DIY Felt Llama Tutorial with FREE Pattern

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Welcome to Erika, Swish and Stitch’s first guest writer! Erika loves cooking, crafting, and photography. She has created this super cute felt llama which coordinates perfectly with the No Prob-Llama C2C Crochet Afghan. Check out her drool-worthy food photography next time you are on Instagram: erika_is_cooking.

NOTE: This felt llama has small parts and is not intended for young children.

Can’t Crochet? No Prob-Llama!

Good morning to all you beautiful crafters! I have a confession to make, unlike my very talented sister, I never learned to crochet. GASP! I know, I know. I tried to learn to crochet and knit on a couple of occasions but could never seem to get my stitches even so I gave up. The most I did was to crochet lace on the top of baby socks for my girls, but all it involved was crocheting chains! But I do plenty of stitching in my own way.

So, for all of you who don’t know how to crochet, and in honor of Swish and Stitches’ No Prob-Llama Afghan, I designed this little felt llama. I have been making felt animals for going-on ten years now. It started when I was living in Ankara, Turkey with my family. The annual fundraiser for my kids’ school was a Christmas crafts bazaar. I know what you are thinking, “But isn’t Turkey a Muslim country?” Yes! Imagine my surprise when I went to the mall in December to see it decked out in traditional Christmas decorations: candy canes, Santa Claus, and Christmas trees. I later learned that in Turkey those are not considered Christmas decorations, but New Year’s decorations!

Anyway, a couple of times a week several of us moms would get together at the school and make Christmas crafts to sell at the bazaar. It was so much fun! What a great way to socialize with friends and help make money for the school in the process. We made a lot of stuffed felt Christmas tree ornaments and since then, I have made felt animals for nieces and nephews, my kids’ bedrooms and backpacks, and as Christmas ornaments for friends. Here’s your chance to make your own felt llama with this FREE template and tutorial. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did!

~ Erika

Felt Llama Supplies

What you will need for this project:

Felt in various colors (tan, white, pink, black, red, orange, green OR as desired)
Embroidery floss, in matching and contrasting colors
Small beads, in matching colors
Fiber fill
Ribbon for a hanger loop, optional
Llama template below – Click to download

Felt Llama Instructions

To begin this project, print the template and cut out the pattern. Pin the pattern pieces to your felt and cut them out.

• Use two threads of embroidery floss while sewing this project, unless otherwise noted.

Using a zig-zag backstitch, sew the top blanket piece onto the second. I like to use contrasting colors for these stitches. Using a running stitch, sew the second piece to the bottom blanket piece. Sew the bottom blanket piece to the front piece of the llama’s body with an x-shaped backstitch. Sew small beads onto the bottom of the blanket as fringe.

Next, attach the hooves and nose circle with a whip stitch, using colors that match your felt. Embroider the black nose and mouth onto the nose piece using a back stitch. Stitch on two beads as the eyes.

Sew the harness with a backstitch, using three threads of embroidery floss. Then go back through and add the hanging beads with extra length of thread so that they hang down. Make sure to tie a knot behind each.

Layer the pink and brown ear pieces. Fold the ears in half and sew the bottom of the ears together, see the photo above. Sew the ears onto the back body piece, moving them down if they look too big and rotating the opening to the sides or the front as looks best to you. Sew the optional ribbon loop also onto the back body piece.

Layer the back and front body pieces and pin them in place. Use a small blanket stitch to sew around the outside of the llama. Stuff the legs and body with fiber fill as you go along. Continue stitching the outside edge of the llama and stuffing the body until finished. Enjoy!

-Erika

Embroidery tip of the day: How to do a backstitch and a running stitch