DIY // How To Make a Felt Owl Beanbag

Are you all crazy about owls like the rest of the design world?  I know I am, but then again, I've always loved those curious creatures.

My first owl project was designing a baby announcement for my friend.  And then I was hooked.  I was searching out owl projects like they were going out of style.  Wait, are they going out of style?!

My Owl Barn, "for all owlovers," has oodles and oodles of owl goods & projects, like their uber-popular Owlovers Calendar, and my next victim project was just sitting there staring me in the face, an owl bean bag.  The perfect little stocking stuffer for the little guy who loves to test out his pitching arm.  I'd much prefer a soft bean bag being fired at my head as opposed to blocks.

Just try to avoid his gaze...

 The Owl Barn offers great instructions, but I thought I'd do a little step by step guide in photos.  Here it goes...

Supplies:

• Felt (in corresponding colors)
• Thread
• Template

Steps 1-2:  Cut out template then use template to cut out each piece.  Remember that you will need two of everything except for the Face and Beak (Piece B.)

Steps 3-4:  Sew eyes to face.  First start by sewing the small eye piece to the larger eye piece.  Repeat with second set of pieces.  Then sew both sets to the Face and Beak piece.  (You can either hand stitch like the Owl Barn shows or use the sewing machine, like me.  My apologies folks, for my less than stellar sewing job.  No excuses.  Just some shoddy craftsmanship.  It's still cute, right?)

Step 5:  Sew wings onto the body.

Step 6:  Sew face onto body.

Now you have completed the front (and hopefully it looks better than mine!)

Step 7:  Pin the back to the front piece.

 

Step 8:  Sew bodies together as close to edge as possible.  Leave a small space at the bottom to allow for filling.  (Marked by pins above.)

Step 9:  Fill with dry beans.  (I used rice.)

Steps 10-11:  Pin ends together and sew.

And that's it!  Your (or someone special's) very own owl beanbag.  A perfect stocking stuffer.

So, what's on your handmade christmas list?