meet tweet, mimi and hoot

here is a simple sewing project, which turns out a pretty cute new buddy!  we call this one mimi.  you can make up your own pattern and design, i didn’t use anything specific.  i wanted something non-descript and easy to hold onto, for the bird’s little hands.  i also wanted something in fun colors with a few interesting shapes. i think the fun is in having a quirky shaped design. i selected 2 fabrics.  in fact, the light pink is an old flannel swaddling blanket that we no longer use.

place the correct side of the fabrics together and draw your funny shape onto one of the fabric.  make sure to cut the size about 1” larger than what you want the final mimi to be.  i use pinking shears to cut out the pattern.

take the two sides apart.  lets call the striped fabric the front and the pink fabric the back.  i used crafting felt to create the ‘face’ on the front of mimi.  i like the felt because of the different texture and the fact that it won’t fray.  i cut mimi’s ‘eyes’ with regular scissors but used the pinking shears on the ‘mouth’.

you will want to sew these shapes onto the front fabric first.  you can either sew them on by hand or with a machine.  i decided to sew the mouth on with a standard straight stitch and the eyes on with a zig-zag stitch. i also used a contrasting thread  in aqua.

once the shapes are sewn on, place the front and back fabrics back together, with the correct sides of the fabric facing each other.  begin at the bottom of mimi and begin sewing around the entire mimi.  finish at the bottom but, leave a 4 inch gap.  you will use this gap to turn mimi right side out and to stuff her.  carefully pull the correct sides of the fabrics through the whole and turn mimi right side out.  be sure to use your finger to push out all of the seams.

stuff mimi with any cotton filling, so that she is filled but not overstuffed.  it is nice to keep her a little under-filled so that little hands can easily grab ahold of her.  once she is stuffed, turn the seams under, at the opening you left at the bottom of mimi.  use an overcast stitch to close her up.  fluff and there ya go!  you have your very own cuddly mimi.