Tortoise
You will need
• 50 x 50cm piece of calico
• 40 x 40cm piece of lilac felt
• matching coloured sewing thread
• pattern
• dressmaker’s graph paper
• dressmaker’s carbon paper
• pencil
• stranded embroidery thread in a selection of bright colours
• knitting needle
• polyester toy stuffing
Note If you cannot find dressmaker’s graph paper, we are offering three A1 sheets for R15. Send your order together with a cheque or postal order to: Ideas/Graph paper offer,Box 1802, Cape Town 8000.
To make
1 Enlarge the grid to the actual size and cut out. You will need to cut two shell sides and one shell base from calico, and eight leg pieces and two head pieces from felt.
2 Transfer the flower design onto the calico shell sides using the carbon paper. It is easiest to embroider the pieces before they are assembled. Work all the outlines in small neat chain stitches using three strands of embroidery thread. For the larger flowers work a double outline. The centre of the flowers can be worked in a cross or star stitch. Darn in all the ends when the stitching is completed.
3 Place two leg pieces together, right sides facing, and machinestitch around the outer edge, leaving the top edge open. Turn the leg through to the right side. use a knitting needle to push the seam so it lies smoothly. Complete the three remaining legs in the same way. Stuff the legs with polyester stuffing and machine stitch the top edge closed.
4 Now sew the head pieces together in the same way, but do not turn through or stuff at this stage. With the right sides facing, sew the shell body together. At the same time insert the head into the shell at the lower curve.
5 Sew the base to the shell, leaving an opening for turning. Turn the tortoise through to the right side. Hand-stitch the legs to the right side of the shell base.
6 Stuff the head and body with polyester stuffing, using a knitting needle to push the stuffing into the head section. Close the opening with neat hand stitches. Using black embroidery thread, sew a cross on each side of the head for the eyes.
Spotty dog
You will need
• 30 x 50cm piece of calico
• 30 x 30cm piece of beige-andcream
• striped cotton
• matching coloured sewing thread
• pattern
• dressmaker’s graph paper
• dressmaker’s carbon paper
• pencil
• stranded embroidery thread in a
• selection of bright colours
• knitting needle
• polyester toy stuffing
To make
1 Enlarge the grid to the actual size and cut out. From the calico cut out two body pieces and two ear pieces. From the striped fabric cut out two gusset pieces and two ear pieces.
2 It is easiest to embroider the spots before you assemble the toy – refer to the tortoise instructions. With right sides together, sew one calico ear piece to one striped ear piece, leaving the straight edge open. Turn through to the right side. Press the ear flat. Machine-stitch the open side of ear to the head so the striped fabric is outermost when the ear is complete. Fold the ear over the seam and press flat. Repeat for the other ear.
3 With right sides facing, sew one gusset piece to one body piece around the leg sections. Repeat for the other side. Stitch the rest of the body from tail to head. Turn through to the right side through the open gusset.
4 Stuff the dog, inserting the filling into the tail with a knitting needle. Close the open gusset with small, neat hand stitches. To complete, embroider a cross on each side of the head for the eyes.
No comments yet.