Fabric Collage Angels

I used to make cloth dolls before I started stitching my fabric collage landscapes. I designed these little angels a few years ago for a market stall I was doing. I wanted to have something smaller to sell that people could hang on their tree or give as a small gift to someone. I’m pretty sure my kids gave one to each of their teachers that year! They are very simple to make but do require a bit of patience as they are small and can be a bit fiddly. The finished angels are about 15cm tall but you could always adjust the pattern to make them bigger or smaller. To get your free pattern, subscribe to my newsletter and I will send you the link!

There is a list of what you need to make your angel on the downloadable pattern. Basically you need fabrics for the head and dress and fabric collage, various embroidery threads, stuffing, wool for the hair and some pretty paper for the wings. Print and cut out the pattern pieces (I have included a black and white pattern in the instructions so you only need to print that page). Trace around pattern pieces on your chosen fabrics and cut them out adding a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Machine stitch or hand-stitch the head to the top of the dress (repeat with other side). Press the stitched seam towards the dress. Stitch around arms, cut around them leaving a small seam allowance and turn them inside out (tip: use a straw to turn these tiny pieces. Place the straw inside the arm right to the end. Poke through a skewer or thin paintbrush down into the straw to turn your arm inside out).

Lay out one side of the doll and make this the front of your doll. Create your fabric collage on the front of the doll dress based on my patterns or your own inspiration. I have done a quick landscape on one and some holly and berries on the other. The patterns are included as well as one for a mystical landscape. Once you are happy with your collage, dab a little bit of glue on each layered piece to secure it to the fabric. Transfer the face design to the skin tone fabric (either with transfer pencil or using a window of light box).

Now is the fun part, stitching! Choose from the threads you have and embroider and embellish your angel with a variety of stitches. Most embroidery thread has 6 strands, I separate them and use 2 strands for the embroidery. You can see from some of my pictures that I used to stitch the eyes using free-motion stitching on my machine. As this takes a fair bit of practice (you are welcome to give it a go!), I have designed some simpler eyes that you can embroider. Using black thread, stitch the eyes using satin stitch and straight stitches for the eyelashes. Add a white highlight to the eyes to add depth. Use the black to stitch a nose and pink thread for the mouth. For the fabric collage, I often use a combination of free-motion stitching on my machine and hand embroidery. If you don’t have a free-motion foot, don’t worry, you can use straight stitch or even try some decorative stitch settings on your mahcine to add detail. Hand embroidery stitches I often use are: running stitch, seed stitch, chain stitch, straight stitch and french knots.

Once you are happy with your embellishing, place right sides of dress & head together, matching the neck seams, and stitch them together leaving a 1/4 inch seam. Make small snips with scissors around the curve of the head (this makes the curve turn easier). Turn inside out and stuff firmly with filling. Once firm, tuck in the seams at the bottom of the dress and stitch closed with tiny whip stitches with cotton thread that matches the colour of the dress. I don’t stuff the arms, but feel free to if you want them firmer. Tuck in the raw seams of each arm down into itself and carefully stitch each arm either side of the dress along the seam between the head and the dress. This bit is very fiddly and try to use tiny stitches! If you aren’t confident to stitch them, you could always glue them on with some strong fabric glue.

Now it is time to attach some hair. Use wool scraps you already have or mix them up! Take your chosen yarn and cut 20 strands (or more if you prefer thicker hair) of about 25cm in length. Holding all strands together, fold in half and place on the head of the doll, pinning along the fold (the middle of the wool strands) to the centre of the head and spread them out about 4 cm down the back of the head. Using matching cotton thread, stitch hair in place down this centre fold using backstitch. Cut three more strands of wool, 25cm in length. Fold in half and stitch in the centre at the front of the hair, above the forehead. Once stiched firmly, plait each side, pull the plaits towards the back of the head, meet togehter and add a few stitches to keep in place. Make a few stitches halfway down the hair to secure the hair in place across the back of the head. This prevents the hair lifting up and showing the bare head! Trim hair with scissors to make even (or you could leave it wild and messy!).

Trace around wings on your chosen paper. I used an old music book but you could use any pretty paper. Paint paper with a sealer like Mod-Podge or Gel medium to make more firm if needed. Cut around wings and add gold or silver paint for highlights if needed. Glue to the back of the angel. I also make fabric wings by cutting 2 wings out with a 1/4 seam allowance added. Stitch the wings but sewing around the traced line. Make a small snip in the middle of one side of the wings wide enough to carefully turn the wing inside out. Press wings down and add some metallic paint for embellishment. Stitch or glue to back of the angel making sure the hole you cute is hidden. If you wish, add a ribbon loop to the back of the head with firm stitches to hang your angel on the tree!

I hope these instructions have inspired you and help you make your own little collage angels! You could make them as Christmas gifts or even change them into little fairies to give as gifts throughout the year.