Shabby home - Beautiful creations

10

Contents 13 Fabrics and materials 17 General instructions 21 Shabby Home Bunnies 41 The scent of Roses 51 Hearts 59 Angels 73 Shabby Home Geese 81 Shabby Home Chickens 87 Shabby Home Cows 99 Patterns 11

12

Fabrics and materials Fabrics In order to create my animals I use cream coloured course cotton fabric.

Satin cloth colour beige is the best fabric to create angels.

For the clothing I normally use American fabrics. This cotton cloths, which are usually 1.10 cm height, are sold in wonderful patterns and wide range of colours. In general, to make a dress I use two coordinated cloths and alternate stripes or little squares with floral decorations. A piece of advice: before starting your creation, always try to imagine the final effect that you want to obtain (e.g. shabby, romantic, country) because this is what makes the choice of the right fabrics and colours fundamental.

Whilst making the clothing for the angel, or wherever I want to give a colour a smudged effect, I double up the American fabric with some light coloured organza.

Stuffing To stuff my creations, I use a synthetic wadding which is easily found in specialist shops.

Hair The angel’s hair is made with linen twine or with string mixed with thin golden threads.

To get other effect you could use thin, light coloured wool.

Painting the Face To paint the eyes I use black and white fabric paints which can be found in specialist shops.

To make the cheeks, I use some soft coloured chalk: I choose the right shade from the range between pink and brown.

13

Shabby Home Bunnies A little shiver stirs the long stems of grass, over there...

Is it a breath of wind?

Yet the day is clear and the warmth of the spring sun pleasantly touches the still air.

A little rustle, a sudden movement; But there, I see them!

Little bunnies peeping out onto the white path leading to sweet Shabby Home...

21

Patterns for the body on page 100

You will need

For the body: Coarse cotton cloth, beige or similar Synthetic wadding, found in specialist shops Brown chalk Black ink for painting on fabric, found in specialist shops Cotton wool balls Thick cotton thread, beige

Method

Fold the course cotton cloth so that the reverse side is facing up. Cut out the patterns and put them onto the folded cloth. Lightly draw the outlines with a pencil. Sew along the entire perimeter remembering to leave an opening which will be used to turn the body inside out. This space is marked on the pattern by a dashed line. Cut out the outlines leaving about 0.6 cm of safety margin around the seam line. Using a pair of scissors, make some little incisions around the edges. With the help of a flat-headed screwdriver, turn the whole thing inside out.

Legs

Fill the legs to half way with the synthetic wadding. Now sew a running stitch, which will allow the legs to bend at the knee. Finish filling the legs. (fig. 1)

Feet

Stuff the feet. Sew by hand the open part with small hidden stitches. Using the beige cotton thread simulate the claws of the bunny with long double stitches at the end of each foot. With the chalk, draw the pads of the feet and smudge with cotton wool. Attach the feet to the legs with hidden stitches. (fig. 2, fig. 3)

fig. 1 22

fig. 2

fig. 3

40

The scent of roses Childhood is always linked to sweet memories.

A beautiful park with big fir trees surrounded by the happy babble of the fresh waters of a mountain stream.

Mountains still hooded by snow, majestic against a turquoise sky.

When I think of my childhood this is precisely the image I keep in my heart...

But I want to share a secret with you: that park hidden within a charming and enchanted place.

Sweet smells, wonderful colours, floating butterflies...

Have I intrigued you?

Close your eyes, then, and rediscover those typical visions of childhood...

Give me your hand and follow me into Shabby Home’s beautiful “garden of roses”

41

Roses

Patterns on page 108 By increasing and decreasing the amount and the size of the petals it is possible to vary the size of the flowers. In what follows you will find an explanation of how to make two reference sizes: a big rose and a little rose.

Big rose You will need

For the rose: one strip of American fabric, 15x75 cm.

For the leaves: one strip of green fabric, 10x20 cm.

Thermo-adhesive paper, found in specialist shops.

Glue gun, found in specialist shops.

Preparation of the fabric and cutting

From the American fabric chosen for your rose cut out an 8x8 cm square and put it to one side. Cut in two the left over strip of American fabric and overlap the two parts back to back. Put the thermo-adhesive paper, without the protective film, in between them. Iron the whole thing at a high temperature without steam so that the thermo-adhesive paper sticks the two strips together. Wait for it to get cold without touching them to allow the perfect adhesion. (fig. 1) fig. 1

Continue in the same way with the fabric chosen for the leaves.

From these, cut out: - Two B petals - Four C petals - Four D petals - Two or four leaves

Method

To make the flower you start with the 8x8 cm square that you have already cut out. Fold it in two to make a triangle and sew a line of running stitch along the open sides. Pull the running stitch and fix it with small stitches. Roll up the triangle so as to form a rosebud, and hold it with some glue from the glue-gun. (fig. 2)

fig. 2

42

44

Wreath of angels Patterns for the body on page 114

You will need

The same materials used to make the big angles A Wreath with a 40 cm diameter

Method

To make the angel, follow the instructions given on page 60 for the big angel but using the pattern for the body given on page 114.

Once you have sewn all of the pieces and stuffed them with wadding, insert the legs at the bottom of the body as shown in the picture 1. After having dressed the angel attach the arms to the two sides of the body. (fig. 3)

fig. 1

wings Fold the wings in two along the diagonal so that the ends are visible. Fix them to the back of the angel with the glue-gun. (fig. 2) fig. 2

Assembly

Glue the angel to the wreath with the glue-gun.

Make a cloth rose following the instructions given on page 45 and glue it into the angel’s hands.

fig. 3

69

Geese by Shabby Home

Patterns for the body on page 120 These instructions can also be used to make the body for the chickens, page 82

You will need

Synthetic wadding, found in specialist shops Brown chalk Black ink for painting onto fabric, found in specialist shops Toothpicks Cotton wool balls

You will need for the body

Course cotton cloth, beige or similar

You will need for the beak and feet Either American or linen cloth, ochre

73

Method

Fold the course cotton cloth so that the reverse side is facing up. Cut out the body and the wings and put them on the folded cloth.

Lightly draw the outlines with a pencil. Sew. Cut out the outlines leaving a safety margin of about 0.6 cm around the seam line.

Using a pair of scissors, make some little incisions around the edges. With the help of a flat-headed screwdriver, turn the whole thing over and stuff it with wadding.

Put the cut-outs of the beak and the feet on the reverse side of the folded ochre cloth, and continue as described above.

Legs

Fill the feet with the synthetic wadding and close the opening. Using small hidden stiches, attach the feet to the legs, which you should already have stuffed. Insert the legs at the bottom of the body and sew closed.

Face

Rub the brown chalk on to a cotton wool ball; with circular movements wipe the cloth where you want to obtain the shade for the cheeks. After having lightly stuffed the beak, fix it with hidden stiches onto the face of the goose, folding over each time the excess cloth. Before finishing this step, check whether the beak needs more padding and, if so, insert some bit by bit with a toothpick. (fig. 1)

fig. 1

Dip the tip of a toothpick in some black ink and draw two little dots for the eyes.

74

98

The Patterns Here we are at last Now we are going to carry out the plan you have chosen! watch out!: In order to carry out the plans of this book, you have to resize the patterns to 125% of the original.

All the following patterns, if not said, do not take into account the seam allowance.

Enjoy your sewing and, expecially, “have a good time!�

99