matter how you stitch them.

g) Tie it off on your last few stitches, come out through the stitches in the side, cut the thread, and viola' a mouses nose!

3. Sew whiskers onto the mouse nose

If you will be making more than one mouse, I recommend sewing all of their whiskers on at the same time to make it easy. Start with a nice long piece of embroidery thread and you will only have to thread the needle once!

a) Thread darning needle with embroidery thread.

b) Tie a knot on one end of the thread and enter through side stitches.

Bring the needle through the nose and out in the direction that you want the whisker to point.

c) Trim whisker to the desired length.

d) Repeat until you have 2 or 3 whiskers on each side of the nose. Of course, the mouse I photographed for the tutorial has my least favorite face!

4. Sew on ears (can be done before or after whiskers)

a) Use a disappearing ink pen to mark where you would like to put the ears.

b) Thread darning needle with embroidery floss.

c) Tie a knot on one end of the thread, enter through side stitches, and come up where you will place the ear.

d) Use a running or whip stitch to attach the ears.

e) Tie it off, come out through side stitches and trim thread so that it disappears into the body of the mouse.

Sew a pocket pet mouse softie with the kids as a beginning sewing project! A pet mouse you can put in your pocket makes a great lovey or comfort object the kids can easily carry around with them.

Send your kids off to day care or school for the first time, or back to school with a little bit of the safety of home right in their pocket.

These little cuties make a fun gift idea kids can make. Friends and family love to receive homemade gifts from the children they love.

You may also like:

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Join the sew a softie initiative by learning how to sew a pocket pet mouse with your child! Sew a softie promotes creating an easy to sew softie or plush animal with a needle and thread to connect with the kids. How can you participate in Sew a Softie?

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DIY whale, free pattern, free printable -updated for Sew a Softie

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DIY whale, free pattern, free printable -updated for Sew a Softie

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And IIIIIIIIIIIII whale always love yoooooooouuuu...

Boy have I got a whale of a tale for you today!

Too much? I whale stop. Ha. No I won't. You're stuck with a whole blog post of whale puns.

I'm working on a tutorial for a giant bean bag chair, but this is turning into my first tutorial instead of the beanbag chair because Sharjah. If you live in the UAE, you will understand why things are taking a bit longer for the bean bag chair because I'm sourcing from and have to drive to Sharjah. So, while we put a pin in that (several, actually), here's a different tutorial, instead! Hooray!

That's whale Victoria Jean comes in, to SYW (that's obviously for Save Your Whale)!!

So, this pattern proved easy enough for me to figure out, but likely because I ended up making several. The first was for a baby shower - for little Jack, who whale have a nautical-inspired nursery to drift off to sleep in each night.

Guys, is it just me, or is my imagery today on point?

Here's my first whale, for little Jack, who was still swimming in his mamma's tummy:

Some notes:

I used a Jersey knit t-shirt (medium weight) for the sides, and a different knit for the belly (lightweight knit) that I then turned inside out to give an ever-so-slight contrast for the mouth. It was hard to mix weights, and it was hard to sew this with such a stretchy fabric. I would suggest backing it with a cotton if you decide to go this route.

I originally tried knotted eyes - I wanted a little skipper of any age to enjoy it - but it looked silly. Any color. It just didn't bode well. So I opted for buttons. Make sure any recipients know to watch their kids while they play with it, and sew those things on like it ain't nobody's business. I like using 4-hole buttons for the feeling of stability, but I also think making X shapes with the thread on eyes makes it look morbid from cartoons - dead cartoons always have Xs for eyes. Just a thought... I'd go with safety eyes or no eyes at all, maybe.

Stuffing this thing was ridiculously hard. No, it was exactly the opposite - ridiculously SOFT. I feel like little Jack is going to hug it twice and all the stuffing is going to compact and it will be this horrible, flopping fish thing... but because of the blasted stretch in the jersey, the whale would just expand and be misshapen and lumpy and... I'M SORRY YOUR WHALE HAS TUMORS, JACK.

I don't have a lot of interfacing around, but I think it would be a nice touch to add interfacing to the mouth oval on the lower half or the whole mouth to add some rigidity. The thicker you go with the interfacing, the less stuffing you'd need and the more flexible/realistic your whale's mouth would be, allowing it to close nicely should you want your whale to have better manners than being open-mouthed all the time. I may make an interfaced-mouth whale when I visit home. May.

DIY yourself a whale!

Enlarge pattern 300% and print. Or do what I did, and zoom in on your computer screen until you have the size you want, and then awkwardly trace the pieces onto IKEA butcher paper from the kid's section.

Cut out all pieces. The fin pieces are exactly the same, so you can cut 4 of one, or do as the pattern suggests and cut 2 of 2. If you fold your fabric in half, right sides together, and then cut the sides and fins, you'll be sure to get the pieces going the right way. Just sayin'. AND DEFINITELY CUT NOTCHES where the lines on the patterns are. Oh, yes, Skipper. You'll need those bad boys. Let's talk about the mouth a bit. The pattern has the darts off centered on the mouth oval. The "smaller" side matches up with both the upper and lower mouth portion. Feel free to cut the pattern piece out as drawn or to cut it so the originally placed darts are centered, and we'll get more into the belly of the beast later on in the post.

3. Fins - Pin your fins right sides together and sew around them, leaving the "top" open. *I used a 5mm seam allowance for the whales* I figure that's the standard stuffed animal seam allowance, and it sort of worked. I will get to the mouth later... If using cotton or a non-stretch fabric, cut notches in the curve or use pinking shears so your whale is nice and curvaceous. You can press your seams if you want, but I like the fluffier, less formal feel for stuffed animals. Stuff to your desired stuffiness, leaving enough space at the top to sew it inside the whale. You can stitch the top closed, if you want. This to me makes it easier to sew inside.

4. Pin the sides of the whale together (right sides together) and sew from the V part of the tail to the nose. Make sure you secure your stitching, and if you do follow me down the dark (but oh so loveably soft) jersey path, use a zig zag stitch so your seams have some give and don't pop from lots of lovin'

5. Match up the mouth piece to the belly of the beast using those handy notches you were definitely supposed to do in step 2. Right sides together, now! Pin the curvy part to the notches, and sew from notch to notch around the lip of the whale. Do whales have lips?

6. After googling whether whales have lips (they don't, which apparently makes nursing whales more of a squirt n' go process), you get to pin all the pieces together, right sides together. If you're putting in safety eyes, do that before you pin so your life will be easier. I'm not really sure I can explain this very well, so I'm hoping you can figure it out when the pieces are in your hands, and you can see the pictures. Just make sure your fins are going the right way (pointing back toward the tail) and if you used different colors for the belly and the back make sure they match up. It's a tight squeeze to fit the fins there together, so I kind of shove them inside the sides. Again, hopefully you can figure this out despite my explanation. There's no notch on the fin pattern pieces, so I just started the fins at the fin notches. The "bottom" of the mouth will be sewn to the belly, and the top to the sides. If you're putting in a tag, now's the time to do that. Whales don't have noses like teddy bears (didn't even have to Google that one). So I probably wouldn't put in a nose... blowholes are totally acceptable.

Aaaaand for the mouth. Despite trying my darndest and asking several other seamstresses, I couldn't determine the need for the extra fabric on the mouth. If you cut your piece according to pattern, you'll notice it doesn't match up on one half. One matches perfectly with both lipless lips. I tried putting the smaller side of the oval on the top, on the bottom, with jersey, with cotton, with courderoy, with a big gap for the world's largest stuffed whale jaw... I just cannot make it make sense. Instead, I ended up cutting off all the extra fabric, creating an oval with the darts in the center of the oval's sides, and stitching it up. It also works fine if you cut out the paper pattern, fold it in "half" where the darts are, and cut off the extra paper so when you unfold it the darts are centered. Then your fabric oval will be the same and you won't have to cut off the extra after sewing it together.

​I honestly can't tell if mine look the same as the whale in the picture, or if they are different. So, if anyone figures it out PLEASE tell me, because I've actually lost sleep over trying to figure out why the pattern is the way it is. What can I say? I take my mammals seriously.

You may notice you'll get a Y seam at the mouth, sort of. Since the mouth piece is an oval, it's not quite like sewing a hexagon quilt or something, but make sure you don't have holes, and readjust as you go so you don't sew layers together that shouldn't be sewn (sorry, Jack's whale).

PS, make sure you leave a hole that's a couple inches wide for you to stuff your whale, making sure your fins fit through the hole. I did 4 inches.
PPS, using a stiletto really helps when trying to get the fins through the feed dogs (especially if using jersey), and I love using one for the curving parts.

7. Cut notches, wedges, use pinking shears, etc for the tail and Y seams. Press seams if you want.

8. Turn right-side out, and make sure there are no holes in the seams... Sorry, Jack's whale. Redo as necessary... And then start stuffing that bad boy! If you want stuffing advice, I like this post from While She Naps. Unfortunately, I don't have access to great filler here in my neck of the desert, so I butcher IKEA pillows. Use the fluffier ones, NOT the kaktus pillows. I have to really squish it around so it's not lumpy. And you will use a lot more than you think. One whale takes me a little more than 3/4 of a 50 x 50 cm pillow. Unless it's Jack's whale, in which case I couldn't stuff him like I should. Stretchy jersey. Grr

9. Stitch up your hole, add eyes if you please, and TA-DA! You've got your own whale of a tale!

Finally, because I was in the mood, here's a cute little printable to go with your nautical baby! Size A4 Click here to download as a pdf.

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DIY whale, free pattern, free printable -updated for Sew a Softie

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And IIIIIIIIIIIII whale always love yoooooooouuuu... Boy have I got a whale of a tale for you today! Too much? I whale stop. Ha. No I won't. You're stuck with a whole blog post of whale puns. I'm working on a tutorial for a giant bean bag chair, but this is turning into my first tutorial instead of the beanbag chair because Sharjah.

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I've got a bit of a obsession with foxies at the moment, especially the whimsical kind and I would like to share with you a easy foxie to make.

The fox I designed might be for a more experienced sewer, because I sew the pieces with the right sides together and the turn the softie inside out. You can however, just do a normal outside seam without turning.

I first trace the pattern on 2 pieces of felt. I love using transparencies for my templates. They are more sturdier to work with. I sewed the heart and the arms into place onto one of the pieces. I used my sewing machine for the heart and arms as it gives a better finish. But you can hand sew them on as well. It will look good with contrasting thread.

Place the second pattern piece over the first one, with the 'right sides' together and sew around trace lines. I find it easier to sew around the trace lines first before I cut the pieces out. This helps to keep the seam neat and makes it a lot easier to work with. Remember to leave an opening on the side to turn and stuff later.
Sew the tail in the same way. First sew and then cut it out.

Turn the softie inside out, taking care to get the nose out all the way.

Insert the eyes at this point. I used 2 different sizes to add to the whimsical effect.

Stuff your foxie. I prefer to use poly-puff stuffing. It is small, soft pieces of stuffing which allows me to stuff my toys without any bumps. Close the opening.

You can sew the mouth on at any point from now on as long as the nose is stuffed nice and firm. I used normal black cotton with a zig-zag stitch.

Stuff the tail a bit and sew the opening close. I attached the tail with sewing on a button.

Finally I decided my foxie needs a knitted scarf.

Thank you for joining me! Please remember to post your softies and share with us.

Love

Liezel

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I've got a bit of a obsession with foxies at the moment, especially the whimsical kind and I would like to share with you a easy foxie to make. The fox I designed might be for a more experienced sewer, because I sew the pieces with the right sides together and the turn the softie inside out.

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Hi everyone! I am an ambassador for Sew A Softie and here is my video tutorial on how to sew a cloud cushion softie!

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Click here to download hippo template MATERIALS:
Fat Quarter of cotton for the main fabric

OPTIONAL: Scrap of fabric for the inside of the ears

Good quality thread in a coordinating color

Hand Needle (or sewing machine)
Fairfield World's Poly-Fil Supreme® Ultra Plush Fiber Fill
Embroidery Thread for the eyes and nose

Embroidery Needle
SUPPLIES:
Frixion Erasable Pen

Pins or Pattern Weights

Shears & Trimming Scissors

Point turner or some other blunt, but pointed object

Pen or pencil for tracing the pattern
STEP ONE NOTE:
This project uses 1/4" seam allowances.

You may press this fabric, but finger pressing is sufficient if you use cotton.

Please read the instructions below before beginning. Gather the materials and supplies. No need to pre-wash the main fabric.
STEP TWO
Download the template and print it. Cut it out along the solid lines.

STEP THREE
Position pattern pieces on fabric to verify the placement before cutting. Fold fat quarter cotton fabric in half. Place the gusset pattern along the fold. Pin in place. Cut out.
STEP FOUR
Place the hippo body and ear pattern over the remaining fabric, pin in place, and cut out. Using the Frixion pen, mark point A and B on the hippo body and gusset. Also, mark an opening on the hippo back about 2" long.

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Meet Harry Hippo! He is a softie and I mean a real softie. He is stuffed with Fairfield World's Poly-Fil Supreme® Ultra Plush Fiber Fill. Thank you, Fairfield for donating this wonderful Poly-Fil. It is so soft, I just cannot stop squeezing Harry. Harry was created just for Sew-a-Softie mon

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For this sock kitten, you will need:- A sock Needle and thread Scissors Marking tool Craft stuffing Two buttons for the eyes Embroidery thread for the whiskers Thank you for watching 😊 follow me on Instagram: @hannahabdelfattah

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https://thecraftymummyblog.wordpress.com/2017/07/28/sew-a-softie-project-carrot/

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By Nic Hahn

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We started out with some scrap fabric and Textile Playcolors. These colors are like the paint sticks that so many art classrooms are using these days. There are Playcolors and Kwik Sticks... and I'm sure more. They 'load' like a glue stick. We found them to be a little soft for our Artist (ranging from 6 years-old to 11), however, they create some bright beautiful colors.

I laid out the fabric for the kids. It was a windy day, so you see the rocks holding this down.

The instructions were to draw two dots, create a circle around each dot, and then repeat that one more time to create the eyes.

You will see different designs and levels in the fish that were created this day.

The colors have to be set with an iron.

Our 11 year-old Artist wanted to do a little hand sewing before stuffing it too. He used buttons to create the teeth.

For some of these kids, this was their first time on the sewing machine so a guild line was very helpful. They simply sewed a 'U' around the fabric with wrong sides out.

The kids took a break from swimming to stuff their fish.

The fish were closed up with a rubber band. This was a quick and easy way to make sure the stuffing doesn't come out with out sewing again. It worked well for us because of time, but might be a trick I used in class as well.

To hang and display, we used a paper clasp and wire. Again, using what was easy.

And there we have it... Our Fish Softies.

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We started out with some scrap fabric and Textile Playcolors. These colors are like the paint sticks that so many art classrooms are using these days. There are Playcolors and Kwik Sticks... and I'm sure more. They 'load' like a glue stick.

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http://www.schaeresteipapier.ch/2017/07/sew-softie-can-of-sardines.html#more

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https://cassiestephens.blogspot.com/2017/07/in-art-room-stitching-pizza-plushies.html

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http://www.stitchitmama.com/stitch-it-blog/4592472155/Sew-A-Softie-Month---Bearington-Bear-Tutorial/11197300

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It is Sew A Softie time again! I am so happy to be back as part of this year's tutorial hop. Last year, in honor of my love of Claes Oldenberg, I designed a Giant Ice Cream Cone. You can see that post here. This year, I have decided to continue the theme of oversized everyday objects. And just for fun, this is a 2 part project. This week is the Giant Pencil Pillow! Next week there will be a coordinating project that makes a super cute set. You can find out more about Sew a Softie here. Be sure to check out what all the other contributors are up to! You can find a list of all of the contributors for this year here.

The Giant Pencil Pillow is a quick, beginning project that includes some simple geometry as well as a good introduction in creating 3-dimensional objects from 2-dimensional pieces. My favorite 9 year old and I had lots of fun making this together. So let's get going!

You will need:

3/4 yard yellow fabric

1/4 yard gray fabric

3/8 yard pink fabric

8" x 15" piece of off white fabric

3" x 6" piece of black fabric

sewing machine

hand sewing needle

thread

fiber fill

paper and compass for pattern making

a favorite sewing companion (optional)

Note: Seam allowances are 1/4"

Draw the Pattern:

First, make the patterns for the eraser end, the wood, and the pencil point. For the eraser end, use a compass to draw a circle with a 3 3/4" radius on the paper. Cut out the circle.

For the pencil point, draw a line parallel to the edge of the paper, 1/4" in from the edge. Place the point of the compass on the line and draw a half circle with a 2 1/2" radius. Cut out the half circle, cutting past the line on both sides to the edge of the paper. The extra 1/4" makes the seam allowance.

For the wood, draw a line parallel to the edge of the paper, 1/4" in from the edge. Place the point of the compass on the line and draw a half circle with a 7 1/4" radius. Cut out the half circle, cutting past the line on both sides to the edge of the paper. The extra 1/4" makes the seam allowance. (If your compass will not open wide enough for 7 1/4", you can use a thumbtack and a piece of string.)

Cut the Fabric:

Cut the yellow fabric into a 28 1/2" x 22 1/2" rectangle.

Cut the gray fabric into a 6 1/2" x 22 1/2" rectangle.

Cut the pink fabric into a 5 1/2" x 22 1/2" rectangle AND one piece from the eraser end pattern.

Cut the off white fabric using the wood pattern.

Cut the black fabric using the pencil point pattern.

Sew the Pencil:

Time to sew! With right sides together, match one long side of the gray rectangle with one long side of the pink rectangle. Sew together.

With right sides together, match the remaining long side of the gray rectangle with one short side of the yellow rectangle. Sew together.

Place the pencil point piece, right side up, on top of the wood piece, right side up, lining up the points. Sew the point to the wood using a zig zag stitch.

With right sides together, pin the curved edge of the wood piece to the remaining short side of the yellow rectangle. Be careful not to stretch the curve. Sew together.

With right sides together, fold the pencil in half lengthwise. Match the seams and pin. Sew the pencil together leaving the short end open (the end of the eraser) and leaving a 5" gap within the yellow part of the pencil for turning and stuffing.

Now the tricky part! With right sides together, pin the eraser end to the eraser, matching the raw edges. Sew together.

Finish the Pencil:

Turn the pencil right sides out through the opening in the side. Stuff the pencil using your preferred fiberfill. Sew the opening closed using the small whipstitch or a ladder stitch.

Tune in next week for the companion project!

Tagged:

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It is Sew A Softie time again! I am so happy to be back as part of this year's tutorial hop. Last year, in honor of my love of Claes Oldenberg, I designed a Giant Ice Cream Cone. You can see that post here.

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https://happinessatnr4.blogspot.co.za/

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I'm still feeling super-excited about participating in Sew a Softie Month, and if you haven't entered our giveaway yet, you still have a little time left to do so .... just CLICK HERE to visit the blog post and just leave a comment to enter. Meanwhile, I thought I'd share a few tips on successfully using faux fur fabric for softie making. I don't often use fur fabric as I personally like using felt most of the time - though after rummaging around in the Bustle & Sew archives I did discover quite a few furry softies......

If using a printed fur, like the zebra above, do be sure that the scale of the print is right for the size of your softie. And be extra careful when you're positioning your pieces - you may need to purchase extra fabric to ensure the prints line up correctly, again when I was cutting the zebra pieces I took particular care to make sure the stripes matched on the top of the head.

When you're cutting out your pieces, do try not to cut too much of the fur pile, especially if it's quite long. It can be easier to use a craft knife or rotary cutter as you're less likely to accidentally snip strands of fur away.

Fur fabrics can be sewn either by hand or by machine and I do think that for the neatest, most invisible seams and nicest finish it's probably best to stitch by hand although that's not to say you can't achieve good results by machine. Whatever method you're using be sure that your stitches are small - even though the fabric is quite thick. If your stitches are too large, then your seams will be a lot weaker and you may even discover gaps once you've stuffed your softie. When hand stitching back stitch is probably the best stitch to use when you're sewing together any two fabrics with a pile, such as faux fur.

If your faux fur has a curly or a very long pile then it's a good idea to trim away some of the pile along the ¼" seam allowance to get a closer fitting seam with a neater finish. And of course it goes without saying that you should always take notice of pattern markings indicating the direction of the pile when you're cutting out your pieces, or your softie might end up looking very odd indeed!

Pin or tack your seams together before stitching, and push the pile down between the two pieces of fabric while doing so. This will help to disguise the seams on the right side and give thickness to the pile around the edges of ears and other similar parts of your softie. If you do catch any pile into your stitching when you're sewing the seams, the this can be lifted from the seam with the blunt end of a needle.

You should insert any pins at right angles to the seam and not along it to avoid stretching and slippage. You can also machine stitch over pins placed at right angles to the line of stitching though, as fur fabrics can be slippery to handle you may wish to baste before machining seams. I usually find pinning is perfectly adequate when I'm hand stitching though, especially as I tend to tweak my pieces as I go along!

I haven't used any fur fabrics in the August edition of the Bustle & Sew Magazine though. I have found over the years that my material choices are very heavily influenced by the changing seasons around me - and it's been far too hot for fur these past few weeks. I've been editing and uploading project images today, and was amused to discover just how closely the colours I've been using this month mirror those of the flowers currently blooming in my garden .....

This selection includes my trio of Cactus Cushions, a pair of embroidered bowl covers - perfect for keeping flies at bay when eating outside - or a pretty addition if you're contributing a dish to a supper or other event. Then in the bottom left corner is the applique lampshade I finished earlier today, featuring some tropical birds and foliage. This was huge fun to create and easy to assemble using a lampshade kit. And as you can see, all the colours mirror the flowers I picked from my garden earlier this week, though it really wasn't a conscious decision!

We share lots more hints, tips and goodies with our newsletter readers, so if you'd like to be the first to hear all our news, just click the button above to sign up - it's free and we never share your email address with anyone else - promise!

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Tips for using faux fur for softie making

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I'm still feeling super-excited about participating in Sew a Softie Month, and if you haven't entered our giveaway yet, you still have a little time left to do so .... just CLICK HERE to visit the blog post and just leave a comment to enter.

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Shore Thing: how to sew sea life plushies

This month sees this summer's Sew a Softie sewalong. We couldn't resist joining in the fun so we're sharing Samantha Stas' trio of plushie keyrings with you. Read on for our step-by-step instructions and sew your own set of under-the-sea softies...

"Sew a Softie is an initiative that aims to ignite a love of hand sewing in a new generation," explains event creator Trixi Symonds. "It encourages parents and children to turn off their computers, put down their smart phones and discover the fun and fulfillment that comes from creating a simple-to-sew softie together. Find out more about Sew a Softie over www.sewasoftie.com or share your softies in the Facebook group.

How to sew sea life plushie keyrings

You will need

Cotton fabrics: plains or small prints in blue, green and yellow

Felt: blue, green and yellow, approx 12x12cm (41⁄2x41⁄2in).

Beads and tiny buttons for eyes

Cotton grosgrain ribbon: blue, green and yellow, each 13cm (5in) long.

Bondaweb

Soft toy stuffing

3 metal keyrings

Templates

Download the sewing pattern for these templates over in our issue 8 templates set. You'll need pattern sheet 1.

Samantha says:

"Here's a jolly, easy-to-sew fishy trio to make up in an afternoon. Practical and sweet, this little trio of fabric keyrings will make good use of some of your sewing box stash and are a great gift idea, too. Get creative with colours and fabrics, the world is your oyster (another great sea-themed shape to sew)."

How to make the turtle keyring

Step one: Trace around the turtle template onto to paper side of your Bondaweb then iron this onto the wrong side (WS) of some green fabric and cut it out. Using Bondaweb for this makes it easier and stops the fabric fraying. Cut out the shell details too in the same way using print fabrics.

Step two: Lay your cut out turtle shape onto the felt piece, right side (RS) up. You will be using the outline of your cut out turtle as a guide for sewing the two bits together. Fold your piece of ribbon in half and place it coming out of the turtle's head.

Step three: Start sewing your turtle about 2mm ( 1 ⁄8in) in from the edge, using the cut out shape as a sewing guide. Leave a 2cm (3⁄4in) gap for filling.

Step four: Using the end of a paint brush or pencil, gently stuff the turtle shape; use your fingers to help manoeuvre the stuffing.

When you are happy with the shape, put your turtle on the sewing machine again and sew up the stuffing gap, carefully guiding the needle around the stuffed shape.

Step five: Now start to carefully cut out the turtle shape from the piece of felt. Fabric glue or stitch on the shell details and add his little beady eyes.

Attach the keyring and hey presto!

How to sew the fish keyring

Step one: Cut out a cotton fabric fish using our issue 8 templates and bondaweb in the same way as for the turtle.

Step two: Pin the piece of ribbon in place on the felt. Pin the cotton turtle shape onto the felt RS up on top.

Step three: Sew around your fish shape and leave a gap for stuffing.

Step four: Stuff your fish, using a small paintbrush end or pencil to get the stuffing into the head.

Sew the stuffing gap closed. Hand-sew on your fish's eye and cut carefully around the felt fish shape.

Attach your keyring hoop to finish.

How to make the seahorse keyring

Step one: Use our issue 8 templates to cut out a cotton fabric seahorse and two fin pieces; Bondaweb will make fiddly bits easier to cut. Sew the fin pieces together, WS facing, then pull RS out and press.

Step two: Pin the piece of ribbon and the fin onto the felt. When you are happy with the positioning, pin the seahorse RS up on top.

Step three: This shape is a tricky one to sew, so take your time and make sure you leave a filling gap.

Step four: Stuff your seahorse shape - you may not be able to stuff the mouth or tail, but the felt will give it some body.

Sew the filling gap closed.

Step five: Cut out your seahorse shape from the felt. To make the eye, cut out a small circle of felt then stitch in place with a button on top. Finally, attach the keyring to the ribbon.
How cute is this little critter! Use your stash of fabric scraps to decorate its shell. This tutorial first appeared in issue 8 of Simply Sewing magazine. Designer Samantha likes nothing more than taking her sewing outdoors when the weather gets good. See her work at www.samanthastas.etsy.com.

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Sew a softie: Shore thing sea life plushie keyrings tutorial

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This month sees this summer's Sew a Softie sewalong. We couldn't resist joining in the fun so we're sharing Samantha Stas' trio of plushie keyrings with you. Read on for our step-by-step instructions and sew your own set of under-the-sea softies...

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Mother Nature: Connecting Kids with Nature

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Mother Nature: Connecting Kids with Nature

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Sew a Leaf Softie

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Do your kids love finding all sorts of treasures while on a nature walk?

Leaves tend to be quite collectible with my kids at the moment but they don't last for very long in our nature treasure box. So this year we've used some of our leaves to make these gorgeous leaf softies. Perfect for loving, cuddling and taking to bed!

Since they'll now be enjoying a soft leaf toy at bedtime, I'm hoping I'll find less nature treasures between the sheets too. I can't count how many times I've found leaves and twigs in their bed. I've even found rocks! Hopefully this will convince them to keep their nature treasures in the top of their bedside drawer and cuddle their leaf softies instead!

These Leaf soft toys are so easy to make that the kids can do most of it themselves. They may need some direction from you, and perhaps a little help with the sewing machine, but it really is a simple and fun sewing activity.

Did you know it's Sew a Softie Month (July)? If you love this sewing activity, you'll love all the goodies on their webpage!

Okay, let's get into how to make these adorable leaf toys!

Leaf Softie Materials

How to make a Leaf Soft Toy

Iron your material first. It's harder to go back and iron it later!

Collect some leaves that have nice prominent veins. While looking for leaves, pay attention to the size and shape you would like your leaf softie to be.

Cut your material into a two squares. The size depends on the leaves you will use and the size you would like. Mine were approximately 20cm x 20cm.

Mix some acrylic paint to your desired color and paint over the under side of the leaf or the side that has the most prominent veins.

Turn your leaf over, paint face down, onto one side of the material. Place a piece of cardboard over the top and press the cardboard down with your hand. The cardboard reduces the chance of smudging.

Peel the cardboard off carefully and then the leaf of carefully. You should have a beautiful leaf print on the material.

You can do the other side of the material if you like so that you have a front and a back. That's up to you.

When the paint is dry, paint on the hands and the smile.

Once it's all dry again, it's time to add the eyes. Follow the instructions on the eyes that you bought. Mine were really simple. I made a little hole and they screwed through the material, then I put a little cap on the back. SO EASY!

Next, turn the two bits of material together with the painted sections facing each other. Cut around the edge, leaving a 2cm gap from the edge of the painted leaf.

Sew around leaf leaving a gap of 1cm between the leaf and the sewing thread. Make sure you don't join the sewing. You'll need to leave a gap of at least 5cm , so that you can add the stuffing.

Turn the material the right ways around. Be sure to use a pencil to push out any tips.

Fill your material with stuffing. I recycled stuffing from an old toy the girls didn't want anymore.

Lastly, hand sew the hole that's left over.

I let the kids make their own softies and I did make a couple of my own too.

I couldn't help myself!

It was their first real experience of sewing with material (they've see n me sew and they've hand sewn leaves before). They did an incredible job and they're thrilled with their new little leaf soft toys. They actually want to make more, so I think we'll be making flower softies next!

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Sew a Leaf Softie For your kids | Mother Natured

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Do your kids love finding all sorts of treasures while on a nature walk? Leaves tend to be quite collectible with my kids at the moment but they don't last for very long in our nature treasure box. So this year we've used some of our leaves to make these gorgeous leaf softies.

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Tea Towel Softies

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Do you ever sew with your kids? I started sewing simple projects with my girls when they were younger and it kind of got them hooked. The excitement that comes from realizing that they can actually MAKE something all by themselves is priceless. We had completed a few basic sewing projects mainly involving items for their American girl dolls prior to last year when I accepted a request to participated in the 'Sew a Softie' Event organized by the talented Trixi from www.ColouredButtons.com. If you are yet to discover Trixi she is a sewing teacher in Australia who has lots of amazingly simple sewing projects for kids great for the most beginner sewer. The girls LOVED everything about making their own softies, you can find their butterfly softies from last summer here or search for the Christmas Softies and Valentines things they made.

So as you can imagine we were delighted to participate once again in Trixi's Sewing Event for the Summer 2017. This year as veteran sewers the girls were asked to be Ambassadors and to teach someone else to sew during the month of July. They came up with the following project and their first sewing guinea pigs were their bothers - They are hoping to teach their friends how to sew these fun Softies too though!

So here we go, heres a very loved tea towel softie proving you can make something out of pretty much anything. They recycled these tea towels into fun toys for young kids. They left the dangly legs and floppy hair because "We know little kids like twiddling things as they cuddle them".

Big Sister teaching little bro (age 6) the running stitch

Ella teaching little brother (age 8) how to stop his thread tangling up

Buttons or bits to decorate

Fold you tea towel in half, then fold it in half again as shown below.

Each tea towel makes two softies but by folding it this way it helps with the measuring of the softie. Now taking a pen draw a rectangle shape on the quarter of the tea towel facing you, the top of the softy is going to be where the fold is - this is important because when you cut the hair you want the loops to be at the top. Draw on two arms and legs that meet the edges of the fabric.

Once you have drawn the shape you can cut it out. You only need to cut through two layers not four so remember to half open your tea towel up.

Once you have cut around your shape you should be left with a shape similar to that pictured below. Note the head still loops over, this helps to keep the fabric lined up as you begin sewing.

To begin sewing the girls used a simple running stitch. Up, down, up, down and so on. We started sewing the head first, do this an inch or two down from the fold you'll see why later when we make the hair.

Once you have gone across the top sew down the side and around the bottom of the shape. No need to sew around the arms or legs for this project - you are just sewing a rectangle. But remember to leave a gap at the end to stuff the filling in!!!

Step 3

Stuff the body of the softie with the poly filling, no need to make it rock hard they are more fun a little floppy. Once it is stuffed finish sewing up the side and tie off with a knot.

At this point we added the details, we hot glued on buttons and cogs to create interesting faces.

We also cut the hair, you do this by making short cuts across where the fabric loops at the head. (Remember when we said to leave a gap at the top of the head this is why.) This creates your softies floppy hair style.

And you are done!!

We hope you enjoy your new friend as much as we do! Be sure to tag us on IG @thebluebarn with your pictures if you make one.

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Do you ever sew with your kids? I started sewing simple projects with my girls when they were younger and it kind of got them hooked. The excitement that comes from realizing that they can actually MAKE something all by themselves is priceless.

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Floral the Elephant and Pin Cushion Mice

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One of my favourite things to do when I've plenty of time to sit and concentrate is to work on a new softie pattern. I love working out shapes, and am fascinated by how only small tweaks to different pieces can make such a difference to the look of the finished design. Below is just a small selection of some Bustle & Sew softies - I seem to have made so many over the years!

It's fun to share my love of softie-making with others and this month in particular through the Sew a Softie initiative. This is an initiative that aims to ignite a love of hand sewing in a new generation by encouraging parents and children to turn off their computers, put down their smart phones and discover the fun and fulfillment that comes from creating a simple-to-sew softie together. It was started by children's hand sewing teacher, author and designer Trixi Symonds to show parents who can't sew or think that sewing is not for young children, that hand sewing is a simple, inexpensive and highly creative activity that everyone can do and that young children absolutely love.

I'm delighted to be participating in the "Sew a Softie Month" - when for the whole of July a free pattern and/or softie tutorial will be posted daily on the Sew a Softie Facebook Page by lots of talented designer/makers. Today it's our turn and I was originally going to just share Flora the elephant in this post. But ..... I've decided to remind everyone about our Pin Cushion Mice too as these are such a simple design, and the perfect project for children. In fact my version of this pattern is based upon my memories of making these little mice with my mum more years ago than I care to remember! The Pin Cushion Mice are completely hand stitched, whilst Flora is a great first sewing machine softie project.

Pin Cushion Mice

9″ square felt for body and ears

6″ square contrast fabric for tail and ears

3″ square cardboard to stiffen base

Rice or poly beads to weight base (optional)

Polyfil for stuffing body ü Stranded embroidery floss in suitable colour to sew body

Black stranded embroidery floss for eyes and nose- or use small round black beads if preferred - but this means the mouse will not be suitable for a small child.

Pink floss for nose

Dark brown strong thread for whiskers (optional)

Cut out all body pieces using the template

Cut a strip of fabric for the tail 4″ long x 1 ½" wide. Fold ¼" under along each long side, and then fold in half lengthways and press. Tuck one short edge in for the tip of the tail and secure with a few small stitches. Using 3 strands of embroidery floss, blanket stitch along the open side of the tail to secure. Set to one side.

Stitch the bottom edge of the body to the circular base with wrong sides together. First work half-cross stitch in one direction, then return and overstitch in half-cross stitch in the other direction using 3 strands of floss. Then stitch up the back for ½" in the same way, wrong sides together.

Insert the unfinished end of the tail with the blanket stitched seam facing upwards and secure in place with small stitches. Continue up the back for a further 1″ Leave a 1 ½" gap for stuffing and then stitch up to the nose.

Insert the cardboard circle into the base to keep it flat. Stuff the nose end using small pieces of stuffing to avoid lumpiness. Pour rice or granules if using into the base and then add stuffing to body. When you are happy with the shape, close the back seam.

Make the ears by placing the pairs of outers and inners together, wrong sides facing and cross stitch around the outer curved edge. Fold the base edge in half and secure with a few stitches, then flatten the seam and position ears on head, either side of the centre back seam so they will frame the mouse's face.

The eyes are French knots worked with black floss - or stitch round black beads into place if using.

The whiskers are strong thread - catch them in place with a small stitch under the nose so they can't be easily pulled out.

Flora the Elephant

I think that to include the full tutorial for Flora here would make this post a bit on the long side, so if you'd like the pattern and tutorial to make your own Flora the Elephant as a free pdf file, then click the button below and I'll be very happy to send it to you.

Softie Kit Giveaway

And finally ....

Because I love making softies, and I'd really REALLY like to share this love with others, then I'd like to offer you the chance to win one of our hand assembled softie kits. We have five kits in stock at present for you to choose from - please just CLICK HERE to see them all. Then all you need to do to enter the draw is to leave a comment below telling me which kit you'd like to win - and just for fun it would be nice to know why that one in particular! The draw will close at midnight on Wednesday 19 July and the winner will be chosen by random selection. I am happy to post your kit anywhere in the world! Good luck everyone - and enjoy your softie-making!!

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Sew a Softie: Flora the Elephant and Pin Cushion Mice - kit giveaway

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One of my favourite things to do when I've plenty of time to sit and concentrate is to work on a new softie pattern. I love working out shapes, and am fascinated by how only small tweaks to different pieces can make such a difference to the look of the finished design.

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Sew a Softie - The Crafternoon

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It begins with needle and thread
that's how the magic is bred;
some fabric, a little stuffing,
and still it looks like nothing.

Now comes the fun part -
you begin working your art,
and as you sew your design
the magic begins to shine.

You stop for tea and cake,
and then go on with your make;
you work a little faster,
magic is a stern master.

With tea, conversation and fun
your softie is quickly done,
and you hope to return soon
for another crafternoon!

where my niece Dana (8) is a 'Kid Ambassador',

serious in her mission to spread the joy of sewing.

To that end we've hosted a crafternoon

where Dana showed how to make a heart softie.

We've made a garland out of the hearts

to show that you can make softie decorations

to cheer any party.

And there was even a student hiding underneath the table...

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It begins with needle and thread that's how the magic is bred; some fabric, a little stuffing, and still it looks like nothing. Now comes the fun part - you begin working your art, and as you sew your design the magic begins to shine.

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Teaching kids to Design and Sew

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Why buy toys when you can make them? Teach your kids to make stuff toys based on drawings using this simple method. Even my four-year-old can do this!

Last summer I wrote about how I turned my children's drawings into a felt doll and a felt alien. This summer I'm sharing how your child can turn virtually any drawing into a pattern for a very easy-to-sew toy! These are so easy to make that even my four-year-old is sewing them with very little assistance.

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR SEWING Stuffed Toys Based on Drawings

This is what you need for this friendly felt alien craft.

Here are some optional but helpful add-ons that simplify the sewing process.

WHY USE WOOL FELT?

100% wool felt is much more expensive than the craft felt that is in every craft store. Why bother with wool? It stays looking nice much longer. Of course, it is not the end of the world if you choose to use craft felt instead. It just won't feel or look as nice.

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT CLUSTER STUFF

Cluster Stuff is a hypoallergenic polyester stuffing material that is designed to never clump or bunch up. It comes in tiny clusters that are helpful when stuffing tight spaces. I have been using this stuffing for several years now, and it never disappoints. As with the felt, there isn't a real problem with using something else; it just won't be as fun or easy to work with (with the possible exception of using wool roving for stuffing...)

Step 1: Select a Drawing

My kids created drawings especially for this project, but you can also choose a drawing they drew without felt sewing in mind.

Step 2: Trace or Cut Out the Drawing

Since my kids created their drawings especially for this project, we simply cut them out. But if you want to keep the original artwork, you can trace it with tracing paper .

Step 3: Sew and Stuff

We used a whip stitch to make these toys. My kids enjoy sewing with this stitch because it is fairly quick but creates a solid seam. LiEr of ikatbag has a great basic stitches resource may want to refer to.

Step 4: Add Details.

We used ultra fine point Sharpie pens to add details; fabric markers would also work.

Step 5: Play!

I love the big personalities that my kids create for these simple little toys that they sew! My daughter Emma even wrote up some details about the Terrister creature she created for this post!

About Terristers

A Terriester is a friendly monster who will live anywhere. They have four footprints. The girls are pinkish purple and the boys are blue. They have two teeth but they do not bite. They have a tail. They have very good balance, and their favorite place is sitting on a door handle. Their ears are lopsided. The right way to hold them is in your left hand. Put your middle finger and your pointer finger around his or her neck. Wrap your thumb around the side of the Terriester's body on the side with your pointer finger. Tilt it upward over the stomach. Then wrap your ring finger and your pinky below the other arm under your middle finger. Now your Terriester is snug and happy!

Patterns for our Toys Based on Drawings

My kids are sharing their patterns for anyone who wants to give them a go! They are super easy to sew!

My kids enjoy hand sewing, and I have several tutorials on this blog! Here's a list:

You can find all of my sewing tutorials here.

We created this tutorial as part of Sew a Softie month. Be sure to check out all of the tutorials there for more inspiration.
Have your children designed their own toys this way? We would love to see photos - if you use our patterns, as well! Share your own drawings to toy creations in the comments. You can also leave a note on my Facebook page, or tag me on Twitter or Instagram. Sign up for my newsletter to receive more crafts, kids activities, and parenting tips in your inbox every week.

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Teach Kids to Design and Sew Stuffed Toys Based on Drawings

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Why buy toys when you can make them? Teach your kids to make stuff toys based on drawings using this simple method. Even my four-year-old can do this! Last summer I wrote about how I turned my children's drawings into a felt doll and a felt alien.

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Teaching a child how to do a running stitch

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Teaching a child how to do a running stitch

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Not sure how to teach a child a running stitch or how to start or end the stitch? Here's how I teach the kids in my classes.

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Learn how to sew a star softie, using this free PDF sewing pattern and the star softie tutorial. It's an easy beginner sewing project for everybody, even if you have never sewn before, and a great toy to sew together with kids. This DIY felt star softie makes an ideal sewing project for children because it's easy, quick and colorful. Give sewing a go - and find out more about the Sew-A Softie initiative later in the post.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.

This soft star toy can be made by kids, and this tutorial is, in fact, made for kids to learn sewing. This time, I'm taking part in the Sew-A-Softie-Day, an initiative to encourage both adults and children to give sewing a go.

So if you have a grandchild or know a kid who'd like to sew, give it a try! Sew this simple softie together and have tons of fun :)

You'll need:

2 sheets of felt (each 11" by 11" square, that is 28x28cm), option: use cotton instead.

some soft toy stuffing material

coordinating sewing thread

contrasting embroidery thread

sewing machine AND needle

scissors

pins

your FREE PDF Sewing Template on Craftsy (click here)

Your FREE Template:

You can get it on Craftsy, where I post all my PDF patterns and templates (the majority are free), if you click here:

(And while checking out this free pattern, don't forget to

Get them all, I drafted them for you!)

This is a basic free template for everybody, to make cutting even easier and more fun. I suggest you print the 2 template pages on cardboard so you'll have the forms handy for any additional sewing projects.

The template comes in 3 sizes, but it's easy to enlarge or shrink, too. The smallest of the 3 sizes is meant as a pocket version of the star softie, suitable as a travel toy.

However, you're not limited by the template. Make the star larger and it transforms into a cozy star pillow. And if you make it even smaller than the template, you get a tiny DIY keyholder. Tons of uses for this cute little DIY!

TUTORIAL: How To Sew A Star Softie

1) Let's start. Use the free template to cut out the basic star form out of each of the two felt sheets.

3) Out of the remaining pieces of felt, cut out two circles. Your choice of size, mine were approximately 1.25 inch in circumference (3 cm).

4) Cut each circle in half. These will become the eyes of the star.

5) Place them on the star template, so the colors are in contrast. (Here: light blue eyes on the dark blue surface, and vice versa)

6) Use your embroidery thread and attach the eyes onto the star template. It's not necesarry, but this is a great opportunity to learn how to start stitching without even making a knot! Want to see how? HERE's the easy how-to. (I love this little hand-sewing trick!)

7) When you're finished sewing, secure the stitch on the back side.

9) To machine-stitch the softie, place the two pieces right-side-together like in the photo above.

12) Turn right side out. To push out the corners, use a point turning tool or something similar, like a chopstick, a knitting needle, or simply a pencil. Don't use anything sharp since it could make holes in your felt.

15) Squeeze and rearrange the stuffing a bit to spread it evenly.

16) Now's the time to add any other details you wish. I opted for adding a mouth. The simple running stitch will give your star softie great unique details. No need to make it perfect!

Your cute little star softie is made, congratulations!

You can flip it, and here it is, in another color:

Want More Free Patterns+Tutorials?

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How To Sew a Star Softie (And a Free PDF Pattern)

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Learn how to sew a star softie, using this free PDF sewing pattern and the star softie tutorial. It's an easy beginner sewing project for everybody, even if you have never sewn before, and a great toy to sew together with kids.

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6 Basic Hand Sewing Stitches- Mignon Prider Design

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6 Basic Hand Sewing Stitches- Mignon Prider Design

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https://mignonpriderdesign.wordpress.com/2017/06/24/6-basic-hand-sewing-stitches-to-us-for-making-softies/

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RedTed Art- Basic Hand Stiching by Maggy

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RedTed Art- Basic Hand Stiching by Maggy

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http://www.redtedart.com/basic-hand-stitches-beginners/

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Owl Softie- By Nic Hahn, MiniMatisse.blogspot.com

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Owl Softie- By Nic Hahn, MiniMatisse.blogspot.com

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http://minimatisse.blogspot.com/2017/07/owl-softie-sewasoftie.html

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http://www.lovepatchworkandquilting.com/quilt-tutorials/sew-a-softie-bunny-toys-tutorial

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https://sewingschool.blogspot.com/2017/07/pineapple-softie.html

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http://colourfulminds.co.uk/projects/woolly-jumper-creatures/

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KID MADE EMOJI AND CTHULHU SOFTIES by Abby Glassenberg

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KID MADE EMOJI AND CTHULHU SOFTIES by Abby Glassenberg

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http://whileshenaps.com/2017/07/sew-softie-day-kid-made-emoji-cthulhu-softies.html

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http://www.redtedart.com/sew-strawberry-plushie/

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Make Film Play- How to Make a Dachshund Softie

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Make Film Play- How to Make a Dachshund Softie

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http://www.makefilmplay.com/kids-crafts/how-to-make-a-dachshund-softie/

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http://wildolive.blogspot.com.au/2017/07/project-embroidered-plush-alpaca-softie.html

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My Plushie Family ~ ‘Sew a Softie’ Tutorial Hop by Mignon Prider

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My Plushie Family ~ ‘Sew a Softie’ Tutorial Hop by Mignon Prider

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https://mignonpriderdesign.wordpress.com/2017/07/03/my-plushie-family-sew-a-softie-tutorial-hop/

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Sew a Softie 2017 – Fairy Doll Pattern by Tina

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Sew a Softie 2017 – Fairy Doll Pattern by Tina

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https://missdaisypatterns.com/sew-softie-2017-fairy-doll-pattern/

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http://www.colouredbuttons.com/2017/07/mini-softie-jar.html

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http://www.colouredbuttons.com/2017/06/2017-sew-softie-tutorial-list.html