When George came home from nursery with Daisy Duck, his Duck groups mascot, I was instantly wondering what accessories I could send her home with. Knowing that the Craft Cotton Company was about to bring out Debbie Shore's new fabric range that featured ponds, I got in touch. I felt very lucky to get one of the first looks at her new range inspired by her garden. After asking for some ideas on Facebook we came up with the idea of a fishing game so this tutorial will give you instructions on how to make it and a little bag for her souvenirs. I made it in a few hours quite easily and that included wondering round the garden looking for the perfect fishing rods.
Debbie Shore takes the inspiration for her fabric from her Lincolnshire garden and the range includes ponds, frogs and kingfishers. You can get the fat quarter bundle of 5 fabrics here.
YOU WILL NEED
METHOD
1. Cut out your pond - With WRONG sides together pin your pond fabric and backing fabric together. Cut out a pond shape, I have just freehand cut it so pick a size and shape that works for you.
2. Make your binding - I always make my own binding, it is so easy and means you always get a perfect match. I have used the darker blue from the range that has waves on it for the back and the binding.
Cut 2.5" strips of fabric on the bias using the 45 degree angle on your ruler. I had smaller pieces of fabric so I made three strips and joined them together. I am finally getting the hang of using these binding makers too.
Press your binding in half.
3. Pin binding to the edges - With your pond fabric still pinned together, pin the binding to the exposed edges. Fold over at each end and butt them up close to each other.
Sew close to the edge, ensure you have sewn through all the layers and caught the binding at the back.
4 - Thread ribbon - The reason I used binding instead of just sewing wrong sides together, was so I could add a ribbon tie.
Use a piece of string or ribbon that is as long as the circumference of the pond plus a bit more. Use a safety pinto thread it in the binding and tie the ends together when you get to the end.
5. Make the fish - The two coral colours in the collection were great fish colours so I used a combination of two of them. You only need a small amount.
I was recently sent some samples from Bosal to try out and they included this firm medium weight interfacing. It was the perfect thickness for this project and made the fish nice and sturdy.
Sketch some fish shapes onto the interfacing and only cut out and iron on what you need to the reverse of the fabric. I have made about 8.
Cut out your first fish and get your magnets. I have had these little bits of magnets in my sewing box since I can remember. I guess I always knew I would need them one day. Place your fish wrong sides together with another interfaced piece of fabric and sandwich the magnet in the middle, pin in place.
Sew around the edges of the fish.
Then just cut around the fabric.
6. Make the fishing rods - I made two. I found some sticks in the garden and tied a piece of string around 30cm long to one end.
Cut out two circles around 2" wide.
Fold over the edges and sew a running stitch around the edge by hand. Leave a long tail.
Place a magnet in the centre, place the other end of the fishing rod string into it and pull the threads tight around it. Now sew through all the layers including the string lots of times until you are happy that it is secure.
Now all parts of your pond are done, you just need a kid to play with. The tie means you can pull it into a bag to store the fish inside.
THE BAG
You may have noticed Daisy has a matching bag. I thought it would be a good place to put any souvenirs from her travels. It was super simple so here are the basic instructions.
Cut a piece of fabric 9" x 12".
Fold it in half on the long edge.
Sew around all three sides but leave a gap to turn it out on the long edge. Clip the corners and turn it out, press.
With it looking upside down, fold the bottom short edge up by about 3.5". Pin some ribbon in the seams and top stitch the two sides together.
Use a Kam snap or a button so it can be fastened closed.
THE ADVENTURES OF DAISY DUCK
It was great to have the duck for the weekend. It seems like such a simple thing but Daisy came with us everywhere. We went on the hunt for other ducks and explore the garden.