Guest Sheila Haynes Rauen designed and demonstrated how to make this felted wool stuffed cat.
Materials:
National Nonwovens wool felt
Sulky Basting Spray or fabric glue stick
sink
clothes dryer
sewing machine*
scissors
sewing pins
decorative & sewing thread in desired colors
embroidery/darning foot*
embroidery needle for sewing machine*
tracing paper & card stock for templates & overlays
polyester fiber stuffing
beads, buttons, rubber stamps, fabric paints, etc. (optional)
Velcro (optional)
*You might choose to hand-sew and/or hand-embroider your project, in which case hand-sewing supplies would be needed instead.
Steps:
1. Soak felt completely in a sink or basin but do not rub or agitate. Process each color separately. It is normal for some colors to release dye into the water.
2. Squeeze by hand to remove as much water as possible, but do not wring or twist. Place felt in a standard clothes dryer on regular setting for 30 to 35 minutes. Don't over-dry.
3. Lay felt flat to continue the drying process, smoothing the fabric gently by hand. Large wrinkles may be removed by using a light steam iron held just above the surface of the fabric. NOTE: Do not iron felt with steam iron after the felting process. It will return to its original smooth form. To retain the fleece-like look, it should be dry-cleaned only.
4. Prepare the pattern (figure A) by drawing the head, body, legs and tail shapes on tracing paper. Trace other shapes (eyes, nose, details on head and body) onto card stock.
5. Cut out two head/body pieces, four front legs, four back legs and two tail pieces from desired colors of felted fabric. Cut out two eyes, two blacks of eyes, face details and chest piece.
6. Prepare a tracing of entire cat on tracing paper to use as an overlay when positioning each design element.
7. Spray the backs of the eyes, face details and chest piece with Sulky Basting spray or use a fabric glue stick, following manufacturer's directions.
8. Using the overlay as a guide, place each piece into position on the top of the cat. Use a few pins to help hold the shapes in place (figure B).
9. Stitch each shape into position by machine or by hand. We used the buttonhole stitch on the sewing machine for the cat (figure C). Some additional free-motion embroidery was done to enhance the design (figure D). If you decide to do free-motion embroidery on a sewing machine, be sure to use an embroidery needle, decorative threads such as Sulky and YLI and bobbin thread. Drop or cover the feed dogs and install a darning/embroidery foot.
TIP: This is a fun place to try different techniques to embellish your design. Try adding color, detail or texture with rubber stamps and fabric ink or paint, or sew on buttons or beads to make a unique creation. Do not allow any buttons or beads to encroach in the area of the seam allowance. This could damage your needle or sewing machine later on when you are constructing the animal.
10. Set up sewing machine for regular sewing (universal needle, regular sewing thread in desired colors, straight stitch). Sew the four legs and the tail sections together, leaving an opening midway along the side for turning and stuffing later . The legs and tail will not be stuffed until after they are attached to the cat.
11. Turn the four legs and the tail right side out and place them in position as they would look on the finished animal (figure E).
12. Reverse the arms, legs and tail so that the open edges are together (figure F). Pin them into position between the two head/body pieces, which will be right sides facing. Be careful to avoid having any of the pieces caught up in the stitching line where they shouldn't be (figure G).
13. Stitch around the head/body shape, leaving a large enough opening for turning right side out and to accommodate pulling the legs and tail out. Reinforce stitching where limbs are attached.
14. Turn right side out. Carefully stuff head/body shape, each leg and the tail. Use a stuffing tool or dowel to help in this process. Sew each shape closed by hand.
15. If desired, you may add Velcro to the paws so your felted friend can hold on to you or your favorite little one. You may choose to make a felted mouse or fish for your pet to hold onto...
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