ChalkBoard Buddies a *FUN* handmade present

 
Chalkboard Buddies

The younger generations are accustomed to read, play and interact with all new electronic devices but they also get excited when they receive a hand-written card from a loved one. That's why I came up with the idea to make these "chalkboard buddies", which are soft and cuddly,  and where you have a "chalkboard" surface to write your own message. Best of all, the recipient can erase and rewrite another message to send it back or use it as a reminder board!

Materials needed:

. white cotton fabric, high quality, smooth surface (the tighter the weave the easier to write with chalk sticks)

.  felt squares, any color.

. 1/4 yard of stretch polyester velvet (any color)

. chalk  and disappearing ink for marking

. black chalkboard paint

. foam brush

. sewing machine

. pieces of yarn for the hair and a big eyed needle to sew the yarn on the head

 . dark piece of construction paper for the eyes

. black and red permanent markers

. scraps of fabric for the scarves

. buttons, big and small, paper flowers

. scissors and rotary cut

. a small box of children chalk sticks

. doll stuffing

. pink paint                                                   pattern:

 
Directions:

1. Cut a 7 inch long piece of your white cotton fabric and draw a horizontal line with your chalk or disappearing ink at 4 inches height.  Now you will have the long strip divided in two, a wide part of 4 inches and a narrow one of 3 inches. Paint the 4 inches wide part with the black chalkboard paint.

2. Let it dry completely, for at least three hours, and paint it over again. Wait 24 hours.

3. Mark the doll pattern, being careful to trace the head on the white part and the body on the black part. Cut them apart.

4. With the rotary cutter, use the stretch velvet to cut two strips of 2 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches.Put the felt square on your table and cover one of the shorter ends with the strip of velvet facing up. Then sew 1/4 inch from the bottom  border. Repeat on the opposite end. Cut the felt square in half. You end up with two pieces of felt 5 1/2 inches by 9 inches with a piece of stretch velvet sewn to one of the longer sides.

5. Put the half felt square on the table with the stretch velvet facing down. Put on top two of the doll shapes, side by side, facing up, matching the black part of the doll on top of the velvet. Pin and sew around with a 1/4 inch seam, starting at the dot and finishing in the other dot. Use scissors to cut around the doll shapes. Fill the dolls with stuffing while being careful not to overstuff them at the straight end. This will make sewing easier. Pin the bottom and then sew the straight edge with a 1/4 inch seam.

6. To make the face, cut small circles from dark construction paper and paste it in place with a little liquid matte medium. With black permanent marker draw the eye lashes and nose and with the red marker the mouth. With pink paint color the cheeks.

7. Make the hair out of colored yarn and sew it in place with a big-eyed needle and the same colored yarn.

8. Now it is time to decorate your doll. Use all those decorations you have been collecting and saving. In this case I cut a piece of a scrap of fabric and put it around the neck. Then I sewed a paper flower with a small button on top of the scarf.

9. Divide a felt square into 9 equal pieces. Roll up one piece and insert it in the doll's back pocket to add a chalk stick. Write a message and send a "Chalkboard Buddy" to a loved one.

Tip:

.if you have a "walking foot" use it to sew the stretch velvet.

.when you trace the pattern of the doll use chalk instead of a water soluble marker.

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