Button-Turkey Bean Bag

Once again, Counting Coconuts posted a brilliant project to do with your child! She made a stuffed turkey that provides practice with matching colors and buttoning. I made one of these for Dora this week and modified it slightly, so thought I’d post the directions that I used.

Firstly, I’d like to mention that the day after I finished my turkey, Nap Time Crafts published directions for a felt turkey. I also made that project, but more importantly, her template is perfect for many of the pieces of the button-turkey also!

Hopefully, these directions will make sense, I am not a seamstress and I don’t play one on TV.

Materials needed:

• Felt – dark brown, light brown, red, orange, and 4-5 colors for the feathers
• Buttons – 4-5 that color coordinate with your feather colors
• Googly eyes (2)
• Beans
• Craft glue
• Thread
• Needles
• Sewing machine (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut out two round circles for the body (I made mine about 5” in diameter), using the dark brown felt, and a head, using the light brown felt. Sew or glue the head to one of the body circles.
2. Cut out the wattle, using the red felt, and the beak, using the orange felt. Sew or glue the beak and wattle to the head. Glue the two googly eyes to the head. Let the glue dry.
3. Sew the buttons to the body, leaving space for the feathers and keeping the buttons at least 1/2” away from the edge of the circle.
4. Pin the two body parts, right sides together. Stich the two parts together, leaving a one-inch opening, unstitched.
5. Turn the body inside-out (actually will now be right side out).
6. Fill the body with beans, being sure to leave some room for shifting.
7. Stitch the one-inch opening on the body closed.
8. Make 4-5 feathers. You can either just cut slits for the button holes or use your machine to make proper button holes, depending on how much use you think your turkey will get.