I bought a new sewing machine in 2014 for the ability to free motion embroider – and, well, my other machine was 25 years used. A budget Toyota Oekaki has more than earned its place in the craft room.

It really feel free when creating and we have more mats and table covers than any house can accommodate.

Jane’s quick-craft* technique is to trace cartoon style shapes on freezer paper, iron these shapes onto the base fabric then fix these appliqué bodies by free motion straight or zig zag stitchery around also creating legs, stalks or plumes at the same time.

Quick-craft is the technique available to a clumsy, impatient crafter (ie me) which produces a piece worthy of being given as a present.

in 2016 a Janome with more stitches and more robust workings (computerised) took its place and has been used for lots of little projects.

here is a tablet stand, following debby shore instructions but really the pouch used for previous stands and a chicken pin cushion featured in other projects…

take two equal squares , for a tablet 8″ square, plus a rectangle for the foot same width but in this case 3″ high.

Cut felt shapes for wings and sew in position on outer of both squares – remember to mirror the wing positions..

More felt for  beak wattle and comb is cut and arranged around the top left hand corner of one outer, then flipped facing inwards and tacked lightly so it can be sandwiched between the two outers when they are sewn together.

Place squares right sides facing (so that wings and felt pieces are inside). Sew,  around the top, side with the felt and bottom, leave the fourth side open. Turn out,  remove basting if it shows, pull the open end so the seams are in the middle to create a pyramid shape and press lightly.

Fold the rectangle in half lengthways so you have a shape, in this case, 8″ by 1.5″. With the good side of the fabric inside, sew one end only. (Use the same seam allowance throughout this project)

turn the rectangle right side out and pin the open width along the top outside of the pyramid shape. Sew the two together. Stuff the tube created firmly til really full then hand sew it closed.

Stuff the pyramid lightly (you need it a bit saggy so the tablet can lie back) and add a couple of marbles as weights, then hand sew the remaining open edges together.