Monday 10 June 2013

Guest blogger - Felt wall toys

Today's tutorial was written by guest blogger Jen :)
 
Felt Wall Toys – Tutorial


 
You will need:
Brightly coloured felt pieces
 For the Mushroom: Red, Gold and White
 For the Fish: Orange and Royal Blue
 For the Dinosaur: Grass green
Embellishments: sequins, ribbons, ricrac braid etc
Parchment/baking paper to make a template
Stuffing
Optional: light cardboard for stiffness
Optional: rattle inserts, squeaks, crinkle paper
Optional: fabric paints, adhesives
Strong thread
Needles, pins
Sew-on Velcro (fluffy side only)
3M picture hanging strips to attach to wall


1: Create your template.

If using a pre-existing design, lay it on a light coloured background, place a piece of baking paper over the top and trace around it.  Remember to trace around all of the design elements you want to use!

Alternatively, free-hand draw your design on to paper.

2: Pin and cut out your design

This is a 3d design, so make sure you cut a front and a back.  

For the Mushroom, cut 1 body in red, 1 hat in red, 1 face in gold, 1 spot and 2 ovals in white:


(tip: use the curve of the body cut-out to get the right curve for the bottom of the hat).  


Make sure you cut the face about a cm bigger on the top edge, so the hat overlaps it.


For the dinosaur:
Cut 2 in Green.


For the fish:
Cut 2 blue, one orange (3 pieces total).  
Cut fins and tail off one of the blue pieces – these will be used later.

 
3: Applique

Mushroom: Pin the spots and ovals on to the hat and blanket stitch around them.  I used a piece of crinkle paper behind the big spot.

Pin the face to the hat (hat overlapping), and blanket stitch the join.


Fish:
Pin the blue fin and tail you cut off earlier to the orange body, and blanket stitch them down.  Embroider details.


4: Embellish!

Add sequins and trim to front layer as desired.  Note: if using paints or adhesives pay attention to drying times.

For the fish, I used large holographic sequin “scales”, and a green sequin eye.  



I used a star trim, large sequins and large blue pailettes on the dinosaur.  


I used a black marker to draw the Mushroom eyes.

5: Assemble

If using stiffening, cut a piece of light cardboard slightly smaller than the felt shapes.
Sandwich the board between the front and back pieces (right sides out).


Blanket stitch most of the way around, leaving a large enough gap to stuff the toy.  With shapes like the dinosaur and fish, stuff as you sew to fill the neck, feet and tail.


 
If I only had a brain…

Stuff toy.  If using rattles or squeaks, put them in now.  I used a flat rattle insert in the dinosaur.

When happy with the plumpness of the toys, blanket stitch the opening closed.


Give to small child to examine. J



6: Stick to the wall

Measure a 3M Picture Hanging strip and cut a strip of fluffy Velcro to size.  Blanket stitch to back of toy.  The Velcro is stiff to sew through, so use a sharp curved mattress needle – it’s much easier than a straight one.



Peel off the back of the 3M strip and attach it to the wall.

Stick toys to the 3M strip.


Play!





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