Molly's Sketchbook: Little Lamb Pillows

Several years ago I drove through Europe in the Springtime and I will never forget seeing all the adorable  lambs frolicking in the fields. They were unbelievably, utterly cute. I wanted to get out of the car and pet each one we came across. Recently when I was thinking of a project to add some springtime cheer to my  apartment I kept thinking of the little lambs and decided to try my hand at making a lamb inspired throw pillow.

This project turned out to be even quicker and cuter than I imagined so I sewed my first little lamb a friend to play with. They add a whimsical touch of Spring cheer to any room!-- Molly

Materials

To make a set of two pillows:

• One 18-inch square piece of Wool Felt in Tan
• One 18-inch square piece of  Wool Felt in Ecru
• One piece of Wool Felt in Chocolate
• Sweet Dreams Cotton Stuffing
• 100% cotton thread to match each wool color.
• One Little Lamb Pillow Template (available to download for free here) printed and cut out

Cutting

Choose either the tan or the ecru felt as the body color of your first sheep. Cut the body shape from the  instructed on the template. Then using the chocolate felt use cut out the legs, ears and faces. You will have:

• Two wool melton lamb bodies
• Four felt legs
• Two felt faces
• Two felt ears

Sewing

Pin the two face pieces together and edge stitch them to one another using matching thread. Do the same for the two pairs of legs. If you need a refresher on edge stitching you can click here. You will now have one face and two legs.

Pin the two sheep body pieces together. Place and pin the legs and face in between the two body layers as shown above.

Starting at the front leg, sew around the body shape  a 1/2-inch from the outside of the scalloped edge of the piece. When you get to the face sew carefully around the curve with a 1/4-inch seam allowance and then resume the 1/2-inch seam allowance once you get past the face. Stop sewing immediately after the back leg and make sure to back stitch at the beginning and end of the seam.

There should be an opening in between the sheep's front and back legs as shown above.

Stuffing and Finishing

Stuff the sheep through the opening. You are not trying to stuff it very full, instead try to keep the sheep laying flat. Use larger pieces of stuffing to avoid the pillow being lumpy.

Once you're done stuffing pin the opening closed.

Sew the opening closed with your sewing machine, using the matching thread. Try to start and end the seam so it overlaps the previous seam neatly and looks like one long line. Back stitch at the beginning and end of the seam.

Fold each ear piece in half just along it's short flat side. Tack them closed by hand using the matching thread.

Hand sew one of the ears into place and then repeat for the second.

Repeat all steps for the second color of wool melton and you're cute pair of lambs will be all done!