The Festive Birds' biennial Christmas party

usually ends badly.

Which is why it isn't held every year.

Here's how to make a naughty bird of your own.

Enlarge to any size you fancy, my robin is 4.5 " and the penguin is 3 ".

Cut and stitch as shown, sewing the tummy on first and the beak just above.

Make eyes using felt and embroidery thread, or you could use those stick-on 'goooogly' eyes.

Pin and stitch the two body pieces together, turn right side out and close gap.

Add a bell and string if desired, and Fanny's your Aunt ( that's what you say, after someone says Bob's your Uncle ).

These are very quick and fun to do - perfect for selling 'cheeply' at the school Christmas craft fair.

Thank you so much for your great craft suggestions . I went for the finger puppet idea, and spent the whole morning cutting out pieces of felt (with a feeling of impending doom), only to get a phone call at the eleventh hour telling me it had been cancelled.

See, there IS a God.

Comments

[natascha]

I love them!! I'll try this week-end!! Thanks so much for the little tutorial. This week-end is a felt week-end!!

[sarah]

dear lyn, i was hoping to make some birds for my tree this year (quickly, so as to leave plenty of time for parties and christmas cheer) these are perfect...thanks for saving me LOTS of time by so generously sharing yet another fantastic tutorial xxx

[sarah]

ps...love the party pics!

[Jan]

That first photo is so funny!

[Jane]

They obviously drank the cider at the party. Falling over like that and chatting up the birds...

Fanny is a favourite name in this house. My best friend at school was called Fanny. The children beg me to repeat stories about her just so they can hear me say it. So we could do with an Aunt Fanny to help with craft projects.

[Blair]

You are so full of great ideas! I think this tutorial is another keeper. The first picture made me laugh out loud (which I needed believe me).

[*jenny]

that party pic made me snort my ovaltine.

[Kate]

Love those birds. Just the thing for my middley (her real name is Felicity Robyn) to make!
Have a lovely weekend. Sorry you were saved from the fingerpuppets, we'd have loved to have seen 'em. I'm just amazed you have such copious quantities of proper felt not that 'Kunin' rubbish that's everywhere! You must have been to John Lewis!! Wish me luck as I ice my cake for the Bowling Club!!

[Rose]

Ha! Cheeply! Nothing like a good giggle over coffee. Congrats on the class being cancelled! I the robins are especially cute, thanks for the pattern.

[Stephanie]

yay! Thanks for this. the penguins are so cute. I seem to be softie-impaired, but I should be able to succeed with your help! :)

[Bettsi]

They are fabulously darling! You clever, clever girl!

[Sandrine (alias Didine!)]

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP !!! Bravo !!! I love these birds ! And thank you for this pattern ! They're going to sing "Merry Christmas" to you on my Christmas tree ! Take care !

[camille]

another adorable tutorial! thanks dear!

[KiWi]

No wonder the march of the penguins takes so long...they keep stopping for package liquor. It also explains why they don't drive. Apparently, the the arctic is just one big frozen margerita.

[Laura]

Oh how cute - and the comments are making me laugh as much as the penguin party photo!! heheh

Wings - I want wings! (I see wings in the drawing with the two holding hands!) Would you sew them into the seam when you put the body together, or add them afterward like the beak? This is so darling, but instead of a robin I want to make mine a bluebird! :)

[laura r.]

LOVE! thank you for the pattern.
has there ever been a sweeter word?
cancelled.

[Kay]

Ha! Ha! Ha!
I love those birds. Can I come to their next party?

[Wendy]

Those naughty birds can't hold their liquor, lol! That first photo is a hoot!

Great birds!

[KiWi]

http://kiwibabies.blogspot.com/2005/12/tipsy-penguin.html

Lyn, you've been so inspirational to me lately. You are the wind beneath my penguin.

[Hoppetossa]

Cute ones!

[Sooz]

Many thanks again for your generosity in sharing your 'how to' on these delightful little critters. I'm going to be doing some 'making' (as my 3yo daughter calls crafting). You are such a hero.

[Linda]

So funny and clever.

[Joyce Buzzard]

Very cute penguins... to answer your question on the orange-pink bridesmaids, the skirt waists are worn well over waist height, hence the apparently large looking breasts on all of them. I have seen the orange-pink ensemble used on occassion throughout the six years I've tailed Dave on his wedding photography jobs (with a 3 chip camcorder) and it can look very fetching, just not in my recent post. Im my experience, 99.6% of all our male wedding clients could care less what the bridesmaids wore so long as the bride was happy with it.

[melissa]

These are the cutest! Thank you for the pattern. I love the photo of your raucous birds, they know how to have a good time! My partner's uncle is Bob, and his aunt is Fini (pronounced 'feeenie') so that saying is pretty popular in our house, too. Am so looking forward to making a wee robin or penguin!

[Stephanie]

I did it--hurrah! :)
http://stephknits.blogspot.com/2005/12/festive-penguins.html