How To: Make Mini Felt Ducks

To celebrate the launch of my new book, Super-Cute Felt Animals, I'm sharing a collection of free tutorials that you can mix and match with the projects from the book.

This week I'm sharing three mini "extras" that are designed to coordinate with the animals in the "On the Farm" chapter: an apple tree and two ducks.
 

Today's tutorial? Making the cute little ducks! I stitched both my ducks from white felt but you could use light brown felt to make brown ducks - and maybe add some brown embroidery thread (floss) stitching to the wings for a feather effect.

To make the ducks, you will need...
- the template sheet at the bottom of this post
- white felt, 3 ¾ x 4 in (9 x 10 cm)
- a small piece of orange felt
- white and black sewing thread
- 2 black seed beads (size 9/0)
- stuffing & a pencil or other small stuffing tool
- needle, pins & embroidery scissors (great for cutting out small felt shapes!)

1. Use the templates provided to cut out the shapes you need. For the standing duck, cut two white duck (A) shapes, one white wing (A), one orange beak (A) and one orange set of feet. For the swimming duck, cut out two white duck (B) shapes, one white wing (B) and one orange beak (B).

If you want to double up the orange pieces to give them added sturdiness, sew each shape onto a matching piece of felt with orange running stitch, then cut out the second layer after you’ve finished stitching – creating a shape that’s now two layers of felt thick.

2. Position the corresponding wing on one of the duck shapes and sew it in place with white sewing thread, sewing a line of running stitch around the edge of the wing.

 

 

3. Use black sewing thread to add a black seed bead for the duck’s eye, sewing it flat like an O with three or four stitches. Set the front of the duck aside for the moment.

 

 

4. Sew the corresponding beak (and legs, if you’re making the standing duck) into position on the back duck piece, as pictured. Use white sewing thread and whip stitches, sewing into the white felt not through it.

5. Place the front and the back of the duck together, and start sewing the edges together with whip stitch and white sewing thread. Sew up the duck’s neck, around the head and back down the other side of the neck. Then stuff the head and neck. You may need to stuff the head and neck of the swimming duck gradually as you sew down the second side, as the neck is quite narrow.

 

6. Continue sewing around the duck’s body with whip stitch - when making the standing duck, turn the duck back and forth as you sew past the feet to help keep your stitching neat on both sides. Stuff the duck gradually as you sew along the bottom edge, then close up the final gap and finish your stitching neatly at the back.

Click here to view the template sheet in another window/tab, and print it at 100%.

This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to make as many felt ducks as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. You may borrow a few photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to the original source, and do not reproduce my entire tutorial on your site. Thanks!

 

Super Cute-Felt Animals is published by CICO Books, RRP £12.99. It includes 35 fun felt projects, each with illustrated step-by-step instructions. It's available to buy at Amazon UK and Amazon USA and many other bookshops.

Please note: the Amazon links in this post are affiliate links.

Enjoyed this free tutorial? Buy me a "coffee" and help support my blog!


Subscribe to my newsletter for a monthly free pattern and visit my crafty tutorial archive for lots more free projects.


Visit my shop to buy my printable PDF sewing patterns: