Kids Makes

Baa baa bag

With Spring fast approaching our flluffy spring lamp makes the perfect accessory. make him in fluffy fleece with plain black fleece for face and legs.

We've used a natural shearling fleece fabric, perfect for our lamb, but any white, cream or natural fleece will achieve a similar effect.

Use safety eyes so that once attached, they are practically impossible to remove. Or if preferred cut two eyes and a nose from black felt and stitch them in place.

Requirements

• 1/4 metre fabric A (natural shearling fleece), 180 cm wide
• 1/4 metre fabric B (black fleece), 150 cm wide
• Black felt 15 x 20 cm (6 x 8")
• 2 goggle safety eyes
• 1 safety nose
• Small amount of toy filling
• 20 cm (8") zip

Steps to sew
Seam allowance throughout is 15 mm (5/8")
1. Enlarge the main pattern pieces (shown at the end of the project) by photocopying by the percentage given. Each large square should measure 5 x 5 cm (2 x 2").

2. Fold fabric A in half and cut two body pieces from double fabric. Then cut one head back and one upper face from a single layer of fabric A. From fabric B cut one 10 x 90 cm (4 x 36") strip for handle, four 10 x 40 cm (4 x 16") strips for legs and one lower face. From black felt cut two ears.

3. Match the two body pieces with right sides together and baste along the top edge. Stitch this seam leaving a gap for zip and handle as shown on pattern piece. Open out the seam and baste the seam allowances flat (this type of fleece should not be pressed), then set in the zip in the usual way. Remove basting stitches.

4. Take one of the leg strips and fold it right sides together, matching the long edges. Use matching thread to stitch along this seam with medium zigzag stitch. Turn the leg right side out. Tie an overhand knot, 2 cm (3/4") from one end. Fill the next 7.5 cm (3") with toy filling, and then tie another overhand knot just above the filling.

5. Make up the other three legs in same way. Pin open ends of legs in place to right side of one half of body as diagram 1 and baste them flat. Pin the free ends of the legs to the body so the legs will not be caught in the seam. Fold other half of body over, matching all edges and stitch around remaining three sides and tail. Clip across corners and turn right side out.

HANDY HINT: Use the blunt end of a large knitting needle to push the filling into the legs.

6. To make the handle, fold one long edge of the handle strip to wrong side by 3 cm (1 1/4"), and then fold opposite edge in same way so the edges overlap at the centre. Stitch down centre of strip through all layers using medium zigzag stitch.

7. For the face, place the upper and lower face pieces right sides together, matching the straight edges. Stitch this seam with medium zigzag stitch and open it out flat. On lower face, mark positions for eyes and nose as shown and pierce small holes, then attach the safety eyes and nose firmly. Fold the ears in half, and pin them in position to right side of face as diagram 2.

8. Pin one end of the handle in place as shown. Then place the head back on top, right side down, and pin together all round, guiding free end of handle through where the opening will be. Stitch around edge leaving opening as shown on diagram 3.

9. Cut wide notches into seam allowance and turn right side out. Fold seam allowance to wrong side along each edge of opening and baste in place. Bend each ear down, matching centre line of ear to seam line, and catch-stitch in place for about 15 mm (1/2") along seam line.

10. Slip top corner of body inside gap in head, as indicated by dot-dash line on pattern. Slip stitch by hand, joining head back to one side of bag. Insert toy filling into head, then slip stitch lower face to other side of bag. Slip free end of handle into gap at base of zip and slip stitch in place to both sides of opening.

HANDY HINTS:
•  Use matching fabric for each seam, but when joining black to natural use black thread (the fabric pile will help to disguise it).
•  These fleece fabrics are stretchy so use medium width and length zigzag stitch for all seams. Use straight stitch to set in zip, with a longer stitch length than normal.
•  Check all your stitch settings on scraps of fabric and when stitching through several thicknesses, loosen tension to suit.

SMART IDEA: Omit the handle entirely and make the lamb into a cute and cuddly cushion. A zip is not required - leave this gap open until cushion is complete. Insert filling into body and slipstitch across the opening.

Stockist information
Fleece fabrics are available from Pennine Outdoor Ltd, for further details and mail order, visit www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk or tel. 015242 63377.

This project is by Betty Barnden, a regular contributor of Sewing World. For more details of Sewing World magazine, tel: 01684 588500 or visit: www.sewingworldmagazine.com

PATTERN PIECES back to top