Owl Tag Toy

This was my other project when the overlocker ran out of thread during KCWC. I made 3 of them for assorted babies, including my own. Here is the owl in action being played with:



Ellie loves playing with the tags of clothes at the moment, so this toy is perfect. Here is how to make it:

You will need: Scraps of fabric and fleece, felt, different colours and sizes of ribbon, thread, iron on interfacing, double sided fusible web, PVA glue, a ring to hang the toy on a baby gym (you can get these from lots of baby stores in big packets)

Here is what to do:

1. I sketched an owl picture to use as a pattern:

2. I then used this to cut the following:

- A front out of cotton

- A back out of fleece

- 2 sets of 3 circles for eyes from felt - biggest from white, middle from brown and middle from black

- 1 beak out of felt

- 2 wings
- 8 pieces of a variety of ribbon, all measuring 10cms long

3. I used double sided fusible web (you can get this from craft and patchwork stores, just explain to them what you want it for) to fuse the wings to the owl. You need to iron it to the wings, then peel it off the back and fuse the wings to the body. Either ask the shop to explain to you how to do it, of look up an internet tutorial. I recommend putting grease proof paper over it when you are doing any ironing, to avoid it coating the iron! I then fused iron on interfacing to the back of the front, to make it a bit stiffer and less floppy.

4. I then used glue to temporarily stick the eyes and beak to the owl's front. You could use the double sided fusible web, but I just wasnt sure about how hot temperatures the felt could stand and how much wool was in it vs synthetics. You need to be careful with the glue though so you don't use too much and make a big mess!

5. I then hand sewed the eyes and beak to the owl, as they were too little to do a neat job of with the sewing machine.

6. Next I pinned the fleece back to the front, sandwiching the ribbons between and making sure I pinned each of them so that they wouldn't come out before I stitched around the outside.

7. I then stitched around the outside of the owl, catching all the ribbons securely and also top stitching around the edges of the wings to avoid them coming off. As this is a baby toy, its really important to ensure that everything is going to be securely attached and won't come off and choke the baby!



8. Put a ring through the top and you are ready to go!!