Crazy for Thanksgiving Turkey - I've Got You Covered

I think I've gone just a little bit crazy.

It was bound to happen sooner or later, I guess ...

... but after months and months of non-stop fun -- reunions, parties, visitors from afar -- I've finally got a little bit of down time before the next big event and another bunch of company arrives.

Not to worry though, I'm staying busy.

For instance, I've finally got some time to blog. And I've got food on my mind for Thanksgiving dinner.

But since it's a little too early to start cooking, I've found other ways to prepare some turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Take a look!

I made them myself with a "recipe" from the Disney Family Fun website (www.disneyfamilyfun.com) which I ever-so-slightly adapted for my own table.

• I drew my own pattern! 
• I used a tape measure, felt, scissors, fabric glue and thread. 
• I didn't trust the glue to hold the seams (even though the website suggested it would) so I added a sewing machine to the list and made a straight seam down each side.
• Now that I've worked with the fabric glue, I'm sure it would hold the "seams" under normal wear and tear.
• If you prefer, use iron-on fusible interfacing to assemble the turkey and attach it to the cover.

The project is fast -- 3 hours, including drawing the pattern, cutting the felt, fitting the cover, sewing the seams and gluing.

The project is easy -- the spray fabric glue dries quickly, so the covers are ready to use immediately.

The project is fun -- especially if you set up an assembly line and get the whole family involved.

I'm just crazy about these jolly turkeys! What a great idea for the kids' table, honored guests, the person who carves the turkey, the vegetarians/vegans -- or maybe everyone at the Thanksgiving table!


TURKEY CHAIR COVERS
Tape measure
Felt – (I chose white, brown, red, yellow, orange and black)
Spray Fabric Glue
Straight Pins
Sewing Machine
White Thread
Scissors

The Disney Family Fun website has templates to print out for the Turkey Chair Cover pattern, if you don’t want to draw your own. Print out the pattern to determine how much colored felt you need, based on the measurements for your chairs.

First, decide how many chairs you want to cover and measure them for size before calculating how much white felt will be needed. Determine how far down the chair you want the cover to hang – to the arms, or to the seat, for chairs without arms.

Measure up, over and down to determine the length of the chair back. Next, measure all the way around the chair back at its widest point to get the total for the width and depth of the back, then add 1 inch for the seams – ½-inch on each side.  

*Note - I used two square back counter chairs for my covers, but if you have Windsor chairs like my black ones in the picture, be sure to keep the opening wide enough to slide past the widest point of the chair back. Then pin the cover to fit the rounded top of the chair.

After you cut the first chair cover, drape it over the chair with the wrong side out, and pin the sides to be sure it fits. Make adjustments before cutting any additional chair covers. Sew the ½-inch side seams on the wrong side of the fabric and turn to the right side when finished.

Cut the pattern pieces from the computer printout templates at www.disneyfamilyfun.com or use your own drawings at the www.disneyfamilyfun.com website. Pin the pattern pieces to the felt and cut carefully, keeping the edges straight and smooth. Lay out all the pieces on the right side of the white cover to make sure of the proper placement. Gently lift the edges of each piece and use a pencil to mark small dots on the white cover for exact placement for gluing.

Beginning with the feathers, spray glue on the wrong side of each piece and layer according to the pencil dots. Next add the body, followed by the head, face and feet.

Presto! Place the covers over the chairs to face either in or out -- your choice. Too cute!

Wonder if I have time to embroider names on them too?