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!

Comments

[SpiderWomanKnits]

So adorable! I love this! My daughter will go bananas for one of these.

[Alexandra Alcantara]

Molly: These is the most adorable project ever! You're awsome !

[Alexa]

I'm wondering what the fabric is for the woodgrain pillow in the background? Random.....
Alexa

[Nancy]

Love your site!! Can't wait to make froggies!! Thank you!!

[trisha]

omg, they are too cute!!!

[Deb]

These are so cute! I must try making some of these. :)

[Kate Fichter]

I LOVE your projects! Please keep them coming!

[Holly]

Did you make the faux bois pillow in the background? I want one!

[ZoeOB]

If my Jack Russell didn't treat this as a chew toy, I would make an entire flock of them (sorry, I couldn't resist). How cute is this for a pillow? You always come up with the most whimsical but practical items, Molly.

[ThePhantomMoon]

Fantastic job! Thanks so much as always for sharing!! I'll definitely be linking back on my blog :)

[Maria]

These are really cute, thank you for the tutorial!

And I don't want to destroy your dream of cute and soft little lambs, but really, next time you see one, you shouldn't touch one, because they are anything BUT soft. Seriously, they are quite rough and greasy. But this probably makes them even more cute!! :-D

[melody]

Seriously cute! I'm just finishing sewing the binding on a quilt for my 4 yo that was inspired by this beautiful fabric that looks like a water color painting from an old story book...the fabric being covered in...sheep! I think he may need one or two of these to go along with it. Besides, they are sure to get along with his sweater duck. :)

[Becca]

Since my daughter's nursery theme is LAMBS I'm definitely going to have to make these pillows. Thanks!!!

[EvaBabeDesigns]

Thanks I'm going to link to you on my site.

[crys]

Love it. now I know what I am going to make this easter!

[Bakarasz]

This is SOOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!! In fact, the cutest thing I've seen in a while! I've just made two for my kiddies, my little lambs will sit in the nest of the Easter Bunny tomorrow morning. I know my kids will love it, it even made my husband smile, he couldn't help it! I've made two little changes - used soft fleece for the bodies, the kind which has little ridges and I sew on the ears before putting the two body parts together. Thanks for sharing such a great project, one of my favourites :)))

Agnes from Hungary

[zhanna]

HEY! these are super cute and i actually made a few! turned out really great and the instructions were easy to follow!!! i also did made one from pink polka dotted fleece and posted pix on my blog! i did add a link to your hope u dont mind! if ya want to check it out! http://lushytushybaby.blogspot.com/

[Monika Jayne]

I love this little lamb! I have two Shetland Sheep dogs who have been keeping me company at home lately. I'll have to make a flock of these for them and their Pup Pals! How can I post a photo?

[fraufertig]

How cute! The perfect gift for my newborn nephew! thanks for sharing!
fraufertig

[Liz B.]

ooh, love these! how simple and cute. i wonder if these little ones can be tweaked for a goat love like myself!
- http://grazinggoat.wordpress.com/

[purl bee]

Hi Liz B-

We would love to see your goat version if you end up doing it.

Thanks for the comment!

[Susuko]

I love it! So simple and so cute!
Thank you very much!

[Mariska]

hi! are you selling this? i really want to buy a pair from you! (:

[Beverly]

Thank you so very much for this adorable little lamb. She will be a wonderful cuddly for a sick child. God bless. Bev

[Erin Ayscue]

I would love to make these for Christmas presents!! However, I can't find the wool fabric anywhere and I only see a dark color listed on here. Any suggestions for finding the wool fabric or can you suggest a substitute? These are perfect for little ones with sensory processing disorders (my daughter has SPD) and would love make tham. Thanks!!

[purl bee]

Hi Erin-

We are no longer carrying the wool melton so I would recommend using the 100% wool felt. I have updated all the links above and suggested colors in the materials section.

Thanks for your question and good luck with the project!

[moni]

Do you stuff the face . If so when do you do it and how do you sew the face on the body

[purl bee]

Hi Moni-

You don't stuff the face. The face is made out of a single layer of wool felt.

Thanks for your question!

Molly

[Jenny]

These are very cute! The template linked to does not match the pictures. The front and back of the body are very different than what is shown. Is this a mistake?

[purl bee]

Hi Jenny-

The front and back pattern pieces are meant to be taped together (as per the the instructions printed on them) to make one large pattern piece that you trace to cut the body pieces from the wool. Hope this makes sense. Please let us know if you have any more questions!

Molly

[Sarah]

How do you sew the ears on so that you can't see the thread? I can't figure out what stitch I should use!

Thanks

[purl bee]

Hi Sarah-

You could use a running stitch, a whip stitch, or a cross stitch (that you sew over many times) if you sew in the dented fold part of the ear with matching thread any of those should be pretty invisible.

Thanks for your question!

Molly

[Charlotte]

Hi. I LOVE all of your ideas. Is it ok if I link to you from my blog and use a couple of your gorgeus pictures to show what people can find inhere? :-)

Best regards
Charlotte

[Carol]

You fell in love with sheep the same way I did! I once drove along the western coast of Ireland in early April -- bitter cold like I'd never felt before, pelting horizontal rain, waves of fog rolling in off the ocean... so dramatic! I LOVED IT! I think it was a little early for the lambs, but I certainly came away with new respect for sheep. They roamed a narrow strip of grass that tilted very sharply up toward the rocky cliffs above, ambling along and grazing placidly in this icy near-hurricane. How can something so cute also be so tough? :-) Thank you for this lovely pattern -- I'll make myself a small flock!

[Jenny]

I am so in love with these guys! I have been looking for a project my 7-year old daughter can do "on her own" and this is it!! Thank you!!

[Hannah]

I love these!! Thanks for posting, I'll definitely be trying them out :-D

[Allen]

I love it! Just made one and it's sooo cute: Thank you! :)