These fun, chubby stuffed birds in Autumn colors will be a sweet addition to my fall décor this year. They are a modified version of stuffed fabric balls that I’ve made in the past. Instead of the usual six panels, I used just four to change the shape a bit and they were the perfect project for using up some fabric scraps.

Instructions:

1. Use template to trace 8 half petals onto coordinated fabric. Then cut out pieces using either a Rotary Cutter or scissors.

Tip: To create the template, I traced a portion of a Super Sized Circle Template on a folded piece of paper. I cut it out to create a full petal and then cut the petal in half (plus a .5 inch). You can change the size of the bird as you wish by changing the petal size.

2. Cut 4 hearts from coordinated fabric for wings and 2 additional larger hearts for the tail. Also cut out a rounded triangle for the beak from orange felt.

3. Pair up the top and bottom half petals as you wish. For these birds, I put a busy pattern on the belly and used 2 different patterned fabrics for the head and body. Mix it up however you like.

4. Place 2 hearts with right sides facing in and pin. Stitch part way around the hearts (leaving bottom open). Trim with Pinking Shears and turn right side out. Use the Stuffing Tool from the 12-in-1 Sewing Multi Tool to push out tight corners and small spaces. Press flat with an iron. Then stitch around each heart for a finished look. Tuck a small amount of polyfil inside wings and tail.

5. Sandwich a wing heart between the 2 half petal pieces (right sides facing in) that will create the bird’s side panel. Pin in place. Use the magnetic tip on the Sewing Multi Tool to keep your pins gathered in your work space. Repeat this for the other side panel and wing as well as the tail and back panel pieces. The front will consist of only the 2 half petal pieces.

6. Stitch about .5 inch from flat edge of the above pieces. Unfold and press open seams with an iron. Trim edges with Pinking Shears to remove excess material. At this time, stitch on felt beak and button eyes onto the upper portion of the front panel. If you have any stitching errors along the way – one of the wings was misaligned – be sure to make use of the handy seam ripper also included in the Sewing Multi Tool.

7. To start assembling the bird, place the front panel and one of the side panels together with right sides facing in. Line up the centers of the 2 panels first and begin pinning them together. Then stitch along the edge from one end to the other (top to bottom). Repeat this to attach the other side panel to the other side of the front panel. You’ll need to turn and manipulate the fabric a bit to match up panels, pin them and then to stitch them together. Again repeat in this fashion to attach one side of the back panel to the unattached edge on one of the side panels.

8. For the final unattached edges of the back panel and one of the side panels, pin together but leave a 2.5 inch space open near the bottom of the bird. Before stitching, tuck a gathered/looped piece of trim into the top of the bird where the 4 panels will be joined. This will be the tuft on the bird’s head. I added a few stitches by hand to secure this. Then machine stitch this final side part way as indicated above. The opening will allow you to turn out the fabric bird and to later stuff the bird.

9. Next, turn out the fabric bird through the opening described above. Take care to not tear the stitching. Use the Stuffing Tool to push out edges as needed. Then stuff the bird with polyfil as desired.

10. Hand stitch the opening closed to complete.