sewing & craft projects

1. First, take one of the brown patterned pieces of fabric and place it right side up, with the 10cm measurement horizontally. Then taking one of the plain brown fabric pieces, place it on top, face side down, also with the 10cm measurement horizontally, and so that both top edges meet. Pin, and stitch the two pieces together by sewing straight across the top, 0.5cm away from the edge. Repeat this process with the two remaining fabric pieces for the body. Open both, now joined, body sides out, and place the two, right sides together, making sure both joining seems line up and is vertical. Pin on the paper body template, making sure the joining seems line up with the dotted line as marked, and then cut out the shape. Remove the paper template, and place one of the body pieces down, right side up. You now need to put the rectangular felt spines into position, do this by using the marks on the paper body template as a guide, each mark should line up, more or less centrally, with middle of each felt rectangle. Hold the spines in place with a little bit of sellotape, then place the remaining body piece on top, right side down and sew all of the layers together, 0.5cm in from the edge making sure to leave a 3cm gap for turning and stuffing as marked.

 

2. Turn the body so it is right side round, paying careful attention to the hedgehogs nose, remove the sellotape and now gradually stuff, by tearing off small pieces of polyfil until you are happy with the shape. Place the brown felt oval over the hole on the underside of the body, and stitch into position with some random straight stitches using the embroidery thread. When that is done, don’t cut the thread, take the needle through to the face area, so you are ready to add the eyes, nose and mouth.

 

3. Decide where you would like to position the eyes, place a brown button on top of a cream felt circle for each, and attach with a stitch. Also, sew on the cream button nose and continue to complete the face by adding a little smile in backstitch. Once you have done this, your hedgehog is finished.

 

TIPS & HINTS

 

As this is a small project, it is great for using up scraps of fabric and thread.

 

If you can’t get hold of the small buttons, use tiny pieces of dark brown felt instead.

 

You could use a stuffing implement, a knitting needle or chopstick will do to make sure the stuffing is pushed right into the hedgehogs nose.

 

Using the same template and instructions, you could make your hedgehog in any colour you like.

 

He works great used as a pin cushion too!