Erin FoxChildren’s Corner with Erin Fox
Now we are in the season for Confirmation days, you could make this felt ornamental dove for a sibling or friend for their special day. Or give it as a present to the person you pick to be your sponsor.
Although first Holy Communion comes before Confirmation, the sacrament of Confirmation actually completes the sacrament of Baptism. In some countries, children make the sacrament of Confirmation first, before making their Holy Communion. Or, sometimes their Confirmation day takes place on the day of their first Holy Communion. During the Confirmation ceremony, baptismal promises are renewed to highlight the connection between Baptism and Confirmation.
By receiving this sacrament we are acknowledging our faith as adults. For this reason, godparents are usually chosen to be sponsors, to maintain the link between Baptism and Confirmation.
Things you will need
For the ornamental dove you will need: One or two sheets of white felt depending on how big you make the dove, embroidery needle, embroidery thread, scissors, fabric pen, cereal box card.
Make two templates; one for the dove’s body and one for the wings out of the back of some card from a cereal box. Cut them out and pin them to a white piece of felt folded in half. Cut around the templates and then remove the pins and the templates from the felt. Push the pins back into the felt pieces.
Roughly tack together then loop an embroidery needle with embroidery thread in a colour of your choice. Sew blanket stitches all around and then fasten off. Mark a line in the centre of the dove’s body near the top. Cut through this with the scissors being very gentle. Push one wing through and pull it out the other side.
For the dove’s eye, make a French slip knot. Sew a cross cut out from a piece of felt in another colour onto the dove’s body, or embroider a cross on using the satin stitch method.
You can even embroider your Confirmation name on the wings.
If you want to stuff the dove with kapok, sew around the edges of the slit in the body so the stuffing doesn’t come loose. Then, push the wings through. If you want to hang the dove up, insert a loop of string in between the two piece of felt for the body before sewing together.