Roger reindeer Make a festive toy

Although not as well known as his cousin Rudolph, Roger is a friendly reindeer with a spotty coat and that same recognisable red nose. He would be a lovely gift for a child or simply something cute to sit on the sofa this Christmas. Button joint legs add character, along with sweet felt ears and antlers. What are you waiting for?

Essentials

Fabric, spotty: brown; red
Felt: red; brown
Thread: sewing, coordinating; embroidery,
black; cream
Bead, red
Buttons, wooden, 1cm, four
Toy stuffing
Fusible webbing
Glue, fabric

Dimensions List

6cm x 33cm
ote: Use a 5mm seam allowance
nless otherwise stated.

MAKE A REINDEER

Cut two bodies and eight legs from brown spotty fabric and eight feet from red. Trace the saddle and cut two from fusible webbing with one reversed. Press onto red spotty fabric, then cut out. Position onto the body pieces and press to adhere. With your machine set to a wide zig zag stitch, sew around the three inside edges of the saddle.
Pin each foot to a leg with right sides facing. Stitch together and press the seams open. Cut out four leg strips and two lower saddles from red felt. Using a little fabric glue, place a leg strip across the join between a leg and a foot, and zig zag stitch across the top and bottom. Repeat for three more legs. Position the lower saddle and secure by stitching all around the edge. Using cream embroidery thread, work a decorative running stitch across each piece of felt.
Pair the leg pieces together so that each includes one with a felt strip and one without. Matching the seams, pin the legs right sides together and stitch around the sides, leaving the top open. Snip the curves, then turn out and press. Stuff the legs until firm. Slip stitch the top closed and finish by attaching a button.
Using the template as a guide, mark the position of the eyes on the body, and work a French knot for each using a double thickness of black embroidery thread. Match the saddle seams and pin the bodies right sides together. Machine stitch around the edge leaving a 10cm gap along the bottom edge for turning. Snip and trim the curves, turn out and press.
Sew the legs into position by stitching through the buttons; use only a few stitches to make sure they can move easily. Stuff the body and stitch up the opening using slip stitch. Cut two ears, four antlers and two tails from brown felt and two ear inners from red. Glue the antlers together in pairs, stitch the tails together and attach the ear inners to the ears.
Blanket stitch around the edges of the antlers and inner ear with cream embroidery thread. Repeat for the tail, leaving the bottom edge unstitched. For each of the ears, fold over lengthways with right sides together, and sew into place on the head. Attach the antlers slightly above them and then sew the tail into position. Stitch a red bead to the face as a nose.

ALL SEWN UP!
Always omit beads and buttons when giving your make to a small child. Practise your hand stitching by embroidering them instead.