Koala Cuddler

Crafting together has mental health benefits for kids individually & benefits the parent/child relationship, as well. For a child, making a project like this one can be gratifying & build self-esteem. Working alongside their caregiver, they feel connected & appreciated, especially when they don’t feel pressured to do things exactly “right”. As they work together, they can have healthy conversations about anything – even those difficult topics that might otherwise be hard to discuss.
https://www.onoursleeves.org/mental-wellness-tools-guides/conversation-starters
​

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Approx. 12"x 24" Blanket
• Approx. 12"x 18" Fabric, Contrast Color
• Embroidery Floss
• Embroidery Needle
• Polyfil® Stuffing
• Basic Sewing Supplies
• Optional: 1" Square Lightweight Fusible Interfacing (2)
• Optional: Disappearing Ink Pen

DIRECTIONS:
To find the downloadable patterns click on the "GET PATTERNS" tab above.
 

1. Cut the one Back Body, one Head, and one Body out of the Blanket Fabric; cut the four Ears, four Arms, and two Noses out of the Contrast Fabric.
2. Match a set of ears right sides together, pin, and sew around the curve leaving the flat edge open. Repeat for second set of ears. Turn right side out, stuff with a little Fiber Fill and baste flat edge closed.
3. Match a set of arms right sides together, pin, and sew around the curve leaving the flat edge open. Repeat for second set of arms. Turn right side out, stuff with a little Fiber Fill and baste flat edge closed.
4. Match the set of nose pieces right sides together, pin, and sew around the diagonal edges and the larger flat edge. Turn right side out, stuff with a very little Fiber Fill and baste short flat edge closed.
5. Pin flat edge of arms along the flat top edge of the body piece, baste in place.
6. Pin flat edge of ears along the flat edges of the head, position the ears so that the bulk of the ears are lying on top of the head, baste along the flat edge, and flip outward.
7. Pin smaller flat edge of the nose centered along the bottom flat edge of the head, baste the nose in place.
8. Attach the head to the body by matching the long, flat edge of the head to the long, flat edge of the body, right sides together, and sewing together.
9. Use embroidery floss and an embroidery needle to embroider eyes onto the head piece. (optional: if the blanket material is more lightweight and fragile, iron two 1" squares of lightweight interfacing on the wrong side of the head before embroidering.)
10. Use embroidery floss to embroider around the nose, starting with one nostril and ending at the other nostril.
11. Re-pin the ears down against the head and match the right side of the Back Body piece to the right side of the Head and Body - sew together, leaving 3" open at the bottom. Turn right side out through the bottom opening.
12. Hand sew the bottom opening closed.

TO MAKE A BOW:

1. Cut out a 3" x 4" rectangle and a 1" x 1" square out of the scrap blanket material.
2. Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise, fold it in half again widthwise, and hand sew together at the center.
3. Fold the square in half and fold each short edge under. Wrap around the center of the rectangle, overlapping the short folded edges on the back of the rectangle. Hand sew in place.
4. Hand sew onto the Banket Pal.

JOANN HACKS:

• Use Disappearing Ink Pen to mark the shape of the eyes before embroidering them on.