Would you like to try an easy hand-sewing project? We have made these bendable felt figures to look like Bible Heroes, Catholic Saints…and even special people we know!
We have compiled a Felt Friends Tutorial with full instructions, a picture tutorial and a pattern.
You see, the 6″ Felt Friend is made of felt, embellished and sewn with embroidery thread and made BEND-ABLE with an assembly of 2 pipe cleaners. We took the opportunity to practice some classic hand sewing stitches like the Whip Stitch, the Back Stitch and the French Knot.
We made a Hand-Sewn STITCHES Cheat Sheet for easy reference!
We took pictures while we made our little Felt Friend, referring to the basic stitches that we used. We are beginner sewers…so if we made a mistake, we had a SEAM RIPPER readily available! We didn’t try to hide the stitches or even try to make them perfect. We think the obvious stitches add character!
The FREE FELT FRIENDS TUTORIAL (available via ADD to CART button below) includes full written instructions with illustrations and a PATTERN, along with a cool PICTURE TUTORIAL in case pictures do indeed speak a thousand words. (We did include minimal written instructions in the PICTURE TUTORIAL as well.)
We also included a BONUS picture tutorial to make a
Leprechaun Felt Friend.
Have you always wanted to make your own
We included tips to make an ELF as well!
What a cute idea! I loved your Tip Me Tuesday link this week. {thanks girl!} Would you like Tip Junkie to feature your blog post to over 200,000 creative women? If you upload this blog post into your Tip Junkie craft room using at least 2 images, 2 steps, and blog post URL then I can easily feature it in my RSS feed, home page, and all my social networks instantly. {squealing with delight} ~ Laurie {a.k.a. the Tip Junkie}
http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/how-to-add-a-craft-room-project-on-tip-junkie/
This looks neat! My girls would love making these, and it would be a great chance for me to learn some sewing with them 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
My university based email does not allow feed burner. Is there another way to subscribe and receive these felt friends?
These are absolutely awesome! I could get so much use out of these at work (since I primarily work with children). I’ll have to try making these at some point; though, I’m not very crafty, haha. This will be great though, can’t wait!
These are so cute and would make great gifts.
What a clever idea! Wish I had known about this years ago when my kids were small!
My second daughter will absolutely love this! Thanks for sharing!
These are so cute! I love how you made the lady’s hair! 🙂
Cute idea! I know a lot of little ones that would love to play with them. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
I LOVE the hand stitch cheat sheet! I am working on my sewing skills and want to teach a few to my daughter when she’s older. That will come in so handy!
What a great idea to put pipe cleaners in the dolls! I’m a teacher and could totally imagine doing this with my older students. Great idea. Thanks for sharing!
What a creative idea! I remember as a child, some of my favorite moments were creating! This is a great craft to do just that! Thanks for sharing!
What a cute idea! I love that you used pipe cleaners inside the body, was a clever idea!
These are really cute, Monica!! What a great idea! Thanks for sharing it!
So cute…they could be great stress relievers…Something to take your mind off the busy days. Come the weekend a great way to relax and make something cool!
Kimberly Ann Hawes
http://over40andkillingit.wordpress.com/2013/09/09/lets-get-it-achieve-the-over-40-and-killing-it-lifestyle-today/
What a fantastic idea! I love how you put the pipe cleaners inside. That is so clever. The pictures are very helpful. Thanks for sharing! ~ Bobbi
This is an adorable idea and a great way to teach children to sew! Thank you for the tutorial!
What an adorable idea! I wish I could sew. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this with us!
Great idea, I love the pipe cleaner inside – I used to make something similar, but that would make a big difference. Thanks for sharing
That’s a great tutorial! Thanks for sharing!
How much of this do you do versus how much the kids do? I’ve never tried stitching with my daughter. She’s only 4 though. I might put this on the back burner for right now. It’s very cute though.
My 2 oldest daughters were in a sewing club when they were about 11 and 13. I think younger kids could learn simple sewing, especially if they are eager, and have a little patience!
These might be my new sewing activity for my students! Gonna have to try it. Great idea!
How old are your students? At what age do you think they could tackle one of these on their own?
I could use these during the holidays. That would be great for the kids to create their own ornaments!
Ornaments can be really simple shapes, but an awesome opportunity to practice stitching through embellishments. Kids will love making them…and treasure the results!
These are really cute and I think I could actually do this! Thanks for the tutorial.
What a cute idea! Even I couldn’t mess these up:)
Those are lovely. I’m thinking of referring my daughter to this page to see if this is a craft that my granddaughter would like to do.
Really adorable! I wish I’d had this tutorial a few years ago when I was teaching children’s Sunday school. I made Lazarus, Mary, Martha and Jesus with wooden spoons. It went well….but yours would have been so much cuter! 🙂
cute cute cute! What a wonderful idea. Once they were made up, these little dolls would be the perfect thing to keep tucked in our ‘Town’ bag, to keep little hands and minds occupied during church services or doctor appointments, etc.
What a sweet design! I’ve been meaning to sew a doll for my little girl. One of the many projects on my sewing to-do list!
aww…. these felt dolls are so adorable!!!! Thank you for sharing!
These are REALLY cute and my daughters would LOVE to do something like this! I needed the elf one BEFORE I bought our elf on the shelf last year!
Great idea! Reminds me of my mom’s nativity scene which she made with stockings and materials.
Thanks for your comment. Good luck with the potty training – something to look forward to.. not!!
I went to a Catholic High school even though I’m a Protestant and enjoyed learning Biblical Studies as a subject.
Really nice step by step. I need to start teaching my grandaughters to sew. This would be an easy way to start.
What a cute idea! The pipe cleaners- genius! I love that the figures are bendable.
I never realize the trick was to use pipe cleaners! Thanks for giving me an idea for Christmas gifts & decorations 🙂
Such a cute idea – I know my son would love to play with these.
that’s super fun I love the idea of them being bendable!
These are so cute! I never would have thought of using pipe cleaners and felt to make a doll like this. I like that you can do so many different things with it.
Ohhh, such a cute idea! And I just love, love, love the STICHES Cheat-Sheet! Ingenious!
For somebody with kids, this definitely looks like something that would be fun to do and to have around. A rainy day project, perhaps?
What a great idea! I LOVE that they are bendable from the pipe cleaners, that is ingenious 🙂 I’m guessing my girls would want to make princess ones, so fun!
What a great beginner sewer project.
I am not a sewer but your post just made me want to try it out! I may have to, thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
http://www.linenandlaceblog.com
Thanks! They are easier than I thought…and pretty forgiving, even if you’re just learning the stitches. =)
This project reminded me of a Mother-Daughter event my childhood church held many moons ago (35+years ago). My mother spent weeks and weeks sewing little felt finger puppets that were the giveaways for the event — little lions, sheep, cats, dogs, etc. Thankfully, she kept a set and I “think” they are still in my mementos box in the basement. Maybe I need to go look! Thanks for a fun craft suggestion!
hmmm…can you post pictures? They would be really neat to see!
That’s really neat. What a fun project for kids and also a learning project.
What a nice crafting idea! Thanks, I think I’ll make these for the grandkids.
would you try making them look LIKE the Grandchildren with their hair and eye color and favorite outfit?
These look like great ideas for fundraising. And I could imagine a whole nativity scene with these guys. Ooh, wouldn’t that look spectacular – you could really go to town with that idea – a felt donkey and more.
Thanks, Deby! I’m going to have to make some more patterns! The felt donkey sure would be cute. =)
Sorry about the BLANK PAGE after you comment, friends!
Rest assured…the comments are going through, but I haven’t found the problem!
Very cute idea! I love the Elf on a Shelf. I’m a Catechist so I will have to check out this site. Thanks!
ooh…I’m working on a specifically Catholic version of Elf on a Shelf! Stay tuned!
Oh those are SEW cute. What a great idea. Thanks, you’ve given me some good ideas too.
What a great idea! The kids will love that it is bendable, and mommas will love your sewing instructions.
Yes…the bendable quality really makes them fun to play with…and move around the house!