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Sardine art is everywhere! Remember “put a bird on it?” It’s like that, but with tinned fish. Team member Camille brought you the Felt Sardine Can tutorial and now she’s back with a bigger, softer iteration – a Sardine Can Pillow. These tiny fish make a big splash in an oversized sardine can made from plush, vibrant wool felt. Completely unexpected and deliciously silly, this pillow will get you hooked on sardines as décor, even if you haven’t come around to eating them.
Skill Level: Advanced
Time: 15+ hours
Additional Supplies:
Sardine Can Template (click to download)
Sardine Can Stitching Guide (click to download)
Ruler
Sewing Machine
Freezer Paper - optional
Silver Elastic Cord - optional
Hot Glue Gun - optional
Directions:
Sardine Can Top
1. Lay one 12x18” sheet of Ash felt horizontally. Use a ruler and Frixion pen to make a line down the center. Pin or clip a 9x12” sheet of Limelight felt on right side, aligning with marked center line. Since felt sheets are hand cut, there might be slight discrepancies in edges. Prioritize the center seam.
2. Using Limelight thread, whipstitch Limelight and Ash felt together along center line. Place Honeydew felt on opposite side (covering Ash felt) aligned with center line and tight against Limelight felt edge. Use Honeydew thread to whipstitch Honeydew and Ash felt together along center line.
For optimal neatness, line up Honeydew stitches with first set of stitches. Set top aside.
3. Download Sardine Can Template and print onto cardstock. Cut out pieces and use a Frixion pen to trace pattern onto corresponding felt colors. Alternately, you can use the freezer paper method to print and transfer the patterns.
For Banner Text use template provided or a cutting machine and Letterbox Alphabet set to produce felt letters. Both options have the same dimensions and font.
4. Download and print Sardine Can Stitching Guide onto printer paper. Cut out shapes.
5. Lay sardine guide onto matching felt Body. Use Frixion pen to push through paper onto felt at both ends and center of each scale. Gently lift guide to make sure marks are coming through. (Markings on tail will be added later.) Remove guide and set aside.
6. Thread needle with Ash (darker gray) thread. Use pen markings to stitch scales with a fly stitch. To make a fly stitch, bring needle up through one scale end and down through the other. Before pulling taut, bring needle up through the third marking (center of scale) and tack down first stitch. Adjust tension of thread before pulling it through the loop to create a U or scallop shape.
With same thread, add backstitches for mouth. Use sardine guide for reference.
7. Take remaining felt Body and place second sardine guide on top. Repeat Step 6 to make markings and add fly stitches for scales. The embellished sardines should be mirror images of one another.
8. Lightly glue felt Upper Body in place, keeping glue away from edges. Whip stitch around interior edges with matching thread. (Top edge of Upper Body will be stitched in a later step.)
9. Lightly glue and then whip stitch Fin and Outer Eye in place with matching thread. Add Inner Eye and stitch in place with a cross stitch.
10. Repeat Steps 8 and 9 for second sardine and set aside.
11. To construct lemon slices, lightly glue Lemon Pulp onto Lemon Rind. Pulp should be centered and straight edges flush. Use lemon guide to mark center and ends of segments. Draw between points with a ruler.
12. Thread needle with Canary thread. Double over and knot. Stitch along radiating lines with a split stitch.
13. Whip stitch around interior edge of Lemon Pulp with White thread. (Top edge will be stitched in a later step.)
14. Lay top panel horizontally and position felt components, except for Pull Tab and Tab Screw. A 1” border should be left around all decoration. Lightly glue in place. See photo below for reference.
15. Use matching thread and whip stitch around perimeters of Title, Sardines, Lemons and Banner. Switch thread color when felt color changes on Sardines and Lemons.
16. Retrieve sardine stitching guides. Take turns laying each onto matching felt Body. Use Frixion pen to push through paper onto felt at both ends of tail markings. Gently lift guide to make sure marks are coming through. Use pen markings to make long straight stitches with Ash thread.
17. For Anchor and Banner Text, backstitch along interior of shapes. See photo below for reference.
18. Lightly glue Pull Tab Screw in place. Secure with metallic thread and a cross stitch. Place Pull Tab guide onto metallic felt. Use an awl to poke holes through guide and felt in spaces between dashed lines. Set aside.
19. Use blow dryer to remove any pen markings on top panel.
Sardine Can Assembly
20. From another sheet of 12x18” Ash felt, measure and cut two 3x18” strips and two 3x12” strips.
21. Machine stitch short ends together with a ¼” seam allowance. Alternate between long and short felt strips, making sure all seams are facing the same direction. Sew first and last pieces together to form loop for sides of sardine can.
22. Use Frixion pen to make a small mark in center of each loop side. Make a center mark on short ends of sardine can top. (Center of long side is stitched seam.) Align markings on loop and can top and pin in place.
23. Machine stitch around perimeter with a 3/8” seam allowance.
24. Pin remaining 12x18” piece of Ash felt to other side of felt loop. Sew around three sides with a 3/8” seam allowance. Leave right end (opposite side from Anchor) open.
25. Trim corners and turn pillow right side out. Glue smaller end of Pull Tab (within indentions) to center right edge of sardine can top. Use metallic thread to backstitch in place along awl holes.
26. Stuff sardine can pillow firmly with Polyfil. Take your time with this step! The end result should be firm and even. The best way to achieve this is by using smaller amounts of stuffing and working to keep it smooth as you stuff.
27. Once pillow is to desired firmness, clip end together and whip stitch closed with matching thread.
Your sardine can pillow is finished! Or is it…
Simply hot glue or whip stitch silver elastic cord along pillow seams to make this “catch of the day” even more irresistible!
Thanks to Camille for designing and writing this tutorial! You can follow her on Instagram @notsomodernmillie or visit her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials!
