Donkey

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By Paloma Rocha

Donkey
Please, read all of
the instructions before
starting your
project.
. Size: 7 approximately

. Pencil or felt marker.

. Chopstick or pointy tool.
. Felt (Gray, red and light pink).
. 2 safety eyes (8mm).
. Yarn.

. Embroidery needle
. Scissors.
. Embroidery scissors.
. Toy stuffing.
. Artist pastels.

Cutting out shapes

Print a page 7 of this pdf, and cut out templates using scissors. Trace templates onto felt
using a felt marker or pencil and cut out on the line. Cut carefully so edges are vertical,
not slanted.

Sewing and embroidery

These donkey is embroidered and stitched together with embroidery floss.
In case youre not familiar with one of the stitches, you can practice the stitches a few
times on a felt scraps before working on a softie. None of the stitches are difficult, but can
take some practice to get perfect. Always keep your stitches and the space between them
the same length. Be consistent with your sewing tension.
Or, if you want to keep embroidery to a minimum, you can sometimes glue on certain
elements, instead of embroidering them.
You can experiment and use your imagination to customize the project.
2

1. Applique stitch

2. Overcast stitch

3. Straight stitch

4. Satin stitch

2 in
1out
Keep thread
at right angle

5. Blanket stitch

6. Back stitch
1out

2 in
1in

3 out

3 out

le
circ
Entwice

2 in

Carry needle 1 stitch

beyond previous stitch

Working
direction

7. French knot

Working
direction

8. Lazy daisy

9. Running stitch

Working
direction

1. Appliqu Stitch: Stitching a felt piece onto a felt surface. Place the appliqu on the background
felt. Make tiny stitches perpendicular to the edge of the appliqu.
2. Overcast Stitch: Simple stitch over the edge of the felt. Also called whip-stitch, is used to attach
two pieces of felt. This isnt a decorative stitch, so always use floss that matches the color of the felt and
make the stitches small and neat.
3. Straight Stitch: Use a simple straight stitch to create a motif.
4. Satin Stitch: The satin stitch is composed of parallel rows of straight stitch and is often used to fill
in an area with floss. The make very nice eyes and noses on softies.
5. Blanket stitch: The blanket stitch is both decorative and functional. Use this stitch to accentuate
an edge or to attach an appliqu.
6. Back Stitch: This simple stitch creates a solid line so its great for outlining shapes or creating text.
A backstitch gets its name because you create it moving the needle a stitch backward before moving it
forward to create the next stitch.
7. French Knots: The French knot produces a rounded knot that can be used to create a series of
decorative dots. To make it, bring the needle up at the point at which you want to make your French
knot, hold the thread and wrap it around the needle twice, as shown. Bring the needle back to the
starting point and put the point back through the fabric very near where it emerged (be careful not use
the same exact hole) . Pull the needle to the back of the felt and pull taut.
6. Satin Stitch: The satin stitch is composed of parallel rows of straight stitch and is often used to fill
in an area with floss. The make very nice eyes and noses on softies.
8. Lazy daisy: Make a small loop and then anchor it with a single stitch at top for the decorative stitch
that resembles a flower petal.
9. Running Stitch: The running stitch is simple to make. Make this stitch by weaving the needle
through the felt at evenly spaced intervals. Just be careful to keep the length of your stitches and the
space between them same length.
3

How to make:
1

Appliqu
stitch

4
Eye hole
placement

ast
ercch
v
O tit
s

iqu
Appl ch
stit

French
knots

Back
stitch

Over
dar ts cast stitch
(wron
g side)

Inser t
eyes

Straight
stitch

Back
stitch

Paloma Rocha 2014

10

11

Back
stitch

Knot

Overcast
stitch

Yarn

Overcast
stitch

Knot

Stuf

f
Overcast
stitch

Wrap 6-8 times

12

Cut

Sew

Cardboard
or heavy
paper

Yarn

13

Lazy daisy
stitch

t
igh
a
r
St itch
st

Blanket
stitch

Blanket
stitch

Paloma Rocha 2014

1. Print the pattern pieces on page 7 onto paper and cut out to make templates. Trace
templates onto felt using a felt marker or pencil and cut out on the line.
2. Use two strands of matching embroidery floss to sew the inner ear pieces onto the outer
ears. Align the two ears pieces and sew together with a overcast stitch, using two strands
of gray embroidery floss.
3. Embroider a curved mouth and the nose with two strands of dark gray embroidery floss
and a few back stitches. Make the nose holes with two French knots, as shown.
4. Using the picture as a guide, arrange the snout felt piece on the head front. Tack the piece
down with a pin to keep it in place while you sew. Using the matching embroidery thread
and needle, appliqu stitch around the edges leaving a gap open. Carefully, make two tiny
holes with the tip of a very sharp pair of embroidery scissors .
5. Lightly pad the snout with a little toy stuffing, using a toothpick to help you to get
padding even. Insert safety eyes and connectors at back.
6. Thread the needle with two strands of black floss. Make the brows by sewing a tiny
straight stitch and, if you like, add little eyelashes at the outer corner of the eyes.
7. Overcast stitch the darts on front and back head pieces with two strands of matching
floss, making sure to sew them up on the wrong side of the felt. Embroider the hooves with
black floss and a few back stitches.
8. Embroider the hooves into the underlegs, as shown.
9. Align the two leg pieces and sew the top of them together using overcast stitch, as shown.
10. Stitch together back legs and underlegs, using the picture as a guide.
11. Tie two knots in the yarn, as shown in the diagram. Align the two donkey shapes
together, so the tail and ears are sandwiched in the middle, and thread an embroidery
needle with two strands of light gray embroidery floss. Stitch the shapes together using
overcast stitch, sewing through all layers of felt in ears and tail areas and, leaving a gap
open.
5

11. Fill it firmly with toy stuffing. I like stuff the head and legs while I sew. When you think
youve put enough stuff in the donkey, add a bit more and stitch it closed.
12. Wrap the black yarn around the cardboard to create six or eight loops. Use black thread
to hand stitch the loops to the top of the head. Continue making loops and stitching until
the entire portion of the head is filled with horsehair. Cut the loops at the end. Now this is
the fun part. Give your little donkey a haircut. Trim it horsehair up nice and even.
13. Stitch the saddlebags using the picture as a guide. Paint the cheeks using a bit of powder
blush.

Templates

Pocket (cut 2)
Red

Saddlebags
(cut 1)
Red

Ears
(cut 4)
Gray
Inner ears
(cut 2)
Pink

Donkey (cut 2)
Gray

Snout (cut 1)
Pink

Paloma Rocha 2014

Legs (cut 2)
Gray

Cardboard

Designed by:

Noia Land
2014 Paloma Rocha.
www.noialand.com

2014 Paloma Rocha.

This pattern is intended for personal use only
and not for commercial resale. Photocopying,
emailing and the other copying to share these
instruction is strictly prohibited by law without
the designers written permission. Thank you
for respecting the designers copyright.