After several many requests from Hannah, I've begun exploring the world of felt food. First attempts were with some much appreciated guidance: a strawberry from here, a doughnut from here. Then I got really adventurous and made up my own carrot pattern! Here's a tutorial for anyone else who has hungry bunnies or kids:
Materials: orange felt, green felt, stuffing, orange thread, green thread
Pattern: carrot pattern PDF
Instructions:
- Cut out one of each pattern piece from felt.
- Fold carrot piece along fold line and stitch sides together to form a cone. Trim away seam allowance close to stitching at both ends of the seam.
- Turn right side out. Stuff firmly.
- Using orange thread perform a long running stitch around top of carrot.
- With green felt, fold one of the short ends over about 2mm and then keep rolling up felt to form a short carrot stalk. Using green thread stitch free end of green felt strip to the layers of felt underneath. Tie off green thread.
- Pull on orange gathering thread to close up top of carrot. Before completely closed, push stalk into the opening until only about 1cm of stalk remains visible. Close up carrot around stalk.
- Insert needle through stalk to opposite side. Take needle through a fold of orange felt close to the raw edge. Insert needle back through stalk to opposite side near another raised fold. Continue taking the needle through the stalk and carrot top until all of the folds of orange felt have been sewn to the stalk, and the stalk is secured in place.
- Using orange thread, make long decorative stitches around the carrot from top to bottom. Tie off thread. Done!
Please bear in mind that this is the first time I've put together a tutorial. Hopefully it's understandable. I'm happy to answer any questions or hear any constructive criticism you may have. (Oh, and if you notice that a couple of the pics have extra seams please just ignore them. They were from an earlier more complex version.)
8 comments:
you and I seem to be on the same page at the moment!!! I have been making gifts for our trip overseas....a italian restuarant pack with felt pizza ad pasta and a bakery with donuts and cakes and coffee scrolls etc....lots of fun to do....your tute is fab shall have to give it a go...thanks my dear!!!
oh fun!!
Love this pattern. I'm stuck on step 7. I've gathered the thread to close up the hole, but can't keep it gathered while trying to attach the stem. Any tips? Do I tie off the running stitch and then attach the stem or not tie off and use the orange threaded needle to attach the stem/close up the hole?
Thanks!
When I attach the stem I don't tie off the thread. I push the stem in through the carrot opening, then pull tight on the gathering thread so that it is closed up around the stem. Then I hold it in place with one hand while poking the needle through the stem with the other hand. Once it's through the stem, if it has come open a bit you can pull on the thread again to close it up more. Just hold on to it fairly firmly for the first couple stitches through the stem, then it should stay in place pretty well. I hope that makes it a bit clearer!
Sheer perfection. The stitching really makes it and the cut top is too cute for words. Thanks for sharing all your hard work & creativity. The PDF and pattern are perfection! :o)
I have used this tutorial to make two carrots that are larger than the pattern you have - maybe double the size - plus an enormous one the size of a large marrow. They are to be used by a 5 year old doing a character ballet dance in a competition. She is Peter Rabbit. Tutorial is fab!
I love my felt carrots Kym! They make me smile whenever I walk past the fridge (so there is a lot of smiling!) xx
I bought a felt food pattern from Simplicity I think and its carrots have a large piece of green cut almost all the way through in strips then rolled up. Looks cute, and I made it that way, then realized that the first time the kid pulls on the green felt it's just going to rip apart. I like your idea much better and will make another one with a clip top!
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