Stitch a bird

1. Cut two bird pieces from red felt, using the free template provided at www.sewmag.co.uk. Cut two fabric wings from scraps and attach them to the main body using an acid-free glue stick then add two eyes in cream felt.

2. Take a piece of plain white cartridge paper and lay both sides of the bird on it right sides up, this will help the stitching process and stop the felt from being pulled below the needle. Embroider both the eye and the wing on both pieces, using the image as a guide, then tear the paper away.

3. Pin the bird pieces with right sides facing out and, starting at the top, stitch across the edge. Catch a 22cm folded piece of gingham ribbon into the seam at the top of the shape. Stop half way round but leave the needle in and lightly stuff the head and body. Continue stitching around the bird, stuffing as you go. Add two lines of stitching to the tail. Repeat in cream felt to make more birds.

4. To make a heart drop embellishment, glue two small rectangles of red felt together then cut them into a heart shape. Tuck a small length of red ric rac into the top. Oversew around the edges by hand in matching thread then, as you sew your bird together, catch the spare end of the ric rac into the seam at the bottom.

Make a gift tag

1. Cut out one bird from cream felt and use an acid-free glue stick to attach it to a 7.5cm x 15cm piece of green card with a scallop cut edge. Cut a wing from scraps and an eye from red felt then glue them into place.

2. Machine stitch the bird to the card with red thread. Backstitch the words ‘Merry Xmas’ onto the tag and mount it onto an 8cm x 15.5cm piece of cream card. Punch a hole in the bottom right corner and thread a length of red gingham ribbon through it to hang.