Easter birdy tutorial

You will need

Yellow felt or blanket

Small amount of white felt

scraps of wool felt for legs and hair.

Fabrics of your choice.

Fray check.

Embroidery threads for eyes and decorative details.

Enlarge to whatever size you wish and cut out pattern pieces.

Now, cut two out two head pieces from your chosen fabric, I've used an old woollen blanket, or you can use good quality felt.

Next, stitch two strips of fabric together to make a piece large enough for the body pattern ( or you can just use one piece of fabric, or maybe some patchwork ? ). Repeat for the other side.

Stitch the body and head together, and then cut out and stitch the beak, and little white circles of felt for the eyes, to the head.

Repeat for the back, but without the beak and eyes. Obviously. Unless you want your Mama bird to have eyes in the back of her head, which is a very useful thing to have when you are a Mama, as we all know.

Finish the eyes with a bit of embroidery, and then pin and cut around the body pieces.

Next, pin and stitch the wing piece to two layers of fabric, wrong sides together. Cut out close to the line of stitching and a apply fray check. Repeat.

Cut three little strips of felt for hair, and two strips of felt for legs, and along with the wings, pin and stitch to the front body piece.

Cut a tail piece from felt, and then snip along the dotted lines to make feathers.

Stitch onto back piece first this way.

And then bend back on itself and stitch this way, so the feathers are pointing up .

Next, pin and stitch your birdy front and back pieces, right sides together, leaving a gap for turning.

Turn, stuff and stitch gap closed.

Now, pin and stitch your pocket piece to two layers of fabric, right sides together, again leaving a gap at the top for turning.

Turn right side out, handstitch top hem to close gap,

and then handstitch pocket to Mama's tummy..

Phew, this is turning into a mammoth post..... must get a coffee....... o.k, now the egg and baby.

For the egg, cut one piece of felt for the front, and two pieces slightly overlapping, for the back, like this,

Pin and stitch all the way around. Turn right side out, and embroider if desired.

Pin and stitch your baby pattern to two layers of felt, turn right side out ,stitch on a tiny felt beak,and embroider eyes.

Pop baby into egg

and egg into Mummy's pocket ( personally, I think pockets are a much better idea for incubating eggs/babies than wombs) .

Tah Dah !

This tutorial is a little thank you to everyone who reads/comments on my blog, and to those people in my e-mail box who I haven't replied to yet for being so patient.

Please feel free to make as many as you want as gifts, or for any charitible event, but not to sale or I'll be sad. And mad.

Molly and I have plans to make Easter Bunnies for  her teachers tonight. I recieved a copy of Julie Arkell's book from Loop last week, it's quite a small book , but I find it wonderfully inspirational, so we are going to try and make some little creatures like hers. I'll post photos when and if I can - school finishes tomorrow. 'Nuff said.

Comments

[Starlagirl]

Can't wait to try my birdie! The egg and chicklit are sooo unexpected!

Thanks!!

[Nicky Fraser]

chick chick chick chick chicken, lay a lil' egg for me! how fabulous! Happy Easter x

[Posidriv]

Incredibly cute! They make me smile! :) Thanks for the tutorial, I'll have to try to make these two.

Happy easter! :)

[carolyn]

So sweet, thanks ever so and have a good Easter.

[Wendy]

You are wonderful!!! I absolutely love the egg. And your timing is perfect. I've been trying to decide on a little something to put in the pocket of a little felt purse for my daughter.

[Linda]

she is just delightful what a wonderful little Easter treat!! thanks so much for sharing!!! Hugs Linda

[liz]

thank you, thank you!
what a cute little easter treat!

[Doe]

I...musn't...look!!! Ugh! Too late! The force of cuteness is pulling me in. lol! I'm all over this adorable chikah and her little chickie. I'll definitely find time to make this one. Thank you sooo much for sharing! And have a wonderful Easter!
Doe-

[Rebecca F.]

Thank you so much!!

[kt]

Oooooh, birdies.

Better yet, Chicken-birdies!

Thanks for the Easter giftie!

[corrie]

love it! want it!!!might have to try before easter! Thanks!

[lucykatecrafts]

i'm back to say i made one of the chick and eggs for my daughter yesterday. she insisted the egg was red with a pink flower on it (and we have 2 chicks as the first one was too small for her to pop on her finger and use as a puppet!)

[Bernadette]

Just back to say I did make three! Last night! Bed at 1.30am! Had to do it last night for reasons too boring to go into. They are unbelievably cute and if my kids don't think so I'll keep them all for me. Thanks again.

[Monica Huete]

Thank you for sharing this lovely pattern, it's so cute ...
Thank you again

Monica

[Madison Avenue]

You are unbelievable! Too cute for words.

[Veronica TM]

thank you, lynn! it is the most adorable easter thing ever!!!

[Lauren]

Thanks for the rocking chicken mama pattern! Love your blog and your humor..thanks for bringing me smiles :)

[Barbara]

I loved this chickie so much, I made one for myself http://www.flickr.com/photos/baprime/447564484/

I couldn't print out the pattern, so I improvised. But it was simple and fun to make, and a nice change from what I usually do.

[charlotte lyons]

No end to your brilliant designs and creations. Love the chick in the egg the best. Darling!

[Sprittibee]

That is. so. cute. :) I love it!

[kristin]

ooooo...i have so much on my to do list, but this must come first. thank you :) xo

[Mae]

So cute! Great of you to share your gifts with all of us. Have a great weekend!

[Morgan]

Cute, cute, cute!!! Love it!

[Oiyi]

Oh, it's wonderful! Thank you!

[sarah]

So lovely, thank you!