Prancing Deer Cushion

Die used: Prancing Deer

I've been using the Prancing Deer die recently for a project that I can't blog about just yet but I really love this die and so have carried on using it to make something that I can post about! It's such a classic, stylish deer shape and perfect for some Christmas crafting - I have a plan to make some paper and card deer bunting nearer to the festive season with one in the chain sporting a mini red pompom on it's nose. For now though I've been using it to make an appliqué patch to embellish a cushion cover.

Applying a piece of iron-on adhesive (fusible web) that is slightly larger overall than the deer to the reverse of the appliqué fabric

and then positioning the adhesive-backed area over the cutting area of the die and cutting with a Big Shot

results in one perfectly cut out deer.

I cut out a simple cushion front and peeled off the backing paper from the die-cut deer and pressed it in place in the bottom right-hand corner of the cushion front. Then, with a scrap of fabric pinned behind the deer to support the patch, I sewed an outline all around the inside edge of the deer sewing twice around the body but just once over the antlers (just carrying on past them on the second circuit).

It is quite an ornate shape but a perfectly stitched outline isn't required just one that will hold it in place securely, a sketchy outline looks really effective especially over the antlers.

Once the appliqué was done it was just a case of sewing an envelope back onto the cushion front and turning it the right way out. Voila!

I think this die is going to see a lot of use over the next 2-3 months.

Happy sewing!