Vintage Inspired Hanging Birds

Hi ABM readers! It's Rubyellen from Cakies again, and I'm back this month to share a little sewing project that could be made for gifting or just for a little extra decor in your own home (or baby nursery)! I've had this cute, vintage bird hanging favorited in my etsy, so I wanted to create my own version for our home.Supplies:

Hanging Birds template
Sewing machine
Pins
Various small scraps of fabric (at least 18” x 12” pieces for each bird, use a different fabric pattern for each bird)
Small scraps of wool felt (6” x 4” for each bird)
Coordinating thread
1 ½ yards of ribbon (1 ribbon cut 12” long, another cut 14” long, and another ribbon cut 16” long)
Poly-fill 
Embroidery floss
Hand sewing needle
6 – 0.47” bells (2 per bird)
Pinking shears
Coordinating trim for decorating bird neck (optional)

Seam allowance: ¼”
Download Vintage Inspired Hanging Birds abeautifulmess.com Directions:
1. Print out the template and cut out your fabric pieces: 2 bird bodies, 2 bird wings, 1 beak per bird. Cut the straight edge of the bird wing with pinking shears to give it a feather-like effect. Center each bird wing on the right side of each of your bird body fabric pieces, pin in place, edge stitch the wings on, but leave the zigzag side open. Be sure to snip any excess thread.2. Place the right sides of the bird body fabric together (wrong sides facing out). Sandwich the bird beak between the two fabric pieces on the location marked on the template, with the point of the beak facing in and 1/8” of the beak extended off the raw fabric edge. Sandwich the ribbon between the right sides of the fabric, where marked on the template, with 1/4” of the ribbon extending off the raw fabric edge, and pin in place. Starting at one end of the tail, stitch around the bird body stopping at the opposite end of where you started (see template for stitching example). This leaves the tail open for turning. Turn the bird with its right facing side out.3. Stuff your bird with poly-fill. Note: Stuff the bird slightly less on the side where the bird’s head is rather than the tail half, so that the bird’s head doesn’t tip forward too much when hanging.4. Straight stitch the tail closed 1/2” from the fabric edge. Use the pinking shears to snip off ¼” of the tail to give it a “feather-like” effect.5. Embroider eyes, sew on two bells to the bottom of the bird, and add any additional trim to the neck.

6. Repeat steps 1-5 for your remaining two birds.7. Hold all 3 ribbons together, adjust each one to your desired length for each bird, and once the length of hanging is settled, knot the 3 ribbons together. Hang on a door (or a wall) and when someone opens the door, listen to your sweet birds ring!You could easily just make one bird as an ornament, or even enlarge the pattern and make bird pillows! We have ours hanging on our front door, so every time we hear it open and close, we hear those little bells ring. My girls absolutely love it! Merry Christmas everyone!!! xoxo, Rubyellen 

Credits // Author and Photography: Rubyellen Bratcher