How to Make Bird Ornaments
- 1). Choose a line drawing or colored picture of the type of bird needed for the ornament. Make a photocopy of the picture, reducing or increasing the size if necessary. Cut out the picture and trace its shape onto a piece of cardboard if you're planning to make several ornaments.
- 2
The cardinal base color is red.male cardinal image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
Study the colors of the bird. Choose felt that matches the main color of the bird's body. Select bright colors such as lavender, sky blue or pink for a whimsical or fantasy bird project. - 3). Using a felt tip marker, trace the pattern onto the piece of felt, adding a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn the pattern over and trace it again to create the other side of the ornament.
- 4). Cut out the pieces and pin them together, wrong side out.
- 5). Sew the two pieces together, wrong sides out. Using matching thread colors, hand-sew the pieces together 1/4 inch from the edges. Use a sewing machine to make a bird that is more than 5 inches long when there is a need to complete the project more quickly. As an alternative, you can hand-sew the ornament pieces together with the right sides out using the blanket stitch.
- 6). Turn the ornament right side out. Insert a wooden skewer or knitting needle into the opening you left in your stitching and gently push the cloth into shape.
- 7). Pull off small pieces of fiberfill stuffing and push them into the opening. Poke the filling into the smallest places in the tail and beak with the skewer or knitting needle. Hand-sew the opening closed, using tiny stitches.
- 8). Paint features on the bird ornament with acrylic paint. Use a color picture of the bird as a guide for shading and markings. You may embroider details on the tail and face.
- 9). Thread a large-eye needle with embroidery floss. Insert the needle in the back of the neck or mid-back area of the bird ornament. Pull the thread through and tie a knot to create a hanging loop.
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