BERNARD FELT STUFFIE 💛 Lucky Mary Sunshine

Who needs a hug?! Bernard is a bit different than other birds. His super long wings make it impossible to fly. Luckily the other jungle animals in Ged Adamson’s “Bird Hugs” help Bernard find his true calling… giving HUGS!! It truly is the cutest book for discussing how we all have differences that make us special, self-acceptance, and the power of friendship.

Mighty and Max decided they HAD to have their own Bernard to snuggle, so we got to work designing this super simple stuffie. It is a great beginners’ sewing project…if you and your little one can sew a circle, you can make this! We used a technique we learned from Trixi Symonds that let us design this cutie in the simplest way for young crafters. I highly recommend checking her out on Instagram and her book “The Zenki Way” for tips on encouraging a love of sewing in little ones! Now, let’s get to work making the sweetest birdy to snuggle during storytime.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

felt in your choice of color (for bird’s body), yellow (for beak and feet), and light pink (for cheeks, optional)
printable template
large googly eyes
needle and thread
polyfil stuffing (or fabric scraps, rice, etc.)
8 inches of ribbon (any ribbon will work, but this is my favorite for this project)
buckle or snap (optional)
felt glue (optional)

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LET’S CREATE!

1. Use our free template to print and cut out the pattern pieces.

2. Trace pattern pieces onto felt and cut them out. Thread your needle.

3. Use felt glue to add eyes and cheeks to each piece. (make sure you flip one piece, so the tails are facing opposite directions to make sure you glue the eyes to the outside on both pieces.) You can sew around the cheeks, or just let the glue do the work.

5. Use a few drops of glue to glue the beak and feet to the inside of one of the pieces. This will keep them in place as you sew the head/body together.

6. Let’s work on the wings now. Cut the ribbon into two 4 inch lengths. If you are using a buckle or snap, attach them to the ends of your ribbon. You can sew them on, or use glue. You can sew the wings onto the body now, but my kids find it easier to sew the main body first and then attach the wings.

7. Time to sew the body! Use a running or whip stitch to sew around the head/body of Bernard. To keep things simple, you are only going to sew around in the circle shape. Make sure to leave a small opening for your stuffing. The tail will not be sewn together. Remember we want to keep this simple. Also, not stuffing the tail gives a bit of definition between the tail and the head.

8. Stuff Bernard using polyfil. You could even use rice, old fabric scraps or dry beans.

9. Sew the opening closed and tie a knot to finish off Bernard’s body.

10. If you haven’t already, use a running stitch to attach the wings to each side.

11. Enjoy all the hugs!

Congratulations on finishing a sewing project with your little one! Trust me…I know it can take a lot of patience to make it through an entire project with the mini-me sometimes! But I sincerely hope this cute little bird with crazy wings gave your kiddo at least a tiny love of sewing. It’s a skill that will allow them to create sooo much as they practice and grow. But listen, if they never sew again, that’s ok too. I promise, they will still be ok. LOL At least they got an adorable new snuggle buddy out of it! And don’t forget to snap a pic of their handiwork to share with us over on Instagram! Happy creating, y’all!