Craft Focus - Apr/May (Issue 72)

92 INSTRUCTIONS 1 Cut out the templates and transfer to the felt. 2 Sew the two beak pieces together using a small blanket stitch and yellow thread. Add toy filling but don’t close the end. 3 Embroider the eye on each body piece with a large French knot in black thread. Add a couple of lines of backstitch in the same colour around it, and a long horizontal straight stitch across, as shown in the photograph. 4 Embroider a few individual tailless fly stitches on the neck in beige thread, or simply use straight stitches worked in V-shapes. 5 Place the black tail on the tail section of the body and secure with a few individual lazy daisy stitches. Repeat for the other side. 6 Place each wing on one side of the body, covering a little bit of the black tail, and attach with large individual tailless fly stitches in silver grey thread (or straight stitches worked in V-shapes). Make sure your stitches go through the body to hold the wing properly in place. 7 Sew the two body sections together using blanket stitch and white thread, from the tail to the beak, along the back. Insert the beak between the two body layers and stitch through everything to hold the beak in place. Add a little toy filling to the head and carry on stitching down the neck to A. 8 Insert the white breast section, matching the points at A. Continue stitching, adding toy filling as you go, then close the seam completely. 9 Finally, make and attach the wire legs using the technique shown in the book. They need to be about 7cm (2¾in) long. Adapted from Folk Embroidered Felt Birds by Corinne Lapierre (ISBN 9781782216988). Published by Search Press, this beautifully illustrated title retails at £9.99. Go to searchpress.com for details.