FELT CACTUS PIN CUSHIONS

INSTRUCTIONS

Pots:

1. Using templates provided, cut one each of the pot side, pot base and pot rim shapes from brown felt.

2. Wrap the pot side piece so the two short ends overlap by 1cm, pin the place. Hand stitch ends together using thread in a decorative cross pattern or in a large running stitch. Alternately you can glue or machine stitch the ends together.

3. Pin the pot base piece to the inside base of the pot side. Attach base by either sewing with thread in a decorative blanket stitch design and or glue in place to secure.

4. Pin the pot rim around the top of the pot side with the overlapping short ends matching with the side piece overlap. Attach rim by either sewing with thread in a decorative blanket stitch design and or glue in place to secure.

Smaller cactus (Polaskia):

1. Using templates provided, cut six body shapes from dark green felt.

2. Pin two body shapes together and sew around curved edge 5mm from outer edge, leaving base edges open. Repeat with remaining four cut body shapes to make another two sewn shapes.

3. Place all sewn body shapes together with outer edges even. Pin through the center of shapes vertically, sew together straight through the center, still leaving the base edges open.

4. Stuff the body with hobby fill firmly or to desired fullness.

5. Hand stitch the outer edge seams of the body shapes with a decorative cross design using a contrasting coloured thread.

6. Using hot glue or craft glue, glue the base of the cactus body to the inside base of the felt pot.

7. Cut six strips of dark brown felt 15mm in width. Place a tiny bit of glue on the inside of one of the short end and roll the strip into a scroll shape. Secure end with another tiny bit of glue. Repeat on remaining strips to make another 5 felt scrolls.

8. Place felt scrolls into the rim of the pot, filling up the gaps between the pot and the cactus body. Glue in place.

9. To make the flower, cut two flower shapes from wine coloured felt and one flower center from yellow felt. Layer the shapes to create a flower and glue into place on top of the felt cactus. Place a yellow headed pin, pinned through the center of flower into the cactus.

Larger cactus (Saguaro):

1. Using templates provided, cut two body shapes, two left arms and two right arms from apple green felt.

2. Pin two body shapes together and sew around curved edge 5mm from outer edge, leaving base edges open. Repeat method to sew the two arm pieces together, leaving the bases open.

3. Stuff the body and arms with hobby fill firmly or to desired fullness. Machine stitch the base edges closed along both of the arm pieces

4. Hand stitch a decorative running stitch design up vertically on the body and arms using a matching or contrasting coloured thread.

5. Pin arms to the cactus body at desired height with base edge of arms sitting in behind the sewn side edge seams of the cactus body. Hand sew or machine sew in place or attach using a decorative hand sewing cross stitch.

6. Using hot glue or craft glue, glue the base of the cactus body to the inside base of the felt pot.

Cut twelve strips of dark brown felt 15mm in width. Place a tiny bit of glue on the inside of one of the short end and roll the strip into a scroll shape. Secure end with another tiny bit of glue. Repeat on remaining strips.

7. Place felt scrolls into the rim of the pot, filling up the gaps between the pot and the cactus body. Glue in place.

8. To make the flowers, cut four flower shapes from wine coloured felt and two flower center from yellow felt. Layer two shapes then the centre to create a flower and glue into place on the felt cactus. Place a yellow headed pin, pinned through the center of flower into the cactus.