DIY Thanksgiving Turkey Toy

Hello!  Today I’d like to share a fun baby toy tutorial with you, this time for Thanksgiving!!  The free pattern is below :)

Supplies Needed for DIY Thanksgiving Turkey Toy: 

• Fee printable pattern: Turkey Baby Toy Pattern 
  
• Tan or light brown fabric for body and wings
• Tan or light brown felt that closely matches body fabric
• Five different colored fabrics for feathers
• Orange fabric for legs
• Black felt for eyes
• Orange felt for beak
• Red felt for gobbler
• Cellophane
• Ribbon scraps
• Stuffing
• Baby ring toys
• Sewing notions like scissors, thread, pencil, and ruler.

* A quick note about safety:  Always use your own discretion when making toys for your baby. This toy is meant to be used under supervision and should never be used as a pillow in a baby’s crib. Pre-wash all fabrics and ribbons (I hand wash my ribbons). Use a small stitch and test your seams by pulling on them.  

STEP 1:  Cut out all fabric pieces using the printable pattern above.  The pattern does not include seam allowance so be sure to add your seam allowance to each piece.  I chose to add a 1/4″ seam allowance, but it is up to you whatever you are comfortable with!

STEP 2:  Sew the legs.  

LEG 1:  Leg one is finished with ribbon loops that babies love to play with!  Before sewing your leg together, place three ribbon loops.  Keep them to one half of the leg while also leaving a 1/4″ along the other edge (see picture below for placement).  After loops are sewn down, sew your leg together by folding the rectangle in half with right sides together.  Sew using a 1/4″ seam allowance.  Flip tube inside out and press with seam on one side.

LEG 2:  Sew the leg by folding the rectangle in half with right sides together.  Sew using a 1/4″ seam allowance.  Flip tube inside out and press with seam on one side.  Leg 2 is finished by creating a loop for the plastic rings.  Fold the end of the leg under 1/4″ and then again 1.5″ and sew along the top folded edge.  This creates a loop with no raw edges.

You can tie a knot in each leg at the halfway mark. I then made sure both my legs were the same length and needed to trim one to make sure they were.

STEP 3:  Add the face and ribbon loops to the front body piece.  I cut two small circles out of black felt and machine stitched them on for eyes.  I also machine stitched the beak and gobbler on.

The turkey has ribbon loops at the top of his head.  Pin three ribbon loops to the top of the front turkey body, pin them on the right side of the fabric facing down.  Stitch them in place close to the edge, so your stitching will be in the seam allowance.

4. Make the wings!  Sew your wings, right sides together.  Trim seam allowance, flip inside out, and press.  Stuff with torn up pieces of cellophane.

STEP 5:  Make the feathers!  Sew each feather with right sides together.  Trim seam allowance, flip inside out, and press.  Stuff each feather with torn up pieces of cellophane.  Lay them out on the turkey back piece and stitch in place.  To cover up where the feathers connected to the body, I used a large felt oval and top stitched that in place.

STEP 6:  Attach legs and wings to the front of the turkey.  Keep right sides together and sew close to the edge to keep this stitching inside your seam allowance.

STEP 7:  Sew the body together.  Pin turkey front to turkey back being careful to keep legs, wings, and feathers stuffed to the inside but not in the way of your stitching.  Sew together leaving bottom open.

STEP 8: Sew the bottom piece to the body. This was the hardest part and you may need to ease the pieces together a bit.  Leave a small gap (not too small because there is a lot that will need to be flipped out) in the back so you can stuff the turkey!

STEP 9: Finishing touches!  Flip the body inside out through the small gap you left – this will be tricky because there is so much stuffed inside with all those feathers!  Stuff the turkey and then hand sew the hole closed.  Add the plastic baby rings to one of the legs and you’re done!

Finally your little turkey is complete!  There a lot of steps, but hopefully they are easy to follow!  This would make an adorable gift to give the little ones for Thanksgiving!