Embroidery Library
Inspiration Studio Lookbooks Stitchers Showcase
Videos Fabrics 101 Helpful How-To's Search Projects Projects by Category ▾
Christmas Club Free Designs Gift Certificates Thread Exchange Happy Hour & VIP

Sweet Bird Stuffie (In-the-Hoop)

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.

Set your heart soaring with this adorable stuffed bird! Stitch the pieces in-the-hoop, then assemble and stuff. Our step-by-step instructions below will show you how!
 

Project Needs & Notes:

- 1/4 yard of teal quilter's cotton (for body)
- 1/4 yard of red patterned quilter's cotton (for tummy)
- 1/4 yard of teal patterned quilter's cotton (for wings and tail)
- Small piece of yellow patterned quilter's cotton (for beak)
- Cotton batting
- Polyester fiberfill
- Tear-away stabilizer
- Temporary spray adhesive (such as Gunold's KK100)
- Needle for hand sewing
- Sewing machine
- 2 buttons (1/2" - 3/4")

The design featured in this tutorial is:
 X13720, Bird Stuffie in 3D (In-the-Hoop)

Finished Size: 4" wide, 3 1/2" tall (5 1/2" tall with tail), and 3 1/2" deep

Special Notes:
To make a completed stuffed bird, embroider two wings (embroidery file "f"), and just one of every other piece.

The stuffed bird's body is assembled on a sewing machine, and then the other pieces are hand sew onto the body. If preferred, the hand sewn portions may also be glued on.

For best results, place batting on both the front and back dieline pieces for the wings and tail. This will make the pieces sturdier and give them a cute, quilted effect.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
This in-the-hoop design has sixteen files. Seven are the full embroidery files. The other nine are dieline files marked with the letters DL. Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the right shape and size.

Open the dieline files with embroidery software and print them. If you do not have embroidery software, Wilcom's TrueSizer is a free program to use.

Print two copies of the front and back dieline files for the wings (piece "e"). This will allow you to have enough dielines to make two wings as the one file will need to be embroidered twice.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Cut around the paper dieline for the top of the bird (piece "a"), and spray the back of it with temporary adhesive. Then smooth it onto the teal fabric.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Cut out the shape, and fold back a corner of the paper dieline to make it easy to remove later.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.

Repeat the previous steps to make the fabric dielines for pieces labeled "b," "c," "d," and "e."

"a," "b," and "c" should all be out of the teal fabric, "d" uses the red fabric, and "e" uses the yellow. For best results, label the pieces with a pen to keep them from getting mixed up.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.

To make the fabric dielines for the wings and tail (pieces "f" and "g"), spray and place the paper dieline onto the fabric as you did before.

Then, cut a piece of batting slightly bigger than the fabric, spray it with temporary adhesive, and smooth it onto the back of the fabric. The wings and tail pieces also have a front and a back. Make sure to put batting on every piece.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Label, and cut out each of the fabric dielines with batting. Make sure to cut out two wing fronts and two wing backs, so that two wings (file "f") can be made.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Now that the fabric pieces are cut to the proper shape and size, it's time to embroider the design.

Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer. Madeira E-Zee Tear 1.5 oz. or Floriani Tearaway Medium are good choices. Those brands are more fibrous, less paper-like, and will tear more cleanly.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Attach the hoop to the machine and load the full embroidery design (not the dieline files) for the top of the bird (file "a").

Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle, rather than an embroidery needle. A sharp sewing needle has a smaller, finer point than an embroidery needle, so that will make smaller perforations in the stabilizer.

Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be a dieline or outline. This marks the area on the stabilizer for the fabric piece.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Spray the back side of the fabric piece with a small amount of temporary adhesive. Place the fabric right inside the sewn outline.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue embroidering. A tackdown and border will sew next. Then the details will sew.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Once the embroidery is finished, unhoop the stabilizer and gently tear it away from the edges.

Make sure to leave the tear-away stabilizer on the back of the fabric piece as this will add a little bit of structure to the finished piece.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Then repeat to embroider the sides of the bird (pieces "b" and "c"), the tummy (piece "d"), and the beak (piece "e").

Follow the color change sheets carefully and add the fabric dieline pieces before sewing each tackdown. Tear away the excess stabilizer once they are finished embroidering.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Next, it's time to embroider the first wing (file "f"). Load the file and start embroidering. Watch the color change sheet and add the front dieline piece before sewing the step labeled "front piece tackdown."

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Then, stop the machine again before sewing the "back piece tackdown."

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Flip the hoop over, spray the back fabric piece with temporary adhesive, and place it inside of the embroidered shape.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Since both sides of the wings and tail will be seen, wind a bobbin with the same thread used in the needle.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Place the hoop back on the machine, and continue embroidering. A tack down and final border will sew along with a few inner details.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Once finished embroidering, tear the excess stabilizer away, and repeat to make another wing (file "f"), and the tail (file "g").

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Now that all of the pieces are embroidered, it is time to start assembling the bird.

Take the top of the bird (piece "a"), and the right side of the bird (piece "b"), and match up the pointed end of the top to the curved point by the eye on the side piece (marked in blue).

These pieces are going to be sewn together from the points, along one side, and to the back corner of the top piece marked in red.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Match up the points and edges with the right sides together, and pin them in place all along one side of the top piece.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
The finishing edge detail that embroidered on all the body pieces will be the seam allowance.

On a sewing machine, carefully stitch right along the stitched border. For best results, sew right along it on the inside of the stitching, so that none of the stitching will be seen in the seams of the finished bird.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Then repeat to line up, pin, and sew the other side of the bird (piece "c") onto the opposite edge of the top piece.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Next, take the belly piece (piece "d"), and locate the triangle dart.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Fold the fabric piece in 1/2 along the dart with right sides together. Match up the two stitched sides of the triangle, and pin in place.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Sew right along the stitched side of the triangle to create the dart.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Now, take the belly and the connected top and sides of the bird, and start to match up the bottom corners of the belly piece to the outer points of the sides along the curved edges.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Match up the corners and the curved edges, and pin the two pieces with right sides together.

It is easiest to sew if top of the bird is curved like a bowl, and belly is inside of it.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Sew along the seam allowance, and make sure to leave about 3" open in the back for turning and stuffing.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Turn the bird right side out, and stuff it firmly with polyester fiberfill.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
For best results, continue to stuff the base of the bird's body with filling as you sew the opening closed.

Simply sew a little and then add stuffing, and then repeat until the opening is closed and all the bottom corners of the bird are firmly stuffed. This will help the bird sit very well.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Next, take the embroidered beak piece (piece "e"), and gently bend it in half with wrong sides together. Do not crease the fold.

Match up the two short straight sides, and hand sew them together along the straight edges.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Position the beak on the front of the bird's face with the straight seam facing down.

Carefully, begin to hand sew the beak in place by placing little hand stitches along the edges.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Leave a small hole, and add some stuffing inside the beak (between the body and the beak).

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Then finish sewing the beak on, and close the hole.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Next take one of the wings (piece "f"), and sew a button onto the right side above the line detail.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
After the button is sewn on, position the wing on the body so that it is about 1" away from the eye, and the bottom edge of the wing is resting along the seam of the belly.

Hand sew the wing to the body by first sewing right behind where the button is sewn.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Then hand stitch the edge of the wing for about 1/4"-1/2" to tack it in place.

This will prevent the wing from spinning on the side of the bird.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Repeat to add the button onto the second wing, and sew it onto the opposite side.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Finally take the embroidered tail (piece "g"), and fit it into the groove on the back of the bird. Make sure the right side of the tail is against the body.

Free project instructions to stitch an in-the-hoop bird stuffie.
Hand sew the tail to the body by stitching along the bottom edge of the tail, and then continue by stitching about 1 1/4" up each side.
Bird Stuffie in 3D (In-the-Hoop)



This project is featured on the Embroidery Library Pinterest page.

Pin it yourself using the "Pin It" button on this page.

Questions or comments? Let us know! Send an email to us; the address is support@emblibrary.com.

Products used in this Project:
Bird Stuffie in 3D (In-the-Hoop) $3.99

Available in 1 Size:

4.85" x 6.37"