by Mary www.craftingtales.com
(Palm Coast FL USA)
Lion
If you spend time on a computer, doing homework, checking email or playing games, you may have found your arms or wrists a little sore. While on a computer, our arms are not always supported in the best way, so why not correct that by making yourself a computer pal?
I added a pair of glasses to my lion but you can omit that step, if you'd like. You can also stitch the frames on around the wiggle eyes with thread.You can find mini glasses at most craft stores. Pick a material for the body that will be soft on your arms. Baby blankets or fleece works well. If it is thin material, cut two extra pieces from felt for a liner. Put right sides of body together and stitch 3 sides, leaving one short end open. Fill with rice and pin end closed well. Test it in front of your computer to see if you need to add any more rice or take some of it out. Once you have the correct amount, turn raw edge in and sew closed. Body done! Now wasn't that easy?
Let's make the head. Cut out mane and then cut the inner circle out from it. Cut out the round head pieces. On one of them, stitch on 2 small circles of felt for cheeks, using small stitches. Sew on a black felt nose. You can add some black thread for whiskers. Glue on wiggle eyes.
Make a line of black stitching from nose down to bottom of face and sew black button on for mouth. Put head pieces together and stitch, stuffing as you go. Sew completely closed. Lay mane on face and stitch around edge closest to face. Attach head to body by sewing only along the "back" of the head so no stitching shows through on front.
Cut out legs and sew button on foot of each. Turn end under an inch and attach to lion by stitching on. Cut tail piece and insert yarn between.
Whipstitch around edges, securing yarn ends inside as you stitch. Attach to lion between back legs.
PIG
You can make the piglet using any color you want. A bright pattern for his body or maybe a purple one? It's your pig so you can put your personality into it! Make the body the same as explained for the lion. Be sure to sew it well so no rice leaks out.
Take one snout piece and sew buttons on for nostils. Sew snout pieces together, stuffing it before the end, then sew closed. Take head piece without the ears and glue wiggle eyes on where indicated on pattern. Cut eye lids and lay one over eye, halfway covering eye.
Make tiny stitches and sew on, leaving it "poof" over eye and not lay directly on top of it. Repeat for other eye. Lay head pieces together and stitch around edge, stuffing lightly before securing closed. Lay snout on head and stitch to head. Keep stitches towards the back of snout when doing this so no stitches come through the front of the face.
Cut 4 legs and 8 hooves. Lay each leg between 2 hooves and stitch hooves closed, securing leg inside. Fold other end over an inch and sew to body. For tail, bend pipe cleaner in half and curl over each end so you don't have a sharp tip exposed. Cut two strips of felt wide enough to lay pipe cleaner inside. Stitch around edges of strip with bent pipe cleaner inside. Sew to pig between back legs. Curl tail around a pencil and sew a flower on the tip.