We've all seen the funky chicken doorstops on vrious websites (link to the ones on Refab here:
http://www.refab.co.uk/all_products.php?ProductType=chickens), but I cannot, for the life of me, find a pattern for them! When I ws on my sewing kick the other day, I decided to have a go at drafting a pattern for them.
The ones on Refab have only two seams on the body, to hold the beak and comb. While you could make them as a tetrahedron/three-sided pyramid, you'd have too many seams, and wouldn't get the nice rounded shape the chickens have when you stuff them. Also, it's another seam to get straight and neat, and I'm all about time saving and less work!
With the aid of a pair of compasses and some greaseproof paper, I made a pattern by drawing a triangle, and instead of cutting three of them for the sides, I added on half of the third triangle to the other two.
So here it is: The Chicken Doorstop pattern in three easy pieces*!
Oops. The right hand triangle is equilateral, all sides 8" - I forgot to mark it on!
This is a Paint pattern, but I've included measurements to make chickens the size of the ones on the website. My first attempt was 2" smaller, and didn't weigh enough, but the bigger ones are also easier to sew and the comb is much less fiddly! I'm pretty sure you could copy the picture and scale it up on the computer, but if anyone wants a technical explanation of the pattern (using compasses to draw the triangles and so on), then just ask! Also, if there's anything that's unclear on the pattern, let me know! The grey dots inside the pattern pieces are where the seam allowances cross - it helps me keep in a straight line and keep the seams even if I mark them on the pattern.
Mine are filled and sewn up with the stuffing inside, mostly because I didn't have a small enough zip! I used rice because we had lots of it in the house, but I think smaller versions with beans would be a good toy for young children, as long as the eyes were stitched securely or silkstitched. I plan to make a set of mini beanbag chickens for my three year old cousin for Christmas, which will no doubt get thrown at the dog!
Here are pictures of the ones I've made so far:
The one on the left is the finished size using the pattern above, the one on the right was the original chicken. The larger one isn't finished - he's eyeless and not stuffed (although the octopus eye on the material looks quite good, actually... Complete accident!). The material I used was the one left over from my Octobag, in the purses and wallets board. Eyes on the white chicken are silkstitched because I couldn't find teo black beads the same size.
Closeup of the completed (smaller) chicken!
*The beak and comb, I just guessed for sizes and cut freehand from felt
