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Fabrics and materials

General instructions

Shabby Home Bunnies

The scent of Roses

Hearts

Angels

Shabby Home Geese

Shabby Home Chickens

Shabby Home Cows

Patterns

Contents

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Fabrics and materials

FabricsIn order to create my animals I use cream coloured course cotton fabric.Satin cloth colour beige is the best fabric to create angels.For the clothing I normally use American fabrics. This cotton cloths, which are usually 1.10 cm height, are sold in wonderful patterns and wide range of colours. In general, to make a dress I use two coordinated cloths and alternate stripes or little squares with floral decorations. A piece of advice: before starting your creation, always try to imagine the final effect that you want to obtain (e.g. shabby, romantic, country) because this is what makes the choice of the right fabrics and colours fundamental.Whilst making the clothing for the angel, or wherever I want to give a colour a smudged effect, I double up the American fabric with some light coloured organza.

StuffingTo stuff my creations, I use a synthetic wadding which is easily found in specialist shops.

HairThe angel’s hair is made with linen twine or with string mixed with thin golden threads.To get other effect you could use thin, light coloured wool.

Painting the FaceTo paint the eyes I use black and white fabric paints which can be found in specialist shops.To make the cheeks, I use some soft coloured chalk: I choose the right shade from the range between pink and brown.

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Shabby Home Bunnies

A little shiver stirs the long stems of grass, over there...

Is it a breath of wind?

Yet the day is clear and the warmth of the spring sun

pleasantly touches the still air.

A little rustle, a sudden movement;

But there, I see them!

Little bunnies peeping out onto

the white path leading to sweet Shabby Home...

22

fi g. 1 fi g. 2 fi g. 3

Patterns for the body on page 100

You will needFor the body:Coarse cotton cloth, beige or similarSynthetic wadding, found in specialist shopsBrown chalkBlack ink for painting on fabric, found in specialist shopsCotton wool ballsThick cotton thread, beige

MethodFold the course cotton cloth so that the reverse side is facing up. Cut out the patterns and put them onto the folded cloth. Lightly draw the outlines with a pencil. Sew along the entire perimeter remembering to leave an opening which will be used to turn the body inside out. This space is marked on the pattern by a dashed line. Cut out the outlines leaving about 0.6 cm of safety margin around the seam line. Using a pair of scissors, make some little incisions around the edges. With the help of a fl at-headed screwdriver, turn the whole thing inside out.

LegsFill the legs to half way with the synthetic wadding. Now sew a running stitch, which will allow the legs to bend at the knee. Finish fi lling the legs. (fi g. 1)

FeetStuff the feet. Sew by hand the open part with small hidden stitches. Using the beige cotton thread simulate the claws of the bunny with long double stitches at the end of each foot. With the chalk, draw the pads of the feet and smudge with cotton wool. Attach the feet to the legs with hidden stitches. (fi g. 2, fi g. 3)

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The scent of roses

Childhood is always linked to sweet memories.

A beautiful park with big fir trees surrounded

by the happy babble of the fresh waters of a mountain stream.

Mountains still hooded by snow,

majestic against a turquoise sky.

When I think of my childhood this is precisely the image

I keep in my heart...

But I want to share a secret with you:

that park hidden within a charming and enchanted place.

Sweet smells, wonderful colours, floating butterflies...

Have I intrigued you?

Close your eyes, then, and rediscover

those typical visions of childhood...

Give me your hand and follow me into

Shabby Home’s beautiful “garden of roses”

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fi g. 1

fi g. 2

RosesPatterns on page 108By increasing and decreasing the amount and the size of the petals it is possible to vary the size of the fl owers. In what follows you will fi nd an explanation of how to make two reference sizes: a big rose and a little rose.

Big roseYou will needFor the rose: one strip of American fabric, 15x75 cm.For the leaves: one strip of green fabric, 10x20 cm.Thermo-adhesive paper, found in specialist shops.Glue gun, found in specialist shops.

Preparation of the fabric and cuttingFrom the American fabric chosen for your rose cut out an 8x8 cm square and put it to one side. Cut in two the left over strip of American fabric and overlap the two parts back to back. Put the thermo-adhesive paper, without the protective fi lm, in between them. Iron the whole thing at a high temperature without steam so that the thermo-adhesive paper sticks the two strips together. Wait for it to get cold without touching them to allow the perfect adhesion. (fi g. 1)

Continue in the same way with the fabric chosen for the leaves.From these, cut out:- Two B petals- Four C petals - Four D petals- Two or four leaves

MethodTo make the fl ower you start with the 8x8 cm square that you have already cut out. Fold it in two to make a triangle and sew a line of running stitch along the open sides. Pull the running stitch and fi x it with small stitches. Roll up the triangle so as to form a rosebud, and hold it with some glue from the glue-gun. (fi g. 2)

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fi g. 1

fi g. 2

fi g. 3

Wreath of angelsPatterns for the body on page 114

You will needThe same materials used to make the big anglesA Wreath with a 40 cm diameterMethodTo make the angel, follow the instructions given on page 60 for the big angel but using the pattern for the body given on page 114.Once you have sewn all of the pieces and stuffed them with wadding, insert the legs at the bottom of the body as shown in thepicture 1. After having dressed the angel attach the arms to the two sides of the body. (fi g. 3)

wingsFold the wings in two along the diagonal so that the ends are visible. Fix them to the back of the angel with the glue-gun. (fi g. 2)

AssemblyGlue the angel to the wreath with the glue-gun.Make a cloth rose following the instructions given on page 45 and glue it into the angel’s hands.

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Geese by Shabby Home

Patterns for the body on page 120These instructions can also be used to make the body for the chickens, page 82

You will needSynthetic wadding, found in specialist shopsBrown chalkBlack ink for painting onto fabric, found in specialist shopsToothpicksCotton wool balls You will need for the bodyCourse cotton cloth, beige or similarYou will need for the beak and feetEither American or linen cloth, ochre

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fi g. 1

MethodFold the course cotton cloth so that the reverse side is facing up. Cut out the body and the wings and put them on the folded cloth. Lightly draw the outlines with a pencil. Sew. Cut out the outlines leaving a safety margin of about 0.6 cm around the seam line.Using a pair of scissors, make some little incisions around the edges. With the help of a fl at-headed screwdriver, turn the whole thing over and stuff it with wadding.Put the cut-outs of the beak and the feet on the reverse side of the folded ochre cloth, and continue as described above.

LegsFill the feet with the synthetic wadding and close the opening. Using small hidden stiches, attach the feet to the legs, which you should already have stuffed. Insert the legs at the bottom of the body and sew closed.

FaceRub the brown chalk on to a cotton wool ball; with circular movements wipe the cloth where you want to obtain the shade for the cheeks. After having lightly stuffed the beak, fi x it with hidden stiches onto the face of the goose, folding over each time the excess cloth. Before fi nishing this step, check whether the beak needs more padding and, if so, insert some bit by bit with a toothpick. (fi g. 1)

Dip the tip of a toothpick in some black ink and draw two little dots for the eyes.

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The Patterns

Here we are at last

Now we are going to carry out the plan you have chosen!

watch out!:

In order to

carry out the plans of this book,

you have to resize the patterns to 125%

of the original.

All the following patterns, if not said,

do not take into account the seam allowance.

Enjoy your sewing and, expecially,

“have a good time!”