A little quickie love bird.
I'm hoping if you click on the link below, and maximise the page, you will be able to print off the right sized template for this birdie.
Gawd knows how long I spent trying to sort out a pdf for this, and then gave up, so hopefully inserting it as a file will suffice.If it doesn't you can scale up this (click on the picture to make it bigger).
Stitch one piece of plain fabric to one piece of patterned fabric along the long edge, repeat, then fold your 4" square of fabric in half and press as shown.
I've lined the body pieces with a medium weight cotton to make it nice and sturdy, just stitch together along the edges and trim. Don't do this to the pocket which is shown on the left.
Pin and stitch around the template on one piece of your plain/patterned fabric. This will act as a guide for your applique and subsequent stitchery.
Stitch his/her face in place, and then pin the folded over pocket to your birdie body, aligning the top of the pocket as below
(Sorry about the crappy photo).
Flip over, and following your previous stitch line, stitch the pocket to the main body.
Cut out the feet and hair from scraps of felt
Stitch in place.
I made my legs a bit shorter after I'd taken this photo, but it's entirely up to you how long they are.
Now pin your two body pieces right sides together, and stitch together just inside your original guideline leaving a gap to turn.
Trim and snip close to your stitch line to make it more bendy.
Turn right side out, and stitch gap closed.
Make some little paper love notes using the bigger heart template, and a fabric heart using the smaller template and pop into the pocket (or you could suggest to your loved one that this would be a very good place to hide a lovely surprise diamond ring for you).
As usual, I suspect this tutorial rambles on, but I hope it makes sense, do let me know if not.
Happy Valentines day !
here's a free PDF creation tool you might find useful and handy to have...
http://www.pdfforge.org/products/pdfcreator
Posted by: Aeptah | March 29, 2009 at 04:33 PM
I have made 6 love birds so far for a special easter drop for the toy society.
Your tutorial was wonderful. Such a cute little softie to make for Easter. I am calling him the Easter Chick!
x Catherine
Posted by: made by Maisie | March 30, 2009 at 01:15 PM
thx for sharing :) lovely
Posted by: funny | March 30, 2009 at 05:10 PM
Very cute :)
Just added on my blog!!!
Posted by: A_flama | March 31, 2009 at 05:40 AM
How adorable!! Too bad I didn't see it before Valentines Day...
It is beautiful.
Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Clothing Labels Designer | April 01, 2009 at 06:30 PM
Hi,
I love your love bird. I tweaked it and pretty much mangled it :) for a little guy's birthday present. Blogged about it and thought you might want to check it out.
http://emilyflippinmaruna.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/ground-control/
Posted by: Emily Flippin Maruna | April 02, 2009 at 08:05 AM
Super cute! Sweetest present I can imagine.
Thanks
Akhila
Posted by: Akhila | April 02, 2009 at 08:08 PM
very cute.
Posted by: Christy Sheffield | April 10, 2009 at 06:22 PM
So cute!!! I'm glad someone posting your link on One Crafty Place. I can't wait to sit down and go through your archives!! Thanks for sharing your tutorials and patterns!
Posted by: Heather | April 15, 2009 at 10:24 PM
This is the best idea ever, its so cute and can be very versatile, for easter, birthday, vals day even just thankyou or whatever, thanks so much.
Posted by: elizabeth | April 18, 2009 at 11:33 AM
o la la !!! 110 commentaires (je suis le 111ème !!! )
j'ai très envie de réaliser ton joli oiseau... dès que j'aurai un moment !
amitiés de France
nekita
o la la! 110 comments (I am the 111th!)
I really want to achieve your beautiful bird ... as soon as I have a moment!
Amitiés de France
(that, you have understood, isn't it?)
Posted by: Nekita | May 01, 2009 at 10:43 PM
This is sweet. I'm going to make these with my grandkids.. cute, cute cute.
Posted by: Gail | May 28, 2009 at 02:06 PM
Thank you Thank you Thank you :-) for posting this. I am making these -- in May ;-) -- and am so grateful you shared not only this idea, but also the instructions!! I appreciate the photos and details as well....there was not even a hint of rambling. It was perfect.
I also followed your "birdie" tutorial a few springs ago....thank you for that as well. It is so rewarding, as a new sewer, to be able to make somthing fun and unique and cute, without feeling like a complete failure at the machine!!!! :-)
Posted by: Tanya | May 29, 2009 at 01:20 PM
c'est vraiment trop mignon! merci pour le tuto.
Posted by: cevreen | May 30, 2009 at 07:06 PM
It's so cute !!! Thank you for the tutorial !
Posted by: isastuce | June 01, 2009 at 02:12 PM
So cute! I made one, and it turned out really well. Thank you so much! ^_^
Posted by: DNAlice | July 25, 2009 at 12:12 AM
Merci c'est trop mignon
Posted by: l'arbre à bobines | September 30, 2009 at 07:01 AM
Financial Release,observation look test ride smile extremely with between college those red lay post pay industry revolution basis aircraft open survive fast shape interpretation well formal force example period more there legal seat test might no though occasion daughter need politics among year store executive together goal speaker weapon version consideration top identify rural media sound director conversation credit team impression really colleague volume destroy paper hope literature advise lady normal restaurant clearly as whether teach recent credit bone write appear second chance equipment mass recover arrange turn grow no trouble row after list
Posted by: Substantialcultural | December 08, 2009 at 12:08 PM
asem tak kiro tutorial manuk lovebird
Posted by: MasBay | December 10, 2009 at 06:15 AM
lovely tutorial! You are doing so much things, are you sleeping sometimes ;-) ?
Posted by: Natacha | December 21, 2009 at 09:22 PM
Just thought I'd let you know that I've made some 'rabbit' softies which were inspired by your cute little creations! I blogged about them last night.
Posted by: Claire | December 22, 2009 at 09:30 PM
Thanks for this cute tutorial
Posted by: Janine | December 24, 2009 at 10:44 PM
Awww! They are adorable! Yay! Can't wait to make them for affordable gifls! Thanks.
Posted by: sookylahlah | January 03, 2010 at 10:05 PM
so cute!
Posted by: fancythatcookies | February 14, 2010 at 05:51 PM
Lovely and cute :-)
Posted by: Villblomsten | February 17, 2010 at 05:17 PM
Hi there!
I've made your Love Bird and it was such a happy project to do! Thank you very very much for sharing!!
If you'd like to see mine, you can find it here.
I've noticed you haven't been active on your blog for quite a long time and I think it's such a shame. Most of the times I don't take time to read teksts, but you have such a great way of putting things :D Sometimes I sit here laughing out loud, for real!
So if this might help: would you pleassseee consider coming back to share all your great creative expressions, which inculeds your writings! The fact I'm in love with everything you make, that's just so logical. How could I not love it (duah!)
*hug* Monica
Posted by: Monica | February 19, 2010 at 02:30 AM
thanks... this is just lovely. I made a pair of lovebirds using unused towels and hanky. Really adorable. The template missed out the hair part but that is really quite easy to do.
http://stapler.blogspot.com/2010/02/lovebirds-xoxo.html
Posted by: minah_stapler | February 22, 2010 at 12:42 AM
This bird is really really cuteeeeeeee!! I can't wait to do this!
Posted by: Thonosv | March 22, 2010 at 05:03 PM
Very cute!!
Posted by: Kelly | April 14, 2010 at 06:53 PM
It's beautful!
I loved!
Posted by: Nídias Santos | May 25, 2010 at 11:09 PM
Cute cute cute! I have yet to make this (lazy,*sigh*), but every time I run across your tutorial, I fall in love again. :) Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Meg | August 30, 2010 at 04:49 AM