A felt hedgehog can be sewn in one evening. The technology for making the toy is relatively simple - even a novice needlewoman can handle it. A snail is made from felt in a similar way. The decorative element is suitable for use as an interior decoration.
Fabric features
Felt is obtained by mechanical rolling. The material has a uniform, dense texture. The main raw material for creating felt fabric is soft goat wool.
Modern factory production cannot do without adding synthetics and other artificial materials. The manufacturing process at industrial enterprises is fully automated.
For reference! The development of felt felting technology began in ancient times. Nomads used this material to create dwellings, household items, clothing, headwear and footwear.
Felt and felt have a number of common characteristics, including external similarity. Due to its high performance qualities, it is very difficult to damage a felt sample.
Depending on the surface, the material is of two types:
- smooth;
- shaggy.
The required degree of fluffiness is achieved using a special technology. According to this parameter, felt is classified into four types:
- suede with a pile of half a millimeter;
- short-pile - 1.5 mm thick;
- velour with a two-millimeter pile;
- voluminous long-haired.
There are many types of felt material, depending on the use of the raw material:
- Woolen - natural, made from sheep wool. It is environmentally friendly, has good thermal insulation and antiseptic properties. It can hold its shape for a long time and does not wear out. The texture is dense. Woolen felt will cost more than other varieties.
- Semi-wool - made from equal amounts of wool and viscose fibers. Soft, sold in a wide range.
- Acrylic - made from recycled plastic. The canvas has a slight shiny sheen. Bright tones remain saturated for a long time. Easy to clean without losing shape.
- Bamboo - made from a mixture of bamboo and viscose fibers. Durable, silky, soft, has an antibacterial effect. There are many bright shades on sale.
- Polyester - is particularly durable. It is used to create long-lasting items. It is able to maintain its original condition for a long time.
- Eco-felt - obtained by processing secondary raw materials. Can be soft and hard. Felt material has a uniform structure, is not translucent. It is presented on sale in a wide variety of shades.
When choosing a type of material for handicrafts, you need to focus on the type of product being created. Toys are best sewn from polyester. Semi-woolen felt is suitable for decorating albums. For decorative crafts, it is preferable to choose felt fabric in sheets.
Thin fabric is great for multi-layered toys, decorations and appliques. It can be combined with other fabrics and embroidered.
Flat and volumetric objects are created using the applique method. Cut out parts are glued or sewn on. The edges do not crumble and do not require additional processing.
Advantages and disadvantages
The list of advantages of felt, in comparison with other fabrics, includes:
- homogeneity;
- wide range of colors;
- the possibility of purchasing a sheet of the required size;
- neat and non-crumbling cut;
- ease of connecting parts;
- Cutting out the cut out elements is done without difficulty.
The disadvantages of the material are considered to be:
- gradual shrinkage;
- hygroscopicity;
- requires mothproofing.
Necessary materials
List of tools and materials for creating a felt hedgehog with your own hands:
- beige and black felt sheets;
- scissors;
- drawing diagram;
- needle;
- simple pencil;
- fragments of brown, light green and yellow felt material;
- glue;
- holofiber;
- tailor's marker.
Pattern of the details
Cutting out the future product is similar to making a mobile toy and is done in several stages:
- On black felt, draw 2 back blanks with thorns using a template.
- Cut out two pieces of ears, head and belly on a beige sheet of paper.
- Draw the front and back paws on a beige sheet of paper, one at a time.
- Cut out a black oval nose.
- Cut out mushrooms, apples and leaves from colored felt.
For reference! Each figured applique is done arbitrarily or redrawn from templates on the monitor screen. If you have a book with a picture of a hedgehog at home, you can use the finished drawing as a guide.
Master class on making
The step-by-step algorithm of actions, following which will help you quickly create a beautiful product, is as follows:
- On one of the parts of the head, draw all the outlines of the muzzle with a pencil. It should be cute, so as not to scare the young owner of such a cute toy.
- Embroider the outlined contours with black threads. You don't have to cut the thread each time - it's better to continue developing the stitch you started on the back side.
- Sew the nose with blind stitches. Thread the needle with brown threads.
- Place the front side of the head on the back. The muzzle should be on top.
- Connect the head from two fragments with an overlock stitch. This must be done starting from the bottom part.
- Put some holofiber inside the head and sew it up. Carefully straighten it out so that the toy takes shape.
- Attach two paws to the front of the body and sew them on with a stitch through the edge.
- Place the lower part of the body under the upper part. Develop a high-quality overcast stitch and join.
Continue creating the hedgehog as follows:
- Fill the resulting hedgehog with holofiber. Sew the body to the head, making circular stitches.
- Sew the edges of the ears with overlock stitches. Connect the ears to the head at the rounded areas.
- Attach the paws to the body at the bottom. Fold the back pieces and stitch them in a circle with brown threads.
- Put some stuffing inside the toy at the bottom. Use a pencil to push the holofiber into the narrow places of the thorns.
- Sew the lower part of the back. Place the figure in the center of the second part of the back. Sew along the entire contour with blind stitches.
- Give the hedgehog a natural shape, aligning the edges. Apply glue to the back of the elements to decorate the spines.
- Glue the mushroom, apples and leaves onto the hedgehog's back. The order of placement can be any.
Tips for making a felt hedgehog
To make the craft look neat, it is better to process the parts with a U-shaped seam.
For a more durable seam attachment, it is recommended to sew each part manually or on a machine. If the product needs to be created in the near future, it is permissible to use hot glue.
The patterns should be prepared in advance. Beads, rhinestones and ribbons can be additional elements of toy decoration. A cartoon character can be chosen as the main character.
The original felt hedgehog is a very beautiful and safe product that can be created quite quickly. How long it will take will depend on the skill of the needlewoman. In addition, a cute toy animal can become a great addition to the interior design.
