Fresh Chicks

Designers: Kevin Kosbab and Alex Kosbab

• Scrap of orange felt or fleece
• 1⁄4 yard yellow fleece
• Scrap of blue print
• Polyester fiberfill
• Embroidery floss: yellow
• 2--1⁄2"-diameter buttons: black

Finished bird: 6x5x3" for small bird; 7-1/4x6-1/4x3-1/2" for large bird

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order. Instructions are for one small bird. Click on "Download this Project" above for patterns. Be sure to transfer the dots (matching points) marked on the patterns to the templates, then to the fabric pieces.

From orange felt or fleece, cut:

• 1 of Pattern D

From yellow fleece, cut:

• 1 each of patterns A and A reversed
• 1 of Pattern B

From blue print, cut:

• 2 each of patterns C and C reversed

1. Referring to Diagram 1 for placement, pin orange felt D piece on one yellow fleece A piece.

2. Layer and pin A pieces with right sides together. With a short stitch length (1.5-2 mm), sew together A pieces, leaving an opening between dots to make upper body (Diagram 2).

3. Matching dots, pin B piece (lower body) into upper body opening. Using short stitch length, sew B piece to upper body, leaving a 2" opening near tail to make bird body (Diagram 3). Clip corners and curves almost to stitching.

4. Turn bird body right side out. Stuff tightly with fiberfill (use eraser end of pencil or a chopstick to poke fiberfill into curved areas of body). Hand-stitch opening closed.

5. Layer and sew together blue print C and C reversed pieces, leaving a 1" opening along one edge.

6. Turn C pieces right side out. Stuff lightly with fiberfill. Hand-stitch opening closed to make a wing.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to make a second wing.

8.  Referring to Pattern A for placement, use two strands of yellow floss to blanket-stitch a wing to each side of bird body.

To blanket-stitch, pull needle up at A, form a reverse L shape with floss, and hold angle of L shape in place with your thumb (Blanket Stitch Diagram). Push needle down at B and come up at C to secure stitch. Continue in same manner around shape.

9. For eyes, sew a 1⁄2"-diameter black button on each side of body to complete bird.