Perennial Harvest: Felt and Fabric Decorations for Fall

Despite the fact that, technically, I don't know how to sew, I'm fascinated by the colors and patterns of thread and fabric. Just looking at them is a pleasure in itself. However, with a little hand stitching, these lovely fall colors make for a more permanent collection of decorative gourds (and maybe a critter or two):

The usual suspects.

Felt and Fabric Decorations

Materials:
Colored craft felt
Solid or patterned fabrics (remnants/fat quarters)
Embroidery flosses or No. 5 mercerized cotton threads
Doll needles
Straight pins
Poly-fil/stuffing
Templates or cookie cutters in desired shapes
Ballpoint pen
Sharp scissors (regular or pinked)
Embellishments (buttons, beads, etc.)

Trace template on backside of fabric; turn template over and trace again on a coordinating piece of felt. Cut out and match insides together, smoothing and securing with straight pins. Leaving a small border, stitch along the outside edge, leaving an opening at a larger end. Remove pins and stuff gently until pleasantly plump, but not so full that you can't close the opening. Finish stitching to close and tie off thread (hide the "tail" between the two layers, if possible).

Notes: Doll needles work well here, as the point is much sharper and the needle much longer than a regular embroidery needle. When using floss, I use all six strands together so the stitching stands out nicely. For the owl above, appliques and embellishments were added to the front side prior to attaching it to the back. Colors and fabrics can be chosen according to the season, making it easy to be creative any time of year!

>o<