{STOP PRESS: happy kits now available in the shop over at the @home site. Strictly limited numbers. Check them out here.}
So..do you want to make your own painted calico cheerfull-ness?
Well let's get going.
What you will need:
- calico
- felt scraps, ribbon, buttons etc
- wadding/filling
- acrylic paint - I used Jo Sonja colours
- paintbrushes, embroidery thread/needle
- wooden skewer
- sealer/varnish
- access to a sewing machine
Getting started:
Here's the project again...
Start by downloading and printing off the pattern sheet which contains a couple of flower shapes as well as the house and heart shape. Download the pattern template here.
Grab some calico and fold it in half. Slip the pattern sheet in between the layers of calico and using a pencil, trace around your shapes.
Don't cut your shapes out yet.
Using scissors or a craft knife cut a small slit along the centre of ONE layer of the calico. This will be our 'turning' hole and also will be used to insert the wadding. Make the slit about 2.5-3cm long.
Use a couple of pins to hold the two layers of calico together to keep them secure. We are now going to machine stitch each shape. Take your time, use a very small stitch length ( I used about a 1.5 stitch length) and ease the needle slowly around each shape.
This is quite a time consuming step but worth the extra effort.
Trim your threads. Using sharp scissors cut each shape leaving a .5cm margin..be careful not to clip into your stitches:)
Now, the tricky part. Using a skewer or a blunt pencil turn your shape out through the slit we cut earlier. The more intricate your shape, the more time consuming and harder this step is. The house and heart shape were easy!! The flower with all the petals..not so easy.















You can leave the back of your flower unpainted or use a solid all over colour OR paint each petal the same as for the front of your flower.

Insert a skewer into the base of each shape. Add some ribbon or any finishing touches you want to include and then stand back and admire your creation. Cute hey!


