Felt Baby Ball

To create this 4" felt baby ball you will need:

Materials:

2 colors wool felt
Matching embroidery floss
Multicolored embroidery floss
Stuffing material
Optional – Jingle bells
Pattern

1] Make 2 copies of the pattern.

2] To make templates cover the ball side section pieces with wide tape or clear contact paper. Cut one out on the cutting line and the other out on the stitching line. Make a template out of the flower and flower center using the method described above.

3] Using the cutting line template and a water erasable marker, trace 3 sections on color A felt and 3 sections on color B felt. Cut out pieces.

4] Using your flower template, trace 5 flowers in color A and 3 flowers in color B. Using the flower center template, trace 3 flower centers in color A and 5 flower centers in color B. Cut out pieces.

5] Using your pattern piece as a guide, find and mark the center of each ball side section. For color A sections, center 1 color B flower and for color B sections, center 1 color A flower. Use pattern for placement. Using 2 strands of floss that matches the flower, blanket stitch in place.

6] Now add the flower center. Place color A centers on color B flowers, and color B centers on color A flowers. Using 2 strands of floss that matches the flower color, sew the center to the flower using a running stitch. You should have 2 color A flowers and 2 color B flower centers left over. These will be used on the top and bottom of the ball later.

7] On the backside of your ball side sections, center the stitching line template, and using your water erasable marker, trace around the template.

Sewing ball together: (steps 8, 9 and 10)
8] With right sides together, begin by pinning 1 color A section to one color B section, matching points and seams.

9] Sew sections together along stitching lines. (IMPORTANT: In order for your ball to come together correctly DO NOT sew beyond the stitching line. If you sew all the way to the end of the sections, the ball will not lie flat.) You will not have 3 pairs of sections.

10] Continue sewing these pairs together, always sewing a color A to a color B. When you come to the last seam, leave an opening, about 2” wide for turning. This should be placed about 2” from an end.

11] Turn the ball right side out through the opening. The ball is now ready to stuff.

12] Stuff the ball using your stuffing material. If you would like to add jingle bells to the ball, do it while you are stuffing the ball. (NOTE: Although they will be enclosed inside the ball, jingle bells are a choking hazard. Therefore, they are not recommended for children under 3 years of age.) Continue stuffing the ball, shaping it as you go, until you are satisfied with the shape and density. They ball should be fully “inflated” without stressing the seams.

13] Using 2 strands of floss and small stitches, blind stitch the hole closed. (Seams are 1/4". When sewing the ball closed, you should maintain that 1/4" seam.)

14] No matter how hard you try, chances are your ends will not come together perfectly, and may even have a small hole. To fix the ends, use matching thread and make little stitches to pull it all together.

15] Using 6 strands of variegated floss, add a decorative fern stitch over each seam. I alternated the direction of my arrows on my seams.

16] For the end flowers, sew the flower center to the flower. Finally, center the flowers on either end of the ball and blanket stitch in place.