Whoooo's ready for a new fall tutorial? From the brilliant mind of Jennifer Heynen of @jenniferheynen.creative, we'd like to introduce Ollie and Hoot, two very smart stuffed wool owls! The combination of felted and Bellwether wool components gives these creatures texture and personality and the little wire feet help them stay grounded. Grab your felt and let's craft with Jennifer!
Make Ollie or Hoot or both! These little standing owls are perfect for fall decoration. They'll look so cute on your desk or windowsill. The wire legs are made with stem wire and easily bent with pliers. Rather have an ornament? You can leave the wire legs off and add a string for hanging. You've got lots of options when making this pair of owl friends.
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 2 Hours
Additional Supplies:
Ollie and Hoot Pattern (click to download)
Iron
Directions:
1. Download and print Ollie and Hoot Pattern above. Trace pattern pieces onto freezer paper or fusible webbing (iron-on adhesive) as directed on pattern. Cut around pattern pieces using a large margin. Iron pattern pieces onto felt as outlined below, then cut out along pattern lines.
Ollie
Herringbone felted wool - (2) Body, (2) Inner Wing, (2) Ear
Houndstooth felted wool - (1) Mask, (2) Outer Wing, (2) Hair Tuft
Paprika wool felt - (2) Outer Eye, (1) Beak
Ecru wool felt - (2) Eye
Orion wool felt - (2) Pupil
Hoot
Paprika wool felt - (2) Body, (1) Beak, (2) Ear
Butterscotch wool felt - (1) Mask, (2) Outer Wing, (2) Hair Tuft
Laurel wool felt - (2) Outer Eye, (2) Inner Wing
Ecru wool felt - (2) Eye
Orion wool felt - (2) Pupil
Images accompanying instruction show prep and assembly for Ollie Owl.
2. Peel off paper backing from Mask and Eye elements and arrange on face. Iron in place.
3. With two strands of DMC 823, sew Pupils to Eyes. Sew around Mask with two strands of coordinating floss. Take two strands of Ecru floss and make large radiating stitches from Pupil to edge of Outer Eye on both sides. Attach Beak with two strands of coordinating floss.
4. With six strands of coordinating floss, add straight stitches to Head and top of Body to mimic feathers. Add straight stitches to solid wings, if desired.
5. Place front and back Body together with right sides facing out. Slide Ears and Hair Tufts in place between two layers and pin in place.
6. Use two strands of coordinating floss to stitch around perimeter of Body. Leave bottom portion open and fill with core wool stuffing to desired firmness. Set aside.
7. Pair Inner and Outer Wings with right sides facing out. Left and right sides should mirror each other. Stitch around perimeter of Wings with two strands of coordinating floss.
8. To make Legs, bend one end of wire into a foot shape using 3-in-1 tool. Follow guide on the pattern for sizing. Once Foot is bent into shape, turn up wire to create Leg. At top of Leg (desired height) bend wire at right angle and back down to make second Leg. Shape Foot at end of second Leg and trim excess wire.
9. Tuck wire into Body and add a little more core wool for stability. Sew opening closed.
10. Use two strands of coordinating floss to stitch Wings to each side of Body. Adjust Feet and Legs until owl can stand on his own.
I hope you had fun making Ollie and Hoot. You can stitch these owls up for every season just by changing the colors. For winter, you could easily add a scarf just for fun!
Thanks to Jennifer for designing and writing this tutorial! You can see more of her work on Instagram @jenniferheynen.creative and on her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials from Benzie Design!
