Tweed Chicken Doorstop

This sweet little bird would bring character and class to any room. The rich tweed fabrics create a rustic feel and homely atmosphere, as well as being very fashionable. This chicken is also as practical as it is pretty: it's weighed down with filler beads, making it a very effective doorstop. Plus, as it requires very little materials, it's a great stash-busting project. You might find yourself making a whole family of chickens!

Essentials

Fabric: tweed, dark, 1m; light, 50cm
Felt: red; yellow, 10cm square of each
Buttons, yellow, two Thread, sewing, matching
Plastic toy filler beads, 250g
Toy stuffing

Dimensions List

17cm x 19cm

Make a doorstop

Download the templates and print. Cut out two body pieces in dark tweed with one reversed. Cut two wings from light tweed with one reversed, and sew one to the right side of each body piece. Make a 5cm slit in the body fabric behind the wings and stuff them from the back.
Cut one comb and one wattle from red felt. Snip the curves of the comb and tack it to one body, opening out the curved edge to fit along the top of the head between points A and B. Tack the wattle in place between C and D. With right sides facing, pin the top edges of the two bodies between points E and F and stitch together with a 1cm seam allowance.
Cut a back and front from light tweed, and press back a 1cm turning along the bottom edge of each. Pin and stitch the pieces to one side of the body, matching points E and F, then sew the other sides to the second body. Turn right side out and stuff the head, tail and roughly two thirds of the body firmly with polyester filling. Stuff the rest of the chicken with plastic filler beads and slip stitch the opening together.
Cut out one beak from yellow felt. Seam the two straight edges to make a cone shape, stuff lightly and sew in place just above the wattle. Cut two feet, one reversed, from yellow felt. Sew them on the bottom so that the toes peep out either side. Stitch buttons to the sides of the head for eyes.