Monday, January 16, 2012

Penguin Bean Bag


With a penguin themed birthday party coming up, not to mention National Penguin Awareness Day at the end of the week, I thought it might be nice to have a penguin bean bag, or two, for a handy game of toss the penguin, or something like that. I'll tell you more about the game as soon as I figure out how we're actually going to play it.

But, the bean bag is simple, even easier than the turkey, or pilgrim bean bags.

Cut the pieces from felt, as shown, using a drinking glass to trace around for the body, and freehanding the eyes, beak, wings, and feet.


The white "tummy" is just a rough heart cut out of a circle the same size as the body.


Stitch the pieces together using matching colored threads...







...leaving the top open...


...so you can fill the body fairly snugly with rice, dried beans, or unpopped popcorn kernels (making this an ages 3 and up, choking hazard for babies, type toy).


Sew the top closed, and stitch a second time around the body for added strength.


And he, or she (it's so hard to tell with penguins) is ready to fly, as no penguin has flown before.


It's great to be a homeschooler.

11 comments:

Ticia said...

I'd never really thought to use popcorn kernels for stuffing.

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Ticia - Phyllis mentioned it for the turkey and Pilgrim - to keep up the Thanksgiving theme.

Phyllis said...

National Penguin Awarness day, eh? That is pretty funny. This would be a great beginning sewing project! And maybe even I could do it. :)

Natalie PlanetSmarty said...

Very cute. I am sure this penguin will do its unfair share of flying as a bean bag.

Amy said...

Would be cute as a lady bug or a paper weight as a gift too :) Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

Very cute!

Belial@wheeled duffle bag said...

It is a good way to show the children not to waste anything because it is worthy in anyway they put it. A very creative thing to do!

Joyful Learner said...

You just gave me an idea of what to do with the old finger puppets that K no longer plays with. Cute penuin!

pink and green mama MaryLea said...

I'm so glad I found you via the Crafty Crow! My daughter has asked for a Penguin themed birthday party for her 5th birthday this February and I'm collecting ideas for it on a Pinterest board, we had already planned a bean bag toss so these are just perfect. I was going to whip up some fish shaped bean bags but I imagine these would be an even bigger success! Thank you!

Fondly,
Pink and Green Mama
MaryLea

Bean bags said...

It looks so cute. Thanks for sharing.

Emily said...

Those are so cute--have you thought of making a whole bunch, and selling them at a craft fair or Farmer's Market or something? Also, you could adapt the pattern to make Angry Birds bean bags, and then have a live-action Angry Birds birthday party. You could make the bricks and planks by painting small cardboard boxes grey and drawing cracks on them, and then cut flaps off larger cardboard boxes for the planks. The green pigs could be cut out of paper or cardboard and glued onto plastic pop bottles, because they're easy to knock over.