Storybook Craft Project - Paddington Bear Cushion Tutorial

 This week's project is inspired by a very special bear from Darkest Peru who was found at Paddington Station, London by the Brown Family. My mum is a big Paddington Bear fan and so I knew I had to make this cushion! The story I remember most from when I was little was when Paddington went to the beach and had a knickerbocker glory - I think it was my favourite story purely because I loved the word knickerbocker.

This cushion is fairly easy, it only took me a couple of hours and its almost entirely made out of fleece which means that cuddling it is like a 'hug-in-a-mug'!

Materials
1/2 Metre dark blue fleece
30cm square of brown fur fabric
Scraps of leatherette (Mine had a felt backing which made sewing it much easier!)
3 x duffel buttons
Beige Wool/String
Black embroidery thread
20cm square calico
17" Cushion Inner

1. Draw a template on brown paper (see below diagram for dimensions)

This is a sketch! It is not to scale

2. Pin template on fleece and cut out. Flip template, pin, and cut out second piece. They should be the reverse of each other but both showing the same side of the fleece (I learnt the hard way that the fleece is slightly different shade on front and back!)

3. Pin right sides together and sew from A to B (shown in above sketch)

4. Open out fold down the two jacket lapels - the top edge of the lapel should line up with the top of the fleece. Pin the fur fabric behind the fleece, lining it up with the top edge, so the fur can be seen in the triangle space left between the lapels. Pin as in the picture and sew along the edge of the jacket lapels, making sure to catch the fur fabric in the seam. Trim any excess fur fabric from the back.

5. Cut out 6 leatherette rounded triangles. (for template see below)

6. On the left side, line up the straight edge of the triangle with the point on the lapel, but position about 1" below. Cut a piece of wool 6 1/2" long and form loop as in below picture. Line wool loop up with centre seam in fleece and hide ends under leatherette triangle. In matching thread, sew round the leatherette, making sure to secure wool in place, as in picture. Repeat with other two, making sure they are 1 1/2 - 2" apart.

7. On the right side, line up the straight edge of the triangle with the point on the lapel and level with the corresponding triangle on the left. Cut three pieces of wool, 5 1/2" long. Thread the the duffel button on the wool and line up so the button rests on the the centre seam of the fleece. Catch the ends of the wool under the leatherette and sew all around the triangle.Repeat with other 2 triangles ensuring they are level with the left hand side triangles.

8. For the label, draw a rectangle 7 1/4 " by 3 3/4 " on to a piece of calico. Crop both corners on one side as in the picture to create a label shape. Trace the embroidery pattern onto the calico and before you cut out the label, catch the fabric in an embroidery hoop and use black embroidery thread to embroider the writing (I just used a simple backstitsh). Cut out the embroidered label and another blank label from calico - you now have front and back.

9. Pin right sides together and sew all around leaving a 2" gap in one of the longer side. Turn right way out and top stitch round the whole label, sealing the gap you left for turning.

10. Using your sewing machine, sew a button hole in the centre of the button, about 3/4" from the top, as in the picture. Thread 40cm wool through the hole.

11. Pin the wool in place at either corner where the fur meets the fleece (as if tied round his neck)

12. Cut two rectangles out of the fleece, 13 x 17". Hem the long edge of each piece.

13. Lay on top of the front panel, right sides together to form an envelope back -  so raw edge of smaller fleece should be pinned to top/bottom edge of cushion front.

14. Sew all the way round cushion. Turn inside out and stuff with a 17" cushion inner.

Downloadable Embroidery pattern and leatherette triangle template

Join me next week for another Storybook Craft Project

Have a great weekend

Love Rebecca


Linking up to a selection of these great Link Parties