Here is the newly hatched Chicken tea cozy pattern! This is the second batch, my sister in law saw the first batch, fell in love and had to have one! One problem is that she likes purples, hence the purple hens.

Fabric requirements

15” x 44” piece fabric for main and lining

15” x 44” cotton or wool batting

12” square piece of fabric for wings

1 strip 2½” x 44” for binding

2 colours of felt for the comb and beak

2 buttons for the eyes

2½” ribbon

Equipment

Sewing machine – oiled and in good working order, Walking foot (optional), open toe embroidery foot, Appliqué paper, neutral cotton thread for sewing and black for the appliqué, Iron and ironing board, big fabric and paper scissor, stitch and tear (optional), A3 piece of paper, pencil and general sewing supplies.

Here is the pattern template in PDF format CHICKEN LEFT SIDE and CHICKEN RIGHT SIDE. When printing the pattern set the printer on actual size.

Make a pattern by tracing the pattern onto A3 piece of paper and add seam allowance as indicated, cut out with paper scissors.

Using the tea cozy pattern piece, pin the pattern piece on to the main fabric, this is folded into half (you need 2 pieces), wrong sides facing, cut out with your fabric scissors. Now do the same with the lining and batting fabric. Place the lining and batting pieces one side.

Now cut out the comb and the beak on the felt using the pattern pieces.

Using the templates, for the wing, trace on the smooth side of the appliqué paper, remember one wing has to be a mirror image, adding at least ¼” onto the shape then cut out roughly – there is no need to be accurate at this stage.

Iron the 2 wing appliqué shapes to the wrong side of the wing 12” square piece of fabric. When cool, cut out the shapes accurately on the pencil line.

Take the two main chicken piece fabrics and fold in the middle, (line to be from top to bottom or right side meeting the left side) make a fold line on each wing appliqué piece, now remove the backing paper from it, use the pattern as a guideline. Position the wing piece (right side upmost) on the right side of your background fabric, matching the fold lines, about 1½” from the bottom. Iron into place when you are happy.

Pin a piece of stitch ʼn tear underneath design to be appliquéd (optional). With the black thread on top and in the bobbin, of sewing machine (can be done by hand) outline appliqué in satin or buttonhole-stitch, the wings into place. After all the appliqué stitching has been done carefully remove the stitch ʼn tear and knot and sew all the thread to the back of the appliqué designs. Press.

Tips when machine appliquéing

•I move my needle to the most right position, and then I use the edge of my open toe embroidery foot as a guide.

•I also bring my bottom thread to the top to prevent a mess at the back.

Now place the beak in to place, facing to the inside and also fold the piece of ribbon in half and place it about 2” from the bottom on the one right side of one of the half of the chicken, pin into place. Place and pin the other main piece of fabric right sides facing on top. Sew with natural thread using a ¼” seam allowance. Clip and trim excess fabric, turn right side out and press.

After pressing unpick the section where the comb goes, place the comb into place and top stitch, sew the eyes/buttons into place.

Place the two lining pieces right sides facing and a batting piece on either side of them. Sew using a ½” seam allowance. Trim the seam allowance to a ¼”.  Pull the appliquéd chicken piece over the batting and lining piece, and make it fit each other.

It is very important the seam allowance for the main piece is a ¼” and the lining and batting is ½”. This ensures a perfect fit!

Iron the binding piece in half and sew the binding on. Slip stitch on wrong side the binding into place.

Have a clucking good Mothers Day!

Love

NikkiM