Bowling Pins

Strike it lucky with our Santa Bowling Pins. Designed by Chloe Hailwood, these squishy St Nicks will certainly get the ball rolling when it comes to family festivities this winter. Ideal for playtime, each one can be stitched in just five steps and provides a fantastic opportunity for you to use up your spare fabric and felt if budget is tight. If easy embroidery and simple stitching is right up your alley, you’re going to be bowled over by this Christmas craft project.

Essentials

Fabric: cotton, red, 40cm square; faux sheepskin or fur
Felt, skin toned
Toy stuffing, 150g
Buttons
Buckle, 2.4cm, one
Acid-free glue stick
Coloured pencil, pink

Sizes

5mm seam allowance used throughout, unless otherwise stated.

Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Using the templates, cut four bowling pin pieces and one base from red cotton. Snip out two pieces of red cotton and lay one on top of another, right sides facing. Mark the hat template on the top piece of fabric and stitch together directly over these lines, leaving the straight edges open. Trim around and turn through to the right side.
Using the circle pom-pom template, cut a 2cm x 20cm strip from faux sheepskin. Stitch the strip to the brim of the hat. Using one long length of thread, make small running stitches around the perimeter of the pom-pom piece before pulling gently and gathering the stitches to close the circle and create the pom-pom shape. Secure with a few stitches, then sew to the tip of the hat.
Cut a face template from skin toned felt. Push a sharp pencil through the dots marked on the template and embroider the eyes at these marks. Embroider a nose, then use a pink colouring pencil or pen to gently add some colour for the cheeks. Snip out a beard and moustache, then use a small amount of glue to add the moustache to the top of the beard. Embroider a mouth on the beard and stick to the face.
With right sides together, place one red bowling pin piece on top of the other. Stitch together down the left side only, starting at the bottom and finishing 5mm from the tip. Add in another body piece, then sew together down the right side. Introduce the fourth piece, stitching both sides to complete the main shape. Add the base to the bottom, stitching corner to corner and leaving a 4cm gap along one side for turning through.
Turn through to the right side and fill with stuffing. Ladder stitch the gap closed. Sew the face to the front of the bowling pin. Fill the hat with a small amount of stuffing and fit the hat on top with a few stitches to secure. Cut two 2cm x 18cm strips of black felt. Loop, then stitch in place one end of each strip to each side of the buckle. Position the buckle in the centre of the bowling pin and bring the belt straps round to the back, adding a few stitches to hold in place. Attach the buttons above the belt.