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Hi

I'm a lurker who rarely posts but please share your thoughts. My friend sews small stuffed toys every year to give out at their Trunk or Treat. I'm the cutter and face painter; she's the sewer. We've made bears, dogs, frogs, birds, etc., and this year she'd like to use this owl pattern. However, I'm not looking forwarding to cutting 200 small round eyes and another 200 smaller pupils. Any suggestions re tools that might help? for the fish one year I made 200 of the smallest fabric yo yo and they worked well but I don't think the owls will be large enough. (On most of the stuffed animals we just used fabric paint or fabric markers but Martha doesn't think they will work on this year's fabric.)

Mary Ellen

Might be nice if I shared the pattern.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21235480@N07/4124834107/

Well I love the button eyes myself But felt would be a good choice and a hole punch...also in the hobby shops they usually have speciality scissors and hole punches for different shapes, you might check there...

I'd be inclined to use the hole punch(relatively inexpensive) with a gold or white felt then use a black seed bead for the pupil.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kentucky_Sunshine,

Boy, those are super cute! a punch would work,like suggested. they do come in various sizes. The few i have, have only been used on paper. not sure how they would work on felt.

Do you know anyone who scrapbooks? you could try using theirs.

I, too, really like the buttons; however, Martha feels some of the children are too young for buttons. I have some punches I use for paper but they don't cut very well through the felt though I have read a hit that if you put paper with the punch it may cut better. I'll try playing around with using Mom's old curved cuticle scissors (I think). They're pretty sharp.

Mary Ellen

Those are adorable Merg! I think felt is the way to go, not sure how to cut it. I wanted to suggest embroidery for the pupil, that could even be the way you affix the eyes to the owls. Great project!

My first thought was the little self-adhesive felt dots they sell for lamp bases. Try Googling that & see if anything suitable comes up. Here's one place:

http://www.mylampparts.com/Pro...-34dia__SL20691.aspx

(That price can't be right...??)

My other thought was to find them pre-cut as a craft supply...another search & I came up with a lot of choices. Example:

http://shabbyflowers.com/category_81/Felt-Circles.htm

http://www.etsy.com/search_res...age=1&q=felt+circles

And if all else fails...

http://mayamade.blogspot.com/2...ut-felt-circles.html

I did look up the rotary circle cutters, both Olfa & Fiskars, but the smallest that Olfa cuts looks like it's 1 and 1/2"...

http://www.olfa.com/CircleCutt...ail.aspx?C=50&Id=149

Hope this helps a little. Cute owls!

Oh, what great ideas! I just happened to pick up my magazine, and the little owls are in it! "Simple Quilts & sewing"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim - Strut526,

What size circles do you think you want? I've been searching through kits for covered buttons and grommets with no luck.
Accuquilt dies could probably make you a custom die that would cut all(2 or 3 sizes) in one pass, but that's probably a costly route to take.

You didn't say if you wanted to use buttons or not, nor did you say what kind of fabric will be used.

Because she doesn't what to use a marker or paint, I'm assuming the fabric has an outstanding weave such as the corduroy. If that is the case, I wouldn't be in favor of using felt because the weave could effect the felt, especially if glued.

I, personally, am for using the buttons.

If you haven't done so already, you might ask over on the Crafts Board; they may have some more ideas on what would be best to use and the best way to attach them.

Those are really cute owls!!!! And kudos to you and your friend for your treats.

Kim, I don't believe I've seen that magazine before, and it looks like a good one. Thanx

http://www.quiltmag.com/catego...imple-quilts-sewing/

merg01 -- Welcome!! Those are adorable owls. I can understand why you wouldn't want buttons because of the little kids. That linke to the precut felt circles looks good to me. I'd sure pay a nickle a piece to avoid having to cut them!! Course, that depends on how many you need.

Please stick around. We love having new folks join us and I think you'll just fit right in.

Thank you all for your thoughts. Florida Farm Girl...I agree a nickle might be worth not having to cut them.

I've been doing some thinking and fiddling the last day or two and think I'm going to make a prototype using a figure 8 on it's side. Perhaps two joined circles would be easier to cut and sew machine sew. If I use a white or cream 8, I can use my markers or fabric paint for the pupil.

While I believe Martha has some brown fabric for the bodies and we'll use miscellaneous fabrics for the tummies, I thought I'd try making one from old blue jean denim. If I sew wrong sides together I can get ravely edges to look feather like.....if you squint a bit. If I outline the pattern with a disappearing pencil; sew the tummy and eyes on; then place one larger piece of fabric on top of another; sew the owls together then cut them out I won't have issues with clipping, turning, etc.

Am I going way overboard and just talking out my hat or is there some sense to the plan?

Mary Ellen

Brandyquilter

In rereading the posts, I may need to reconsider embroidery. I embroider well enough to do eyes and at least it would be a less involved process...and I can do it while I "listen" to TV with my husband.

Mary Ellen

If you want a little ragged look to your owls, make your seam about 3/8" to 1/2" then cut little snips in your outer edge every 1/4" to 1/2" apart. Really wet the outer edge and take a brush to it, you'll get your ruffled feathered look. Make sure you cut your pattern mostly on the bias. It helps, lots.

Oops, guess I should have said, if you are going to sew your owls right side out and.....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: paus4quilts,

paus4quilts

Thanks for the recommendation to cut on the bias...I wouldn't have thought of it.

I'd collected jeans through Freecycle and family and had planned to make charity stuffed bears using the same technique with a tag such as "I'm just a little raggedy bear. Will you be my friend?"

Mary Ellen