DIY Felt Love Bug with Pocket for Love Note

Downloadable PDF Pattern:

DIY Felt Love Bug with Pocket - Template

Instructions

1. I am using a Cricut Maker to cut out my felt pieces, but you could also print the template and attach it to your felt pieces, tracing with your disappearing ink tool and cutting using your fabric scissors. If you are using the latter method to cut your felt, be sure to attach your templates to your felt using pins to avoid slippage while you are tracing and cutting.
   
   Once all of your pieces are cut using the method of your choosing, it's time to start sewing your Love Bug together.

Note: you can find simple tutorials on YouTube for all of the stitches mentioned in this tutorial.

2. Start by attaching the burgundy face (triangular shape) of your Love Bug to the bottom of the light pink heart piece, lining it up so that they are flush at the bottom. Sew along the top, rounded edge to secure the face piece to the heart using an appliqué stitch or a running stitch.

3. At this part of the process, I like to make a long back stitch down the very middle of the heart, stopping at the top of the face piece, to indicate two separate wings. This will also make it easier to balance out the spots on the Love Bug and add antennae. I recommend using a ruler and a disappearing ink tool to draw out where you will stitch your line as this makes it easier to ensure it remains straight.

4. Once your back stitch is complete, add antennae on either side of the line using burgundy thread and a back stitch. You can do swirly antennae like I did or keep them short, straight and simple.

5. Now is also a good time to add your safety eyes to the burgundy face piece of your Love Bug. You can use a ruler and disappearing ink tool to mark out your guides or you can just “eyeball” this part of the process, but I find using a ruler makes my final Love Bug look more symmetrical. Use scissors or a sharp tool to create holes in the felt where the safety eyes will be inserted, but take care not to make the holes too big. Insert each safety eye and attach a washer to the back.

6. Next you will add your circle pieces. You can add them in any formation you like. I chose to cut two large circles, two medium circles and one small circle, but your final design is totally up to you! Use your appliqué stitch to attach each circle to one of the wings in your desired arrangement. Repeat this process for the other wing.

7. Set this half of the Love Bug aside and grab your other Light Pink heart piece. Using your appliqué stitch or a running stitch, attach the semi-circle pocket piece to the centre of the heart (with the straight edge facing up), stitching only along the sides and rounded bottom-edge of the pocket. The top, straight edge needs to remain open for love notes!

8. Now it's time to stitch the two halves together. Place one heart piece on top of the other, ensuring that the stitched elements are facing outwards. Start sewing around the edges using a blanket stitch to secure each half to its counterpart. Be sure to leave some space at the end for adding fibre full stuffing.

9. Before closing up your stitches, grab your fibre fill stuffing and stuff the Love Bug until it's as plush as you desire. Once you're satisfied with its plushness, close it up by continuing your blanket stitch and tying it off securely at the end. I like to tie it up to three times to ensure it is extra secure.

10. Last, but certainly not least, grab a small piece of paper, write a special love note on it, fold it, and insert it into the pocket on the back of the Love Bug.