Make an igloo

1. Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Copy the igloo template onto folded tracing paper, matching the ‘place to the fold lines’ to the fold. Mark the circle and arrow, then draw a 35cm diameter circle on tracing paper for the base template. Cut out the templates and open them out flat. Snip out two pairs of igloos and one base from blue and grey fabric and fusible fleece. Trim one bias strip from blue fabric for the binding, 7cm x 1.1m. Cut one base from low-loft fusible fleece and heavyweight fusible interfacing.

2. Draw the circle on the wrong side of one grey igloo with a pencil. Fold the fabric bases into quarters, snip the divisions then out flat again. Press the blue igloos to the fusible fleece pieces. Press the blue base to the heavyweight fusible interfacing base. Press the grey base to the fusible fleece base. Stitch the blue igloos together in pairs along one long edge. Snip the curves and press the seams open. Pin the four blue igloos together. Sew the long edge, matching the seams. Trim the curves and press the seam open. Repeat with the grey igloos.

3. Slip the blue igloo inside the grey igloo. Pin together, matching seams and lower raw edges. Sew along the outline of the circle. Cut out the circle, leaving a 1cm seam allowance. Snip the curves. Turn right side out, turning the grey igloo inside the blue igloo. Press the circle edges. Topstitch 7.5mm from the circle edges. Pin the blue igloo and grey igloo together along the seams. Stitch 7.5mm either side of one seam starting and finishing at the lower raw edges to form a channel.

4. Snip out one 85cm length of boning and insert it through the channel. Adjust the ends of the boning to 1.5cm within the raw edges, pin across the raw edges of the channel. Stitch 7.5mm either side of the other seam starting and finishing at the lower raw edges to form a channel. Cut two 44cm lengths of boning and insert each one through the channel. Adjust the ends of the boning to 1.5cm within the raw edges, pin across the raw edges of the channel. Tack along the raw edges.

5. Place the bases together with the fabric sides facing outwards, matching notches. Tack the outer edge. With the grey sides facing, pin and tack the igloo to the base, matching seams to the base notches. Press under 1cm at one end of the binding. Press the binding lengthwise in half with wrong sides facing. Starting at the pressed-under end, pin the binding to the blue base. Cut off the excess binding 2cm beyond the start. Sew in place through the layers. Turn the binding over the raw edges. Tack the pressed edge along the seam. Stitch close to the pressed edge.

Sew a fish toy

1. Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Copy the fish template onto tracing paper and cut it out. Trim two 8cm x 13cm rectangles from grey fabric. Pin the rectangles together with right sides facing. Draw around the fish template centrally on top with a sharp pencil. Mark the crosses. Stitch along the fish outline, leaving a gap between the crosses. Snip out the fish, adding a 6mm seam allowance. Trim the curves then turn right side out. Stuff the fish firmly. Slip-stitch the gap closed.

2. Mark the dot on one side of the fish with a pencil. Snip the shaft of the feather to a point 1cm below the downy barbs. Insert the shaft into the fish between the stitches, close to the dot. Slightly pull out the shaft and dab it with glue. Push it back into the fish and leave the glue to dry. Thread a large eyed needle with narrow ribbon and knot one end. Insert the needle through the dot and out the other side of the fish to suspend the fish. Glue the other end of the ribbon around one end of the dowel.