Felt Turkey Dinner! (with pattern & instructions)

Oh goodness gracious, I love felt. What can you not make out of felt? Emily is out of town visiting family for the holiday, so I decided to spend the day making a felt turkey dinner. Boy, do I love my job!

Tea Towel and Napkins: Stonecrop by Piano Nobile, $20, $18

Supplies you'll need:
• THIS (slightly crude) print-out pattern I drew
• about a yard of light brown felt or fleece & a 8.5x11 sheet of white felt
• embroidery thread in white & brown
• Polyfill or cotton filling

Tools you'll need:
• Sewing Machine (optional--you can hand-sew if you prefer)
• embroidery needle
• scissors
• sticky-back Velcro (also optional)


Directions:
BODY
• Cut the body and bottom pattern pieces out of the light brown felt. Follow the pattern and machine stitch (or hand) the two body pieces along the top, curved line, with the inside pieces facing out.
• Begin to sew (with inside piece facing out) to the opening of the two body pieces. Leave about a four-fingers width hole open.
• From that hole, flip your turkey body right-side out.
• Fill with stuffing to your liking. (The cotton kind!)
• Hand-stitch the opening closed with the brown embroidery thread and needle. I used the blanket stitch.
• Fasten off the thread by knotting it several times and put the body to the side.

WINGS
• Cut the wing pattern pieces out of the light brown felt.
• Machine stitch along the edge where indicated, with outside pieces facing in.
• Leave a two-finger hole for stuffing.
• Flip the wing right-side out. Use a bone folder or eraser side of a pencil if you need to.
• Stuff the wing and hand-stitch closed with the brown embroidery thread and needle.
• Repeat for the second wing.

DRUMSTICKS
• Cut the leg pattern pieces out of the light brown felt, and the bone pieces out of the white.
• Machine stitch the leg pieces along the edge where indicated, with outside pieces facing in.
• Leave the end of the drumstick open for stuffing.
• Flip the drumstick right-side out.
• Stuff the drumstick and hand-stitch closed with the brown embroidery thread and needle.

BONES
• Machine stitch the bone pieces along the edge where indicated, with outside pieces facing in.
• Leave the straight edge open.
• Place the "cap" over the end of the drumstick.
• Curl white felt edges in slightly, and hand-stitch all the way around the white edge to adhere to drumstick. (see pattern).

• You've got all your pieces! Now to put them together: use the sticky-back Velcro to create detachable pieces or lightly stitch to attach with embroidery thread (like a button).
• Garnish and serve!