Love Bird Swans - Free sewing patterns

Did you know that swans mate for life? Cyril and Cecilia met when they were little more than cygnets. Both attracted by the other’s bright plumage, they soon found out they were both made from Dashwood Studio’s Cuckoo’s Calling collection by Bethan Janine! They have been together ever since. This pair symbolise eternal love, and would make the ideal gift for anyone you hold dear.

Essentials

Fabric: Cuckoo’s Calling range by Dashwood
Studio, four prints, fat quarter of each
Felt: gold; dark brown; navy
Fibre filling
Wadding, lightweight
Beads, small, black, four

Dimensions List

25cm x 30cm

Sew a swan

Choose two printed fabrics and using the templates provided on page 98, cut two body pieces, one reversed, from the lighter coloured of the two. Cut one gusset from the same fabric, joining pieces end to end if necessary. Pin and stitch one side of the gusset along the base of one body piece, right sides together using a 6mm seam allowance.
Match up the second body piece and sew the other side of the gusset to it in the same way. Stitch the last few centimetres at the neck by hand to ensure a neat point under the bird’s chin. Pin and stitch the top edge of the body together, leaving an 8cm gap along the back for turning. Clip all the curves and corners and turn out.
Fold in the raw edges of the gap and tack down to prevent them fraying and stretching while the swan is stuffed. Begin by stuffing the head firmly, then move onto the neck and chest followed by the tail. Slip stitch the gap closed and remove the tacking.
Cut four wings, two reversed, from darker fabric. Pair up, right sides together, and place onto lightweight quilt wadding. Sew together through all three layers, leaving a gap along the bottom edge for turning. Trim the wadding to the edges of the fabric, clip all curves, turn out and press.
Stuff the wings very lightly before turning in the raw edges of the gap and slip stitching closed. Pin the wings to either side of the swan and oversew in placewith small stitches around the main curve of the wing.
Cut two bill shapes from gold felt and sew together around the edge with running stitch, leaving the top edge open. Take one side of the open edge and fold it in half. Working 2mm from the fold line, sew down for 2cm to create a ridge. Stuff the bill.
Cut a bill base from dark brown or navy felt and stitch across the ridged side of the bill. Pin the completed bill to the head of the swan and slip stitch in place. Add a small black bead to each side of the head as eyes. Secure by stitching from bead to bead several times straight through the head with a double thickness of thread.