Make a canvas picture

1 Download the small bird template and copy onto tracing paper. Cover the back of 17cm square green felt with fusible webbing and trace the small bird motif onto the backing paper. Using embroidery scissors or a scalpel carefully cut the shape out, so that you are left with the papercut motif.

2 Peel the backing paper and position on top of a small square of ecru felt. Cover with a handkerchief and press with a hot iron. Using three strands of cream embroidery thread work small star stitches around the border. Work French knots for the eye, chest and tail area.

3 Using embroidery scissors, snip away the excess ecru felt around the motif, following the scalloped edge. Using a pencil, mark a 1cm border all the way around the edge of the frame. Apply PVA to the line and stick green ric rac into place. Apply more adhesive to the felt motif and stick to the front of the canvas.

Stitch a felt cushion

1 Place a cream blanket in the washing machine and dye it green following the manufacturer’s instructions. Leave to dry and press. Draw and cut out a 37cm circle onto paper. Pin to folded cream lining fabric, cut out and with right sides together pin and machine stitch leaving a 10cm gap. Turn out, press and fill with toy stuffing, then slip stitch.

2 Draw a 36cm circle onto paper. Pin to the dyed green fabric and cut out. Trim ecru felt to 25cm square and iron fusible webbing to the back. Copy the large bird motif onto tracing paper. Trace onto the backing paper of the fusible webbing. Using small scissors or a scalpel, cut the shape out so that you are left with the apercut motif. Use a punch for the holes in the border, the bird’s eye and the area across the bird’s chest.

3 Peel the backing paper from the papercut motif and place it centrally on the dyed fabric circle. Cover with a handkerchief and press to fix into place. Machine titch around the design, staying close to the edge. Using three strands of green embroidery thread sew star stitches around the border and one in the bird’s wing. Sew a few V-shaped embroidery stitches around the tail.

4 Draw another 36cm circle onto paper and fold the template in half. At the halfway point measure down 4cm and draw a line. Cut the shape out. Pin the template to the remaining green fabric and cut out the overlapping lower and upper sections. Fold over a 1.5cm hem at the straight edges, pin and machine stitch into place.

5 Measure the position for the buttonholes, 3cm from the hemmed edge. Mark the centre of the cushion cover and then another point at either side for the position if the remaining two buttons. Machine stitch the buttonholes then carefully open them up using a seam ripper.

6 Lay the two back pieces on top of the front so that all three pieces match up and mark off the position for the three buttons. Sew using matching thread. With right sides facing and the button half of the back on top, pin the three pieces together and machine stitch around the cover. Press all of the seams open. Turn out and insert the cushion pad.