How to: A Black Crow Made From Felt
Most people are sitting on the fence with their opinions about crows. Thanks to their depiction in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds,” as well as the crows’ diet of carrion, crows seem to have a bad reputation. Even the name for a flock of crows is a murder -- not exactly the most glamorous title. However, crows are so intelligent that they can count. Design your own stuffed crow to add to your collection of props for Halloween to give your guests shivers. Or give the crow some clout by using stuffed crows as part of your nature-inspired decor.
Things You'll Need
- 2 sheets black craft felt
- White chalk
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Embroidery needle
- Black embroidery floss
- 1 lb. polyester or fiber fill
- 2 small, round black buttons
Instructions
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1
Draw an oval that is approximately 6 inches long and 4 inches wide diagonally across the center of a sheet of black felt with chalk to form the crow’s body. Add a 3-inch-wide circle at the top end of the horizontal oval for the crow’s head. Draw a beak that is approximately 3-inches long and 1-inch wide extending out from one side of the circle; you can put the beak on the right or left side of the head, which will determine which way the crow is facing.
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2
Cut around the outer perimeter of the bird’s body, head and beak so you have one piece of black felt. Rub off the chalk lines remaining on the black felt. Pin the black crow to a second sheet of black craft felt by placing straight pins every two inches apart. Cut around the perimeter of the crow so you have two identical pieces of felt.
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3
Sew around the perimeter of the crow using three strands of black embroidery floss in an embroidery needle; leave a 3-inch-wide space across the bottom of the oval unsewn. Remove the straight pins and flip the crow inside-out so the seams are facing the inside.
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4
Stuff the crow’s beak using a small amount of cotton or fiber fill. Push the stuffing into the end of the beak using the sharpened end of a pencil. Fill the head until you achieve a round shape. Stuff the body of the crow using the fill until you have a firm and full shape. Sew the remaining gap across the bottom of the crow to hold in the stuffing.
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5
Cut out two 3-inch-long forks that have three prongs from the remaining black craft felt to create the crow’s feet. Sew the top end of the forks to the bottom of the oval, spaced two inches apart. Sew a small, round black button to each side of the crow’s head to give the crow eyes to complete the piece.
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