An exquisite collection of toy sewing patterns to make stuffed animals to treasure! These stunning animal dolls are easy to sew and then embellish with simple hand embroidery stitches to beautiful effect. The dolls and their cute outfits all use small amounts of fabric, so are great for using up scraps. With step-by step instructions and full guidance on the embroidery stitches and full-size pattern pieces to trace from the page, this super-accessible book will help you make future heirlooms that will stay in the family for generations. "In this appealing how-to offering, Down ( My Felt Doll ) instructs crafters how to create tiny and whimsical fairylike animals. ... Throughout, Down includes easy-to-follow patterns, guidance on intricate hand-embroidered accents, and encouraging words to lend confidence to beginning sewists." -- Publishers Weekly Gingermelon's Embroidered Animals Heirloom animal dolls to sew, embellish and treasure By Shelly Down F+W Media, Inc. Copyright © 2019 F&W Media International, Ltd All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4463-0730-4 Contents Introduction, 4, How This Book Works, 6, Tools and Materials, 8, The Basic Doll, 12, Floral Bunny, 22, Shooting Star Kitty, 32, Whimsical Mouse, 42, Dapper Bear, 52, Dreamy Owl, 60, Darling Ellie, 70, Nautical Fox, 78, Enchanted Deer, 88, Lullaby Lamb, 96, Fanciful Unicorn, 108, Li'l Lion, 118, Stitch Guide, 122, Acknowledgments, 126, About the Author, 126, Suppliers, 126, Index, 127, CHAPTER 1 THE Basic Doll All the dolls are made from the same basic pattern, except for their ears. I've used a combination of fabrics, ranging from medium-weight cotton for the bodies, to lightweight cotton and cotton blends for the outfits. Each animal's facial features are hand embroidered. Once the embroidery is complete, the head, body, arms, legs and all of the outfits are machine sewn. You will need • Sewing supplies: dressmaking scissors, pinking shears, embroidery scissors, pins, general needles, long doll needle and beading needle • Sewing machine and threads to match fabrics • Stuffing (fiber fill) • Turning and stuffing tools, such as wooden spoon, orange stick/ chopstick and plastic drinking straws in various widths • Erasable marker, such as a disappearing-ink marker or water-soluble ink marker • School ruler • Embroidery hoop 12.5cm (5in) diameter • Two pieces of cotton fabric for doll's head, each about 18cm (7in) square • 23cm x 15cm (9in x 6in) cotton fabric for body • 23cm x 28cm (9in x 11in) cotton fabric for arms and legs • For the facial features embroidery: DMC Cotton embroidery thread (floss): black (310) for eyes and eyebrows; DMC Satin embroidery thread: white (S5200) for highlights; Lecien Cosmo Nishikiito Metallic thread: copper (16) for snout • Pink pencil and a cotton bud (Q-tip) for blushing cheeks • Washi tape 5mm (1/4 in) wide (for fixing pattern to a window) HAND EMBROIDERY STITCHES USED Refer to the Stitch Guide chapter for these stitches. • Ladder stitch • Satin stitch • Stem stitch • Straight stitch LAYOUT AND CUTTING 1 Make a photocopy or trace the pattern pieces for the basic doll onto paper. The patterns are given full size, so there is no need for re-sizing. Cut out each paper pattern piece. Note: the patterns do not include seam allowances, as most of the pieces are traced onto the fabric with a fabric marker and then stitched on the traced lines. The fabric shapes are then cut out with 5mm (¼ in) seam allowance, cut by eye. Refer to each project for full instructions. The final shape of the head will depend on how the pattern piece is placed on the grain of the fabric. The warp thread, generally the stronger thread, runs up and down (vertically) along the fabric, while the weft thread, which has a bit of stretch, runs right to left (horizontally). I have chosen to lay the pattern pieces onto the fabric so that the arrows on the pattern follow the direction of the fabric warp grain, so follow the directions of the arrows printed on each paper pattern piece. 2 Trace the head pattern piece onto the right side of one of the 18cm (7in) squares of fabric with a disappearing-ink marker. To mark the grid on the head, keep the head pattern piece pinned in place and gently lift the outer edges. Use the marker to mark the beginning of the lines onto the fabric. Now remove the pattern piece and use a ruler to connect the lines (Fig 1). This grid will help with the placement of the facial features. 3 To transfer the facial markings and embroidered design for the animal you've chosen to make, use washi tape to fix the paper head pattern piece onto a window, so the light shines through the pattern. Alternatively, tape the pattern piece onto a light box. Now tape the fabric onto the window over the paper pattern, making sure to align the horizontal and vertical lines on the paper pattern with the lines you've drawn on the fabric. Use a disappearing-ink marker to trace the facial markings